California

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

San Diego City Council Prohibits Short-Term Rentals in Second Homes and ADUs
In a move to limit the number of properties available for rental, the San Diego City Council members voted 6-3 to limit rentals to primary homes and the licensing process more strict.

San Francisco Suburb to Vote on Massive Project to Double Population
Brisbane, a city of about 4,700 on the southern border of San Francisco, will vote on a controversial ballot measure in November to approve or reject a mixed-use development including up to 2,200 residential units on a 660-acre vacant brownfield.

Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake
With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.

Breaking: Trump Administration Will Revoke California's Auto Emissions Authority
Sources leaked news of the Trump Administration's plans to dismantle the Obama-era environmental policies. The Trump Administration also aims to dismantle the Golden State's ability to regulate air pollution from vehicles.

Sometime This Summer, California's Population Tops 40 Million
Rather than projecting when the 50 million milestone will be reached, demographic and political indicators predict the state's population is more likely to decline, according to Joe Mathews of Zócalo Public Square.

High-Speed Transit Tunnels to O'Hare Airport Could Begin Construction Within Months
The 16-mile route itself from downtown Chicago is still being negotiated. Passengers will be transported in what Elon Musk's Boring Company calls an "electric skate" at speeds up to 150 mph for the 12-minute trip.

People Mover to Inglewood's New NFL Stadium Proposed
The forthcoming people move to LAX could have company nearby, with a proposal for a people mover to the new NFL stadium in Inglewood.

$300 Million Property Tax to Fund Stormwater Infrastructure on the Ballot in Los Angeles County
The proposed property tax would double the county's stormwater capture capacity.

California Achieved its Climate Goal; Now the Hard Part Begins
New York Times climate reporter, Brad Plumer, comments on California's landmark accomplishment in reducing emissions, observing that with the low-hanging electricity generation fruit picked, reducing transportation emissions will prove formidable.

Voters to Decide on Repair of Vital Aqueduct for San Joaquin Valley
California voters in November will have the opportunity to help repair the Friant-Kern Canal, damaged by subsidence, as well as invest in watershed conservation programs, by passing a citizen-initiated $8.9 billion general obligation bond measure.

Bay Area City Could Extend Development Restrictions Beyond Their Expiration Date
A signature-gathering campaign has expressed a desire to extend height and density limits in San Mateo.

San Francisco Voters to Decide on Employer Tax to House the Homeless
It started in Seattle with the Amazon Tax to pay for transportation and housing needs exacerbated by the city's largest employers. Last month, a Google Tax was placed on the November ballot in Silicon Valley. A landlord tax in Oakland could be next.
Pagination
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie