Oakland

BART Train

Researchers Find a Model of Redevelopment Without Displacement

It's the "holy grail" of urban planning, say researchers.

April 2, 2018 - The Mercury News

500 Kirkham Street

Both Sides of the Parking Spectrum

Examples from California and Texas exemplify two extremes in thinking about parking.

February 26, 2018 - Socket Site

San Francisco Street

Is CEQA the Main Impediment to Housing Construction in California?

According to a new study by UC Berkeley and Columbia University, local land use processes, specifically the approval process, rather than the California Environmental Quality Act, is the main impediment to housing production in California.

February 24, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Subway Screen Doors

'Screen Door' Pilot to Be Installed at Oakland BART Station

The 12th Street station in Oakland, California will provide an initial test of a rail transit safety technology known as screen doors. Screen doors are rare in the United States, but not in other parts of the world.

February 23, 2018 - Streetsblog SF

Port Authority of Allegheny County

Downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland BRT Moving Forward, With or Without Federal Money

Expect more cities and transit agencies around the country to wrestle with funding quandaries if the Trump Administration gets its way with existing capital investment grants.

February 16, 2018 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

One Native American Family, Two Housing Crises

In Oakland, California and Torreon, New Mexico, Julian Brave NoiseCat reports that "[f]or Indigenous people, the crisis of the home is intergenerational."

February 8, 2018 - High Country News

Bay Bridge Boardwalk

Former Bay Bridge Piers Offer a New Approach to the Water

"Four piers from the old eastern span of the Bay Bridge will live on as a public boardwalk and vista point in Oakland and on Yerba Buena Island," reports Erin Baldassari.

January 26, 2018 - The Mercury News

University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh Settles for Pedestrian Improvements on Adjacent Street

The university wanted to limit a section of Bigelow Boulevard to pedestrians, but the city pushed for a compromise: better crosswalks and traffic calming features. Now the challenge is finding the funds.

November 28, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Berkeley, California

$312 Million Corridor Improvement Project Coming to the East Bay Area

Two county transit agencies, seven cities, and three regional transit agencies are joining forces to plan improvements to the growing San Pablo corridor in the East Bay Area.

November 27, 2017 - The Mercury News

Oakland, California

A Radical Idea to Help the Homeless: Homeowners Should Open Their Doors

The mayor of Oakland is challenging homeowners to offer their extra rooms and in-law units to the homeless, with a target to create a modest 100 new permanent supportive housing units.

November 24, 2017 - East Bay Times

Vacant Lot

Oakland to Turn Vacant Properties into Affordable Housing

Oakland pilot program to buy up vacant lots and properties, whose owners have defaulted on their property taxes, to transform them into low- and medium-income housing.

November 15, 2017 - CBS

Downtown Oakland

Proposed Development Could Redefine Height in the East Bay Area

The Easy Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area isn't known for skyscrapers, with none of its high-rise buildings topping 25 stories. A newly proposed development could change that.

November 4, 2017 - The Mercury News

Bus Rapid Transit

Pittsburgh's Planned Bus Rapid Transit Could Leave Some Riders Behind

A proposed bus rapid transit route connecting Pittsburgh to the neighborhood of Oakland will surely benefit many commuters, but other transit commuters, including some of the poorest in the region, will face new hardships.

October 3, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

San Francisco Bay

Battle of the Bay: S.F. and Oakland Sue Oil Companies Over Sea Level Rise

Two California cities are going after oil companies with a legal argument that recalls the legislation against big tobacco companies in the 1990s.

September 22, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Pedestrian Infrastructure

Oakland Hoping to Provide Safer Pedestrian Infrastructure at Construction Sites

"Every reasonable effort should be made to avoid and minimize construction impacts on pedestrian, bicycle, and bus facilities in Oakland," according to a guidance released by the city of Oakland earlier in 2017.

April 10, 2017 - Transport Oakland

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders Move Enabled by Largest Ever Public Subsidy

Planetizen rounded up the pertinent news stories on the big move by the NFL's Raiders from their home in the East Bay to Sin City. The Las Vegas Raiders will be a thing by 2020 at the latest.

March 28, 2017 - The Mercury News

Telegraph Avenue

Oakland's Telegraph Avenue: A Resounding Example of Street Redesign Success

Oakland's Telegraph Avenue underwent a dramatic reconfiguration in April 2016. Since then traffic collisions have declined and walking and biking is way up.

February 3, 2017 - Streetsblog California

Oakland Coliseum

Oakland Stadium Deal Gains Support

The Raiders are threatening to move to Las Vegas, but the city of Oakland intends to offer a land and infrastructure deal to convince the team to stay.

December 28, 2016 - San Francisco Gate

Uber's Self-Driving Cars Leave Hometown for Warmer, and Friendlier Climates

California's loss is Arizona's gain. That's how Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey see's Uber's decision on Thursday to haul their fleet of self-driving Volvos from San Francisco to Arizona after the company refused to secure the necessary operating permits.

December 27, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Oakland skyline and San Francisco Bay

Oakland Startup Trades Homes 'Like Stock'

Roofstock is an online marketplace where investors can buy, sell, and trade homes that tenants are living in.

December 15, 2016 - BizJournals

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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.