California

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

Coast Stream

Stream Restoration Projects More Likely in Whiter, Wealthier Areas

Stream restoration projects along the Central Coast of California tend to reinforce class and racial distinctions, just like so many other matters of environmental justice.

April 11, 2018 - UC Santa Cruz

Texas Townhomes

California Bill Seeks to Facilitate 'Missing Middle' Housing

Affordable housing developers are increasingly asked to build middle-income units, but can't afford to do so.

April 10, 2018 - Mercury News

The Dilemma of Autonomous Vehicle Testing

Autonomous vehicles hold the potential to greatly reduce auto crashes. Advocates want them on the road as early as possible to reduce fatalities. Skeptics worry that the public will be guinea pigs during the testing—case in point: Elaine Herzberg.

April 9, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Oroville Dam Crisis

Rebuilt Oroville Spillway Could Get its First Test This Weekend

The quickly repaired Oroville Dam spillway is hoping for better performance this year, after a year of intense repair work.

April 6, 2018 - California Department of Water Resources

Millennium Tower

S.F.'s Central SoMa Plan Would Add 40,000 Jobs, 7,000 Housing Units

YIMBYs are describing the jobs-housing imbalance represented in the Central SoMa Plan as reminiscent of the housing policies of cities farther down the Peninsula.

April 6, 2018 - BeyondChron

San Francisco Residential Neighborhoods

San Francisco to Grant Low-Cost Housing Preference to Artists

A new program underway at the San Francisco Arts Commission would make it easier for artists to gain access to the city's stock of affordable rental and ownership opportunities.

April 5, 2018 - KQED

BART Station Construction

Decision Deadline Coming Fast for San Jose BART Extension

BART and VTA officials must come to an agreement about whether to use a single- or double-bore tunnel for transit extension in San Jose, and time is running out.

April 4, 2018 - The Mercury News

Free Floating Bikeshare

BART Has Had Enough of Dockless Bikes

With piles of them strewn around stations, the transit agency is "cracking down" on bikeshare companies.

April 4, 2018 - San Jose Mercury News

Rural Traffic

Rollback of Fuel Efficiency Standards Announced by EPA

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced Monday that his agency is siding with auto manufacturers and relaxing greenhouse gas emission standards for new cars and light trucks.

April 3, 2018 - Bloomberg Politics

Virginia Freeway

Popularity of Express Lanes Spreads Beyond Virginia

Dan Vock of Governing takes a broad look at congestion pricing, beginning with the success of Virginia's 66 Express Lanes, the ones where tolls initially topped $40. Notwithstanding complaints, managed lanes are spreading, but challenges remain.

April 3, 2018 - Governing

Automated Vehicle

Police Officer Issues a Ticket to a Self-Driving Car

In San Francisco this week, a city police officer issued a ticket to an autonomous GM Cruise vehicle for failure to yield to a pedestrian. Specifically, the self-driving vehicle got too close to a person walking in a crosswalk.

April 2, 2018 - The Connected Car

Bay Area Rapid Transit

Op-Ed: Infrastructure Projects Need More Women in Leadership Roles

Calling attention to progress in the Bay Area, two leaders at employee- and women-owned firms argue that more female leadership will help projects better serve the entire population.

April 2, 2018 - The Mercury News

BART Train

Researchers Find a Model of Redevelopment Without Displacement

It's the "holy grail" of urban planning, say researchers.

April 2, 2018 - The Mercury News

Uber Self-Driving Car

Scrutiny Turns Toward Uber After First Pedestrian Death by Autonomous Vehicle

It's not just the autonomous vehicle technology, but also the company that operated the self-driving SUV receiving scrutiny after the death of Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Az. on March 18.

March 31, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Tesla Fatal Crash and Battery Fire Under Investigation

Wei Huang, a 38-year-old Apple engineer, died after his Tesla Model X collided with a highway barrier on a Bay Area highway interchange on March 23. NTSB wants to know if it was operating on Autopilot. It took 5 hours to reopen the freeway.

March 30, 2018 - Bloomberg Technology

Manhattan Construction

What if New York City Implemented SB 827-Style Upzoning?

SB 827 is a controversial land use regulation under consideration in California that would relax building height and density standards along transit corridors. New York has a reputation as the most transit oriented city in the country.

March 30, 2018 - RPA Lab

Car Graveyard

Friday Eye Candy: Volkswagens, as Far as the Eye Can See

China has dockless bikeshare graveyards; the United States has Volkswagen graveyards.

March 30, 2018 - Sky News

Homeless

Protests Push O.C. to Kill Its First Real Plan to Help the Homeless

The affluent county finally authorized a concrete plan to address a housing crisis, but forceful opposition from residents put them 'back to Square One.'

March 29, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Cupertino

'By-Right' Housing Law a Shot in the Arm for California Housing Developments

The effect of SB 35 on development projects in California might be more significant than YIMBYs have imagined, after a second project forges ahead confident in the support of state law for a large development.

March 28, 2018 - The Mercury News

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.