Los Angeles

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.

March 3, 2016 - The Planning Report

Tiny Homes for the Homeless Run Afoul of the City of Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles is putting an end to a crowdfunded, unpermitted program to build and deliver tiny homes to homeless people living on the streets of Los Angeles.

February 26, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Competing Land Use Initiatives on the November Ballot in Los Angeles

Move over "Neighborhood Integrity Initiative." The "Build Better LA" initiative will compete for the soul of the city in the November election.

February 25, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Bay bridge and Treasure Island aerial view

The Lost Art of Great Infrastructure in America

Writing in the New York Times, Allison Arieff asks what happened to the great works of public infrastructure from years past that stand as today's monuments to America’s achievements.

February 22, 2016 - The New York Times

Champion of L.A.'s 'Neighborhood Integrity Initiative' Speaks

A longtime Los Angeles journalist has joined the cause of a sweeping anti-growth initiative that has city leaders on high alert.

February 19, 2016 - The Planning Report

L.A.'s New Planning Director Vince Bertoni Shares His Vision

The new director of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning arrives at a pivotal moment for planning in the city, as countywide investment in public transit is blowing up and the flames of old development debates are being fanned.

February 18, 2016 - The Planning Report

Mobile Apps Provide the Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles

Get this guide for 21 apps and services for enjoying the city of Los Angeles to its fullest, whether you're a resident or a visitor.

February 17, 2016 - Netted

Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

Slow Express Lanes Causes L.A. County Metro to Tinker With Toll Pricing

As more solo-commuters have moved into the express pay lanes designed to quickly move traffic on Los Angeles's congested freeway system, speeds have dropped and L.A. Metro officials are looking to pricing disincentives to speed things up again.

February 16, 2016 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Los Angeles Passes Sweeping Homeless Plans—Funding Still Needed

The easy part for politicians at both the city and the county of Los Angeles is over. Funding their plans to improve services for the homeless will be the hard part.

February 12, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles' Contentious 'Neighborhood Integrity Initiative' Explained

The soul of planning in Los Angeles will be up for vote in the citywide election that will occur on the same day as the U.S. presidential election.

February 3, 2016 - California Planning & Development Report

Gold Line Preview

Los Angeles Transit Ridership on the Decline—Are Rail Investments Working?

Bad news for transit advocates in Los Angeles this week, as the Los Angeles Time reported data that makes the region's transit investments look like something less than money well spent.

January 30, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Friday Funny: The Infinite New York to Los Angeles Feedback Loop

A satirical New Yorker article nails the perpetual debate between New York and Los Angeles.

January 29, 2016 - The New Yorker

Metro Map

The Go LA App Offers a One-Stop Shop for Transportation Choices

A public-private partnership between Xerox and the city of Los Angeles rolls out a new mobile trip-planning app to the public today. Now it's on the city's residents to use this new power wisely.

January 27, 2016 - James Brasuell

An Appreciation of the 'Edgy Outskirts'

Long abused by those who favor more urban settings, the suburbs of major metropolitan areas should receive more credit for their cultural capital, according to this article written for Zócalo Public Square.

January 26, 2016 - Zocalo Public Square

Eastside Gold Line and Los Angeles skyline

What Will the 'Third Los Angeles' Look Like?

Architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne describes an L.A. in flux, at once beholden to its postwar image and pushing in a new direction. The city, he says, faces existential questions on a scale unmatched elsewhere in the nation.

January 21, 2016 - The Architect's Newspaper

Walking

Reading List: Walking in the City

Sometimes, city walks can mean more than just getting from place to place. Author and book critic David Ulin discusses his favorite accounts of that rich experience.

January 21, 2016 - Barnes and Noble Review

facades of victorian style residences in San Francisco

NIMBYs at Center of California's Housing Shortage

Sacramento Bee's political columnist, Dan Walters, writes that NIMBYs are among the main reasons for the state's chronic housing crisis, and one of their main tools is the California Environmental Quality Act, which must be reformed by politicians.

January 20, 2016 - The Sacramento Bee

Green Line, Los Angeles

Targeting Another Gap in the System, L.A. Metro Looks to Expand Eastward

The potential 2.8 mile expansion of the Metro Green Line would connect light rail to the Norwalk MetroLink Station, opening up new transit options to users throughout the region.

January 19, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

As El Niño Arrives, Los Angeles Needs to Update its Stormwater System

"The hard lesson here is that infrastructure systems built to make cities resilient in one era may not serve them well at all in another era," writes Jon Christensen.

January 6, 2016 - LA Observed

Change of Leadership for Los Angeles' Planning Department

Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated Vince Bertoni to lead the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Bertoni is currently the planning director of the city of Pasadena.

January 5, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.