City Initiative Embraces Bottom-Up Placemaking in L.A.

The same week that the City of L.A. made a big splash with its "Great Streets Initiative", a new program that has the potential to have a sizable impact on city streets went less noticed. Damien Newton reports on the city's "People St" program.

1 minute read

October 16, 2013, 10:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


With recent pedestrian-friendly insertions as inspiration, the City of Los Angeles has announced the launch of People St, "a program that will allow residents, business owners and non-profits to ask for and plan projects that convert portions of the street to bike corrals, parklets or plazas," writes Damien Newton.

“People St represents one of the many tools in our Great Streets toolbox as we work to change the way Angelenos interact with the built environment, while using existing government resources to make City Hall work better for our residents and businesses,” writes Mayor Eric Garcetti in an open letter on the webpage. “Fundamental to People St is its bottom-up, community-based approach. I am proud of our city’s transportation and planning experts, but no one knows more about our neighborhoods than you.”

Monday, October 14, 2013 in LA.Streetsblog

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Cars in traffic entering Holland Tunnel in New York City.

NYC Congestion Pricing Continues to Show Positive Results

While the Trump administration attempts to revoke the program’s federal approval, congestion pricing continues to reduce traffic, speed up bus travel times, and improve air quality in Manhattan.

May 14, 2025 - Governing

"Units for sale - contact your local realtor" sign in front of homes.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods

A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

18 minutes ago - Next City

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

1 hour ago - Inside Climate News

Alpine Recreation Center sign in park in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown

Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.

2 hours ago - American Community Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.