California

Trump Administration Proposes to Freeze Fuel Economy Standards at 2020 Level

On Thursday, the U.S. DOT and U.S. EPA announced one of the Trump administration's most consequential rollbacks of environmental and efficiency regulations that will have a detrimental effect on climate change, air pollution, and oil consumption.

August 5, 2018 - The Washington Post

Boyle Heights

Why L.A.'s Boyle Heights Matters to Anti-Gentrification Activists

The historically Latino working class neighborhood is a frequent touchstone in debates over gentrification in Los Angeles. That history goes back decades and colors residents' perceptions.

August 4, 2018 - BOOM: A Journal of California

Yosemite National Park

Editorial See Ulterior Motives in Recent Hetch Hetchy Discussion

There have been multiple movements to remove the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, but the most recent flirtation with the idea comes from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. A Chronicle editorial argues Zinke's interest lacks good faith.

August 3, 2018 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Muni Bus Market Street

San Francisco Buses Slower than Any Peer City

Though San Francisco residents are more likely than residents of other cities to ride transit and avoid driving, the buses they ride on are unreliable.

August 2, 2018 - Curbed SF

High-Speed Rail

California's $100 Billion High-Speed Gamble

The state has less than one-third the funds necessary to build the 800-mile line connecting Northern and Southern California, depending on the cost estimate. The immediate goal is to build a 119-mile section in the Central Valley.

August 2, 2018 - The New York Times

Sea Level Rise

Bay Area Businesses Launch Challenge to Fund Climate Resilience

A regional business association hopes to raise private funds for climate adaptation planning throughout California.

August 1, 2018 - The Planning Report

Metro Rail Map

Coming to Los Angeles in 2047: The Busiest Light Rail Route in the U.S.

An extended Crenshaw Line would cut north-south through the middle of the Los Angeles basin, connecting three rail transit lines and some of the busiest buses in the county. Some don't want to wait 30 years for the plan to come to fruition.

August 1, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Agriculture Exhibition

Urban Farming Program Struggles to Sprout

Los Angeles created a tax incentive to promote urban farms on the thousands of vacant lots around the city. So far, the incentive has been given out only four times.

July 31, 2018 - CityLab

Twitter Headquarters

San Francisco Could Zone Out Workplace Cafeterias

Large corporations providing on-site cafeterias are considered a threat to local restaurant business.

July 31, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

School Chlidren

A Third Court Win for Children's Climate Change Lawsuit

Strike three for the federal government in trying to dismiss a lawsuit launched by 21 children in Oregon who sued the Obama administration in 2015, claiming the government was endangering their future because of its failure to reduce climate change.

July 30, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Sacramento

The Greening of California's Republicans?

One finding from a new statewide survey, "Californians and the Environment," suggests that the environment is becoming a more bipartisan issue, but that finding is still subject to interpretation. What isn't is the top environmental issue: water.

July 29, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Venice Beach Pedestrian and Bike Path

Study: Scooters Are Really Popular

The narrative of electric scooter users as affluent, entitled, and "tech bro-y" does not reflect the demographics of fans of the new mobility technology, according to a new study. Electric scooters are actually very popular.

July 27, 2018 - Wired

Water Storage

California Awards $2.7 Billion to Water Storage Facilities

The California Water Commission made an historic commitment to new water storage projects. Many of the largest projects planned in the state will require additional funding before construction can commence.

July 27, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Yosemite Smoke

A Map of 'Smoke Events' Around the World

Fire season is back, and it's not safe to breathe in huge swaths of the world.

July 27, 2018 - The Mercury News

Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar Plans Released

The streetcar planned for the central business district and historic core of Los Angeles would cost nearly $300 million and move an estimated 4,181 riders a day.

July 26, 2018 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Urban Sprawl

Carbon Offsets for Suburban Developments? The Courts Could Decide

The county of San Diego wants sprawling suburban developments to buy carbon offsets, billing the idea as a fix to the region's housing affordability crisis.

July 26, 2018 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Pumping Gas

Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court

A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.

July 25, 2018 - Inside Climate News

Southern California Coast

San Diego Called Out for Section 8 Housing Discrimination

San Diego was identified for its failure to enact a Section 8 housing discrimination ordinance in a recent American Bar Association article. Poverty law attorney Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi explains the situation.

July 25, 2018 - UrbDeZine

Public Toilet

Futuristic Public Toilets Coming to San Francisco

San Francisco's street furniture predates Google, but the city hopes a new design will bring it into the Information Age.

July 25, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Corner lot gas station

Berkeley Zoning Board Choose Current Gas Station Over Proposed Co-Housing Development

The Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) of one of the nation's most progressive cities has chosen a very conservative approach to new housing projects.

July 25, 2018 - Berkeleyside

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.