California

San Francisco, California

Ride Hailing and Travel Behavior: It's Complicated

A pair of new studies add to an emerging scientific model of the effect of transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft. The complication: One study reinforces earlier findings, and the other contradicts.

October 16, 2018 - TechCrunch

Silicon Valley

San Jose's Year: $1.4 Billion in Property Sales

A conspicuous benchmark in the epicenter of the Silicon Valley.

October 15, 2018 - The Mercury News

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills Students Protest Subway Construction

Students from Beverly Hills staged a high-visibility "walkout" to protest L.A. Metro's extension of the Purple Line subway past Beverly Hills High School.

October 14, 2018 - The Los Angeles Times

Millennium Tower

San Francisco Considers More Aggressive Measures to Earthquake-Proof High Rises

The city has proposed tighter rules for new construction and a more active approach to securing existing tall structures from collapse.

October 14, 2018 - Governing

Maokong Sky Gondola

Gondola Idea Linking Airport to Downtown Floated in San Diego

As San Diego plans a major airport redevelopment, County Supervisor Ron Roberts is advocating an aerial cableway concept to connect the airport to downtown.

October 13, 2018 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Voting

Should Planners Run for Public Office?

In an opinion piece bemoaning the passage of legislation that gives the BART board new land use planning authority, BART Director Deborah Allen argues that planners won't make good directors because they lack independence.

October 12, 2018 - East Bay Times

FlyawayHomes shipping container apartments

To Reach Goals, L.A. Looks to New Ways to Build Homeless Housing

Los Angeles is grappling with the rising costs of building housing for homeless people. Rethinking the standard process is a way to save time and money.

October 11, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Del Mar Station TOD

Another SB 827? Ambitious California Housing Bill Isn't Quite Dead Yet

It received a lot of press, but ultimately California's Senate Bill 827 went nowhere. Now, the state senator who introduced the bill is working with advocates who opposed it on another version that just might have better chances.

October 11, 2018 - Curbed Los Angeles

View from Bayview Park in San Francisco, California

Bay Area Displacement and Gentrification Trends Have Regional Consequences

Displacement in the San Francisco Bay Area has resulted in distinct mobility patterns and significant race and class inequalities.

October 11, 2018 - Urban Displacement Project

California

Brown Signs Housing, Transportation, Clean Energy Laws

On his way out the door, California Governor Jerry Brown created plenty of opportunities for the next administration to continue in his footsteps.

October 10, 2018 - The Planning Report

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

California Energy Efficiency Program Could Be Much More Effective for Low-Income Residents

According to an analysis by the Energy Efficiency for All coalition, California's Energy Savings Assistance Program could be four times as effective for low-income renters if it were better deployed.

October 9, 2018 - NRDC

School Chlidren

San Jose Proposes Turning Schools into Teacher Housing, Faces Outcry

A San Jose Unified School District plan to relocate several schools and build affordable housing in their place has sparked controversy. The district says teachers increasingly can't afford to live in the area.

October 9, 2018 - The Mercury News

Bay Area Rapid Transit

BART Rolls Out Upgraded Earthquake Alert System

The new sensor technology gives riders up to a minute to drop, cover, and hold on.

October 9, 2018 - Mercury News

Urban Solar Power

To Incentivize Clean Energy, California Commits $800 Million

Recently signed by Governor Jerry Brown, a new measure has increased the funds California sets aside to incentivize energy storage systems to over $1 billion.

October 8, 2018 - The New York Times

Gas Pumps

California Doubles Carbon Intensity Reduction Requirement for Transportation Fuels

California regulators have found that transportation emissions are the most difficult to reduce, unlike those from electricity generation. The state just took a major step by approving significant changes to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard program.

October 8, 2018 - NGT News

Uber Jump bike

Uber Wants to Make Urban Mobility More Sustainable

Uber plans to support sustainable mobility by funding advocacy efforts, sharing data, and offering bike-share service.

October 7, 2018 - Curbed

High Speed Rail California

Proposed California Ballot Measure From Gas Tax Opposition Goes After High-Speed Rail

A follow-up initiative to Proposition 6 would put the brakes on high-speed rail in California and funnel gas tax funds to roads.

October 7, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Lafayette BART

City's Opposition to BART TOD Bill Factors into City Manager's Retirement

Steven Falk, city manager for 22 years of the East Bay enclave of Lafayette, expressed frustration with the city's resistance to infill development, calling it incompatible with addressing "the most significant challenges of our time."

October 6, 2018 - SF Gate

Housing Construction

California's Housing Package, One Year Later

It's too early to gauge the long-term effects of California's housing package signed a year ago. But with a $4 billion bond on the ballot this November, some facts (and some dramas) have already made themselves known.

October 6, 2018 - CALmatters

California

California to Regulate Security of IoT Devices

A recently approved California bill will set a legislative standard in the U.S. for basic Internet of Things security.

October 5, 2018 - Iot 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.

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.