California

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

Scooter Mania in San Francisco
Entitled tech bros! Disrupted sidewalks! Mass impound sweeps! Social media convulsions!

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.

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.

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.
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.
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.

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.

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.

San Francisco Schools Teach Bike-Riding in P.E.
Bike safety could become part of the second-grade curriculum districtwide.

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.
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