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
L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding
President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.
City Hall 'Outsider' on Opening Up L.A.'s Development Process
Los Angeles is experiencing an elevated anti-growth conversation and suspicion of insider dealings at City Hall. In the midst of this, a councilmember known as an "outsider" aims to reconcile his constituents with the city's development processes.
'Beyond the 710' Seeks Multimodal Alternatives to Filling Freeway Gap
A coalition in Los Angeles County wants to reframe the debate about closing the gap in the 710 Freeway, asking Metro to look "beyond the 710"—and toward a multi-pronged, multimodal approach to transportation problems in the region.
The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.
In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.
Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.
Few Landlords Pay San Francisco Vacancy Tax
Less than 3 percent of properties potentially subject to a new vacancy tax were filed as vacant in the last year, but empty storefronts in the city persist.
In Spite of Affordability Crisis, Richmond Rejects Manufactured Housing Plan
After declaring a housing crisis, the Virginia capital’s city council voted against a proposed manufactured home warehouse that would distribute replacements for aging manufactured housing stock.
A Planning Commission Podcast Journey: The 1,000 Joys of Planning
The Commissioners explore the facets of the planning profession that fill their cups with joy.
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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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.
