California
Shasta Dam Expansion Explorations Underway
Raising the height of the Shasta Dam in Northern California has been on the table since the 1980s. Now it looks like the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation is going through with it.
San Jose to Vote on $450 Million Affordable Housing Bond
A $450 million bond referendum will come before San Jose voters this November. Mayor Sam Liccardo promises it is "a necessary but not sufficient tool" to provide stable housing at an epicenter of the housing crisis.
The Latest on Los Angeles' Hollywood Park Development
New photos and renderings show the Inglewood Stadium construction and future plans for the 300-acre multi-use project.
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles Welcomed in San Diego County—But a Plan is Needed
Neighborhood electric vehicles may become more popular in California's second most populous county thanks to legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The small zero-emission vehicles are prohibited from crossing streets with speed limits above 35 mph.
With a Growing Number of Transit Projects Planned, L.A. Considers Renaming Rail Lines
Like many cities, L.A. already has two trains in the blue color family. With more rail projects in the works, some think it's time to update the system.
California Considers Creating Directory of Buildings Most Likely to Collapse in an Earthquake
Cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles already keep lists of vulnerable buildings, but a new piece of legislation would require all California cities do the same. The catch? The bill will not provide funding to support these lists.
Regional Housing Needs Allocation Reform Bill on Gov. Brown's Desk
The lone survivor of Sen. Scott Wiener's trio of "Housing-First Policy" bills awaits a decision by Gov. Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 828, intended to increase the amount of land zoned for housing in California cities, was weakened by amendments.
Vision Zero’s Ambitious Safety Plans Face Implementation Realities
The program’s outcomes in different cities show varying levels of success and some failures.
Retrofitting Cities with Accessory Dwelling Units Is a Win-Win
Expensive West Coast cities are looking to these alternative and add-on structures to ease their housing challenges.
Court Reinstates Coastal Commission's Decision on San Diego Harbor Island Project
A long-running legal battle over proposed hotel developments in San Diego appears to have come to an end.
Transit Oriented Upzoning Can't Win Local Support in San Diego
Residents are shooting down plans that propose increased density and height in San Diego. The city had planned to cut its carbon footprint by encouraging transit oriented development.
Alternative Analysis Pegs L.A. Homeless Count at Over 100,000
Casting doubt on an official estimate of around 52,000, researchers at a Los Angeles-based nonprofit put the number at close to double that level. That's accounting for anyone who became homeless at some point during the year.
220,000 EV Drivers in California to Lose Carpool Lane Perk in 2019
The good news: the Clean Air Vehicle program for electric vehicles will be extended for at least three years. The bad news: not all EVs that have a decal now will be able to be renewed. Congestion on HOV and HOT lanes is a major concern.
Homeless Tents Missing the Permanent Housing Mark in San Diego
The occupants of homeless tents in San Diego haven't been moving to permanent housing in the numbers city officials had hoped.
Gov. Jerry Brown Signs 16 Bills to Spur Sales of New and Used Electric Vehicles
On the second day of the Global Climate Action Summit, co-host Gov. Jerry Brown signed 16 bills onboard a new plug-in hybrid electric ferry in San Francisco Bay to spur sales of zero-emission vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Silicon Valley City to Approve Massive Vallco Development, Like it or Not
A new state law meant to overcome local barriers to development is having its first big test run in Cupertino, California.
Brightline, Florida's High-Speed Rail Company, Goes All in on Vegas
Shocking news from the high-speed rail industry, as Brightline announced its purchase of XpressWest, which is underway with plans to link Las Vegas to Victorville, California and eventually to Los Angeles.
Study Reveals the Futility of Building Out of Congestion
Even if widening highways enough to relieve all congestion were possible, it would only benefit a very small number of commuters, according to new research.
Phasing Out the Internal Combustion Engine No Easy Task
A report from the Global Climate Action Summit on a looming deadline set by the Paris climate agreement: ending sales of new gas and diesel-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035.
Through Thick and Thin, Support for California’s Proposition 13 Hasn’t Waned
Since its passage 40 years ago, the controversial legislation has remained consistently popular with Californians.
Pagination
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello