California
For Lack of Free Parking, Downtown San Jose Loses a Grocery Store
Why isn't there a place for a major grocery store brand in the downtown of one of the most economically active cities in the country?
Summertime Ethanol Restriction Lifted to Help Corn Farmers—But at What Cost?
President Trump made good on his promise last October to lift the E15 ban in time for the summer driving season. Not mentioned by the Des Moines Register are the downsides to allowing the higher ethanol blend to be sold during the summer, e.g., smog.
San Francisco to Use Conservatorship for Some Mentally Ill Homeless People
Thanks to legislation by Sen. Scott Wiener passed last year, San Francisco will apply a new tool to force treatment on some homeless, mentally ill people who refuse it, but it's limited to five people annually. A new Wiener bill would expand it.
The Small City Leading the New Era of Redevelopment in California
La Verne is the first city in Los Angeles County, and one of the first in the state, to implement an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, designed to generate a source of funding to replace the loss of redevelopment funds during the recession.
Yosemite Shuttles Reportedly Crowded and Unsafe
The popular park's shuttle buses are intended to ease traffic and get people out of their cars. But critics say management and maintenance of the shuttle system leave much to be desired.
Cracked Beams Repaired, S.F.'s Transbay Transit Center Ready to Reopen
Buses and people will soon return to the Transbay Transit Center, which operated for just over a month at the end of 2018 before structural flaws forced the closure of the facility for inspections and repairs.
Beyond YIMBY: Racism and Finance in the Housing Crisis
Upzoning without addressing speculation and finance could exacerbate the housing crisis for the nation’s most vulnerable communities, a professor of urban planning warns.
Expanded Solar Capacity Means Supply Exceeds Demand for Solar in California
California is setting records for the amount of solar energy it can’t use, but this cushion might be a good thing: it means the state won’t need to depend as heavily on fossil fuels as a stopgap.
A Bikeshare Showdown Between Uber and Lyft
Lyft may soon not be the sole bikeshare operation in San Francisco as the city looks to expand the system and open the market up to other companies.
Poll: On Housing, Californians Want What the Legislature Won't Give
"This particular solution, which has been very controversial in the Legislature, is not very controversial when it comes to the general public."
New National Monument in California Finally Has a Plan
The U.S. Forest Service has completed a management plan for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, and is ready to commence implementation.
Opposing Bike Lanes in the Name of Historic Preservation
Can a bike lane threaten the historic character of a parkway? One group of local advocates in Denver thinks so.
Department of Transportation Caught in Political Tug of War in Oakland
The political debate surrounding the future of Oakland's streets has recently turned up a notch.
Revealed: Three Park Design Proposals for Key L.A. River Parcel
Three design proposals have been unveiled for the Taylor Yards parcel along the L.A. River.
Streamlining Protected Bike Lanes, San Francisco Style
Cutting the board of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency out of the approvals process for implementing bike lanes in San Francisco could shave three months off the delivery schedule.
L.A.'s Union Station Turns 80 and Looks to the Future
Ridership is down and the station has struggled in recent years, but new plans could help revive the 80-year-old historic landmark.
Property Transfer Taxes Gain Traction as Cities Search for Ways to Address Homelessness
San Jose, California is the latest city to consider raising its real property transfer tax to fund homeless programs.
Evaluating the 2011 'Twitter Tax Break' Along San Francisco's Troubled Market Street
The 2011 "Twitter tax break" was controversial at the time, and remains so to this day. New offices and employees have filled the corridor of Market Street where the tax break is in effect, but massive challenges persist.
BART's New Trains: Back to the Drawing Board to Make More Room for Bikes
BART is readying its "Fleet of the Future," which includes adding more room than originally designed for bike storage.
Using Gas Tax Revenue to Remove Traffic Lanes Adds to Road Diet Debate
Reducing the number of traffic lanes to improve bike and pedestrian safety can be inherently controversial when auto travel times are increased, and it can upset motorists further when they learn gas taxes are funding those safety improvements.
Pagination
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello