Seeing projects through—whether affordable housing, public space, or infrastructure—for low-income populations in cities like Los Angeles requires grit and coalition-building.
Sherri Franklin, founder of the Urban Design Center (UDC), has spent a quarter-century devoted to just that. An expert at navigating the complexities of financing and realizing initiatives to serve South Los Angeles and other long-overlooked parts of the city, Franklin knows how to engage residents and help them transform their neighborhoods.
She recently spoke with The Planning Report to share lessons from her years building the capacity of these communities—as well as updating readers on current UDC work in Los Angeles ranging from the 6th Street Bridge, to the 710 Freeway Extension, to TOD and pedestrian-planning for Leimert Park Village. Franklin dedicated the interview to her mentor, Juanita Tate, who she celebrates in the piece.
Franklin reflects on the potential for South LA: "How do we begin to link Central Avenue in South Los Angeles to the business needs of the emerging population moving back to Downtown LA? What kind of connectivity can we create between transit nodes?... All the things that we thought of in the early ’90s are now in place because of the initial investment and leadership that was brought to Central Avenue."
FULL STORY: Demographics Are Changing LA & 'Change' Has a Land-Use Champion: Sherri Franklin

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service