Los Angeles seems primed for a development boom, but when developments are built near highways there can be serious health consequences.
Living in Los Angeles can be very expensive, and the city is exporting its poor in part because of high housing costs. But recent developments near highways have raised health concerns. "People there suffer higher rates of asthma, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer and pre-term births. Recent research has added more health risks to the list, including childhood obesity, autism and dementia," Tony Barboza and Jon Schleuss report for the Los Angeles Times. In a city of 2.5 million, city zoning choices impact a lot of people. "In Los Angeles alone officials have approved thousands of new homes within 1,000 feet of a freeway — even as they advised developers that this distance poses health concerns," Barboza and Schleuss report.
When asked for comment mayor Eric Garcetti said, “I take this stuff very seriously, but I also know that in looking for housing we have a very constricted city,” Barboza and Schleuss report. Garcetti favors stricter regulations on building design and tail pipe emissions over limiting developments near highways.
FULL STORY: L.A. keeps building near freeways, even though living there makes people sick
Study: L.A. County's Urban Oil Wells Are Too Close to Homes and Schools
The Department of Public Health recommends taking action to better protect residents from oil operations that are sometimes only a few feet from where people live, work, eat, play and study.
Pollution Does Discriminate in Orlando’s Parramore Neighborhood
Poor air quality has decimated the health of residents in this predominantly black community ringed by highways.
More on those Freeway-Adjacent Affordable Housing Developments
The Los Angeles Times follows-up an earlier article on the dangers of building too close to freeways. It's a trade-off that the California Air Resources Board acknowledged last April with new guidelines that recognize the dire need for housing.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
