California

Tiny Houses for the Homeless Planned for San Jose

The Bay Area's most populated city is taking a small step to house its homeless population.

December 11, 2018 - The Mercury News

Oil

Are Environmentalists Turning Away From Carbon Taxes?

Economics 101: It's difficult to reduce an activity if there's no price attached to it, so why are many environmentalists increasingly turning away from wanting to price carbon emissions?

December 11, 2018 - Politico

Expo Line

All of L.A.'s Rail Lines Will Get New Names

Goodbye, Blue Line. Welcome, A Line. Goodbye, Red Line. Welcome, B Line.

December 11, 2018 - LAist

Tejon Ranch

Wildfire Risks Make Southern California Development a Gamble

The Tejon Ranch development would bring thousands of homes to a highly fire-prone area in L.A. County.

December 10, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Recreational Vehicle

Legislation to End Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles in California Reintroduced

Assemblymembers Phil Ting and Ash Kalra have reintroduced the Clean Cars 2040 Act with the goal of banning the sale of passenger vehicles powered by internal combustion engines by 2040, with the California Air Resources Board playing a lead role.

December 10, 2018 - SF Gate

Gold Line alongside 210 Freeway

Congestion Pricing in Los Angeles?

The city of Los Angeles is looking for ways to close a $26.2 billion funding gap for its plan to complete 28 transportation projects by the 2028 Summer Olympics.

December 10, 2018 - Los Angeles Daily News

Suburbia

Thoughts on California's Housing Strategy

Balance between state and local control and between private and public solutions are necessary for meaningful improvement in housing affordability, according to planning activist and affordable housing developer Murtaza Baxamusa.

December 9, 2018 - UrbDeZine

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

Financial Woes at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

A $25 million operating deficit will inspire some soul searching, and structural changes.

December 8, 2018 - The Mercury News

Bike Infrastructure

Friday Funny: The Onion Eviscerates Bike Planning

More scathing satire from The Onion, which continues a long history of dissecting the priorities of society as reflected in the built environment and the public realm.

December 7, 2018 - The Onion

Monterey Park California

Roads or Transit: How Will 710 Extension Project Funds Be Used?

The available funding could shift transportation priorities in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley. But transportation leaders appear to be leaning toward more of the same.

December 7, 2018 - Streetsblog LA

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

That's Mixed-Use: Housing on Top of a Bus Yard

San Francisco could try a new trick to help kill two birds with one stone.

December 6, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Brightline

Virgin Trains, Formerly Brightline, Planning Eight Expansion Corridors

November's bombshell news about the partnership between Virgin and Brightline has now yielded ambitious plans for private investment in intercity rail service.

December 6, 2018 - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Los Angeles Road

Speed Limit Increases Needed to Improve Enforcement, Says L.A. City Proposal

In a strange confluence of factors, expired speed limits and a state statute have hampered speed enforcement. Unfortunately, the proposed solution also looks a like a problem.

December 5, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

California State Capital

SB 827: Part 2

California State Senator Scott Wiener has released the highly anticipated follow up to last year's failed bombshell of a housing bill, SB 827.

December 4, 2018 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

California

New Property Tax Changes Proposed in California

A new bill proposed in the California legislature would cut back on the number of Prop. 13 property tax breaks handed down to heirs—who then live somewhere else.

December 4, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

OC Streetcar Breaks Ground After Receiving Full Funding Grant Agreement

It's only the third full funding grant administration signed by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The $149 million capital investment grant will help fund the 4-mile modern streetcar line from Santa Ana to Garden Grove in Orange County, Calif.

December 4, 2018 - PR Newswire

The Peninsula

Late Election Result: Transportation Sales Tax Appears to Pass in San Mateo County, Calif.

Transportation advocates have been patiently waiting since Nov. 6 for the results of a half-cent, 30-year county sales tax measure, 50 percent of which would benefit Samtrans bus and Caltrain needs and 5% bike/ped. It needs 66.67% of votes to pass.

December 3, 2018 - Curbed SF

Metro Gold LIne

Planned L.A. Crenshaw Line Rollout Prompts Argument

Already delayed, the Crenshaw Line has now sparked debate between stakeholders who favor opposing visions of how the light rail service should link up with the existing Green Line.

December 2, 2018 - The Los Angeles Times

Dallas Transit

Feds Let the Transit Funding Flow

It was a big week for long-awaited transit funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

December 2, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Pasadena Light Rail

Freeway's Demise Will Fund Light Rail Grade Crossing Improvements in Pasadena

The final nails have been put in the coffin of the I-710 extension, and now communities like Pasadena are getting ideas about how to spend Measure R funding once reserved for the unwanted freeway.

November 30, 2018 - Pasadena Star-News

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.