California

Sonny Perdue

Under Zinke, Land in Montana Is Still Somehow Protected

Though he’s opened land all over the U.S. to industry, the Interior Secretary is actually pushing to conserve even more of his home state.

April 24, 2018 - The New York Times

San Francisco Bay

How SB 827 'Cleaved the California Environmental Movement'

Even before the bill was defeated, it exposed a major generational divide between anti-development environmentalists and their pro-density, pro-housing heirs.

April 23, 2018 - San Francisco Magazine

BART Train

BART's Transit-Oriented Development Bill Sets Disturbing Precedent, Says APA

AB 2923, which would allow the Bay Area Rapid Transit District to rezone their properties near stations for transit-oriented development, passed its first committee. The California chapter of APA objects to the preemption of local land use authority.

April 23, 2018 - California Chapter of American Planning Association

Winter neighborhood

All About Single-Family Rentals

Single-family rentals are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. housing market—and they're not going away anytime soon, a new study suggests.

April 22, 2018 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Fire Escape

10 U.S. Cities Launch Anti-Displacement Network

More than half of American tenants are rent-burdened, putting them at risk of displacement. A national collaboration with PolicyLink hopes to help.

April 22, 2018 - Curbed

San Francisco

Homes, Not Parking

The Balboa Reservoir is the perfect spot for housing in San Francisco, Nicole Lindler argues, and the notion that it should remain a surface parking lot shows badly disordered priorities.

April 21, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Sprawl

Opinion: L.A. Needs to End Land Use Policies That Block Housing Construction

Mark Vallianatos argues Los Angeles is still contending with the legacy 1920 era land use restrictions built on racist, exclusionary zoning policies, the remnants of which aren't worth saving.

April 19, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

405 Traffic

Elon Musk Might Really Get to Build a Tunnel Below Los Angeles

A Los Angeles city councilmember even wants to throw in a CEQA exemption for good measure.

April 18, 2018 - Urbanize LA

California State Capital

California's 'Aggressive' Housing Bill Dies Quickly, Not Quietly, in Committee

SB 827, the controversial housing bill proposed by State Senator Scott Wiener, had a very brief run in the California State Legislature.

April 18, 2018 - Curbed LA

USDOT Awards $96 Million to BRT Projects in Washington, Missouri and Commuter Rail in California

On April 9, FTA awarded $43 million for a new, 12-mile bus rapid transit line in Everett; $30 million to extend BRT 10 miles in Kansas City and $22.5 million to extend a North Bay commuter rail line two miles to a ferry terminal on San Francisco Bay.

April 17, 2018 - AASHTO Journal

Electric Scooters

Scooter Mania in San Francisco

Entitled tech bros! Disrupted sidewalks! Mass impound sweeps! Social media convulsions!

April 17, 2018 - TechCrunch

BART System

Bay Area Transit Agencies to Consider 20 Percent Fare Reduction for Low-Income Riders

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission could implement a 20 percent plan to offer fare relief for low-income riders.

April 17, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

BART Station

Vote to Take Money from Train Station to Pay for a New Road Causes a Stir

An expanded roadway outside the Union City BART station would mean more drivers and likely more congestion. City and county officials still argue those changes are necessary for the area around the station to function.

April 16, 2018 - East Bay Times

Bay Bridge

A Dissenting Take on the Bay Area's Proposed $3 Bridge Toll Hike

Beware of transportation officials promising traffic reductions, according to this opinion piece.

April 15, 2018 - The Mercury News

New Report Examines the Bay Area's Broken Housing Market

The twin challenges of a housing shortage and low wage increases threaten the growth of the San Francisco Bay Area, according to a new report.

April 14, 2018 - PolicyLink

Legislation Would Ensure California Housing Construction Keeps Pace with Population Growth

A companion bill to the controversial SB 827, also introduced Sen. Scott Wiener (D-S.F)., could have a similar impact on housing production but hasn't gathered nearly as much attention. SB 828 makes critical changes to the state's housing supply law.

April 14, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Yosemite

Friday Eye Candy: Watch Yosemite's Streams Overflow

Mandatory evacuations were in order, so there was no threat to the general pubic. Witness the fury of mother nature from a safe distance.

April 13, 2018 - The Washington Post

Security cameras on a building

How Surveillance in Cities is Evolving

Across the globe, smart cities are increasingly procuring and implementing information technology in order to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban spaces. The former CTO of L.A. and the mayor of Beverly Hills weigh in on the subject.

April 13, 2018 - The Planning Report

Bikes and Kids

San Francisco Schools Teach Bike-Riding in P.E.

Bike safety could become part of the second-grade curriculum districtwide.

April 13, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Condos Smart Growth

Squaring Urbanism, Equity, and Density in the SB 827 Debate

As Sen. Wiener has announced new amendments to the controversial land use, transit-oriented development, and real estate bill, The Planning Report turns to three experts to unpack the legislation's consequences.

April 12, 2018 - The Planning Report

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.

Comprehensive Bikeway Design Workshop

Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University

Early Bird Deadline – save on your tuition fee!🚨

Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)

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.