Los Angeles

The Deepening Transit Crisis: L.A. Times Reports Drug Use on Transit
An article by the L.A. Times earlier this week has raised the temperature of the debate about drug users and crime on rail transit. Concerns about public safety on transit are a common symptom of post-pandemic transit around the country.

Study: L.A.’s Wealthier Residents ‘Export’ Air Pollution to Poorer Neighborhoods
Residents of Los Angeles who drive less are exposed to higher rates of air pollution due to policies that have encouraged commuting through low-income neighborhoods.

Financial Dire Straights for L.A.’s Skid Row Housing Trust
Terrible news about the financial situation at one of L.A.’s most prominent homeless service providers broke earlier this month.

Extreme Heat Responsible for Growing Death Rates Among Unhoused People
Extreme heat events like the ‘heat dome’ that baked Southern California last summer kill a disproportionate number of people experiencing homelessness, who have fewer resources to protect themselves from the scorching sun.

New All-Affordable Zone Proposed for L.A.’s Skid Row
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that Skid Row’s future should learn from the mistakes of the past.

Tactical Urbanism Makes Strides in L.A.
A DIY urbanism group in Los Angeles has successfully prompted the city to install permanent crosswalks at dangerous intersections, despite the city’s insistence that the group’s do-it-yourself work is illegal.

Proposed Outdoor Dining Ordinance Could Decimate L.A.’s ‘Al Fresco’ Dining
Restaurant owners say the new regulations proposed by the city for installing and maintaining outdoor dining areas would put them out of reach for many businesses.

Rail Transit Plans Would Connect L.A.’s South Bay to the Regional Rail System
Two new transit extensions promise several new routes for South Bay residents to access the Los Angeles region’s transit system.

South L.A. Complete Streets Project Back on Track
First proposed in 2015, the Broadway-Manchester redesign would add bike infrastructure, pedestrian improvements, trees, and other amenities.

L.A. County Towns Clash Over Homelessness Policies
Local governments often come to different conclusions about how to address homelessness within their respective borders, but varying approaches only exacerbate the problem.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Outdoor Destinations for the Carless in Los Angeles
Learn about eight L.A. parks that you can reach from Union Station without a car.

L.A.’s Water Diversions Threaten Critical Habitat Far to the North
Water levels at Mono Lake, nestled in a stunningly beautiful location on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas that provides the eastern gateway to Yosemite, have fallen to a critical level of a local population of nesting gulls.

Lawsuit Challenges L.A. Oil Drilling Ban
Oil companies with operations in the city of Los Angeles are suing over an ordinance that seeks to phase out drilling within city limits due to public health and environmental concerns.

City Council Controversy Threatens L.A.’s Proposed Downtown Plan
A Los Angeles Times editorial explains how political intrigue is spilling over into planning frustration in the city of Los Angeles.

Opinion: Los Angeles Needs More Housing, Fast
The shortage of housing at all price points in the region is the main driver of high costs and the growing homelessness crisis.

L.A. Planning Department Adjusts to State Housing Laws
Los Angeles Director of Planning Vince Bertoni was recently interviewed the effects of new state planning and housing laws in the state’s most populous city.

The Complexity of Homelessness in Los Angeles County
The homeless crisis is complicated and is associated with high housing costs, inadequate shelter spaces, deinstitutionalization, changes in the criminal justice system, and other factors.

Lawsuit Filed to Halt L.A.’s Mansion Tax
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is among the groups suing to block the city of Los Angeles’ voter-approved ‘mansion tax.’

L.A. ‘Wildlife Ordinance’ to Protect Biodiversity With Zoning Changes
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission recently approved a new Wildlife Ordinance. The City Council will make the final decision about the ordinance’s approval.
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