A history of segregation and other barriers have made California's beaches and oceanfront disproportionately white.
Legislators and activists around California are trying new tactics to get people to the beach who seldom get the opportunity to go or would, in the past, have been unwelcome there. "Their efforts range from encouraging inexpensive and culturally sensitive coastal lodging, to forcing the state to consider the impacts of coastal development on poorer, often minority residents,"Jill Replogle reports for High Country News.
When surveyed, many black and Latino Californians who chose not to go to the beach cited an inability to swim. This is an issue that organizations like Azul and the Surf Bus Foundation have worked to address. Another difficulty has to do with infrastructure. "Limited public transportation is also a problem, though Los Angeles recently expanded metro service to within a few blocks of the popular Santa Monica shoreline," Replogle writes.
FULL STORY: Making the California coast public for all
L.A.'s Long History of Informal Housing
The story of informal housing is one of changing racial and class demographics, economic opportunity and needs, and regulatory control.
When Whites Return to the Black Neighborhoods They Fled
Los Angeles Times op-ed writer Erin Aubry Kaplan shares her feelings upon seeing whites return to Inglewood, California half a century after they fled. One consistent theme emerges: "Whatever black people have can be taken away."
'Surfer Gang' Beach Fort Causes Problems
A rowdy collection of Palos Verdes surfers, some of them middle-aged, will resort to criminal tactics to keep outsiders away from their favorite spot. They've even built a fort, and officials are having trouble getting rid of it.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie