California

Old white motor home with brown stripe and open door parked on street in Los Angeles, California.

LA Approves New Safe Parking Pilot

The Los Angeles City Council approved $50,000 to fund a new safe parking site for people living in vehicles.

September 30, 2024 - The Los Angeles Post

Woman in forest looking at plants and documenting on tablet.

Discovering LA’s Biodiversity: The 2024 BioBlitz Challenge

The BioBlitz Challenge invites participants to document local wildlife throughout October using the iNaturalist app, contributing to conservation efforts and scientific research on Los Angeles' biodiversity.

September 30, 2024 - Los Angeles Public Library

View of Inglewood Oil Field in Los Angeles County, California.

California Law Affirms Local Power Over Oil Extraction

A new law strengthens local governments’ ability to regulate and limit fossil fuel production in their jurisdictions.

September 29, 2024 - Legal Planet

Close-up over shoulder of person holding smartphone with extreme heat warning and 105 degree temperature indicated.

Experts Call for Extreme Heat Action Plans as Communities Face Growing Risks

Experts are urging cities and counties to develop heat action plans and personalized heat warnings as extreme heat becomes a leading cause of climate-related deaths.

September 29, 2024 - NBC Los Angeles

Rendering of pedestrian walkway on hilltop at Puente Hills Landfill Park.

Puente Hills Regional Park Development Gets $15M Boost

The federal grant will help to transform the former Puente Hills Landfill into a 142-acre regional park, bringing much-needed green space and environmental benefits to the San Gabriel Valley.

September 27, 2024 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

View of traffic on Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

San Francisco ‘Best-Performing Metro’ for VMT, Traffic Reduction

The city saw a 13 percent drop in miles driven per capita in the last five years.

September 27, 2024 - GovTech

Green oil well pump jack surrounded by fence on a hill overlooking neighborhood.

Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Restrict Oil and Gas Operations Near Communities

The signed legislation grants local communities more authority to restrict oil and gas operations near sensitive areas and address the environmental risks of idle wells, while also ensuring the permanent shutdown of low-production wells.

September 26, 2024 - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

Aerial view of low-rise neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.

California Law Ends Road Widening Mandates

Housing developers will no longer be required to dedicate land to roadway widening, which could significantly reduce the cost of construction and support more housing units.

September 25, 2024 - Streetsblog California

Corner view of Spanish revival-style building with arched windows, red tile roof, and Long Beach City College title and logo on two sides.

California Colleges Debate Letting Students Sleep in Cars

Long Beach City College offers a Safe Parking Program to enrolled students who need a safe place to spend the night. Other schools are skeptical.

September 24, 2024 - CALmatters

Close-up of top of California state capitol dome with U.S. and California flags flying and blue sky in background.

Gov. Newsom Signs Housing Bills Aimed at ‘Original Sin’ of Affordability

A package of 32 bills could help make housing more available and affordable in California.

September 23, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Two silver trains leaving station in Long Beach, California in front of mid-rise residential building.

California Law Bars Parking Mandates Near Transit

Local governments are prohibited from requiring parking spaces at new developments where transit is readily available.

September 23, 2024 - Long Beach Post

Looking up at cluster of high-rise modern office buildings in San Francisco, California.

California Law Would Streamline Adaptive Reuse Process

A bill passed by the state senate would ease the permitting process for office conversions in central city neighborhoods.

September 22, 2024 - Globe St.

Tents set up by unhoused people on sidewalk in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Scrambles to Build Shelters Faster

Mayor Breed directed city officials to double its shelter expansion goal.

September 19, 2024 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of Norwalk, California.

SoCal City Defies State, Extending Homeless Shelter Ban

The Norwalk City Council voted to extend a ban on shelter facilities days after receiving a warning from state officials that the ban violates state housing laws.

September 19, 2024 - LAist

Red 'Welcome to Sacramento' sign in downtown Sacramento, California.

Sacramento’s Traffic Safety Crisis Could Be Declared a Public Emergency

Street safety advocates are calling for a stronger declaration that would focus on road design and equity.

September 19, 2024 - Streetsblog California

Oil wells scattered across a residential neighborhood in Los Angeles, California on a sunny day.

Judge Sides With Oil Companies Over LA Drilling Ban

The decision invalidates a law that would have eliminated oil drilling in the city over the next 20 years. A proposed state law could still let cities regulate extraction.

September 18, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Close-up of white sign with red text 'No RV parking' against green foliage.

San Francisco Could Ban Overnight RV Parking

Advocates say the proposal would further destabilize the lives of people forced to live in their vehicles.

September 18, 2024 - ABC 7 News

Aerial view of Television City complex in Los Angeles, California.

Historic LA Filming Complex Could Get $1B Makeover

A revised plan for a revamped ‘Television City’ in mid-city Los Angeles was endorsed by the City Planning Commission, but faces more hurdles before full City Council approval.

September 17, 2024 - Urbanize LA

An overhead image of a large wooden building as it's being constructed.

California Bill Clarifies ‘Builder’s Remedy’

New laws eliminate the murky, ‘free-for all’ approach to the policy, letting developers continue to build new housing projects under stricter guidelines.

September 17, 2024 - JD Supra

Close-up of yellow dogface butterfly sitting on purple flower.

Study Reveals Los Angeles a Hotspot for Insect Diversity

A study reveals that L.A. is a surprising hotspot for insect and spider biodiversity, with diversity driven more by proximity to mountains and stable temperatures than by land value.

September 17, 2024 - The Conversation

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.

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.