California

'Twas the Night Before Christmas and Here's a Reminder About the Meaning of Environmentalism

San Gabriel Valley Tribune reporter Steve Scauzillo turns the words of the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," by Clement Clarke Moore into an environmental message.

December 24, 2017 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Ferry Building San Francisco

Out-Migration from the San Francisco Bay Area Getting Wealthier and Wealthier

The effects of one of the most expensive housing markets in the country are in display in this data analysis of migration to and from the San Francisco Bay Area.

December 23, 2017 - Buildzoom

Wine Country Fires

Debating the Future of Development in California's Fire Prone Areas

With the state of California in the grips of its most destructive year of wildfires ever, policy makers are pondering questions about whether it is appropriate to rebuild in places at high risk of burning again.

December 22, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Residential

Los Angeles Adopts 'Linkage Fee' for Affordable Housing Funding

Los Angeles is the latest city to adopt a "linkage fee" that charges new development to generate funding for affordable housing, joining cities like Seattle, Chicago, and San Jose.

December 18, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

banksy

Anti-Homeless Robot Raises Eyebrows in San Francisco

File under 'high-tech urban dystopia.”

December 18, 2017 - Business Insider

Public is Receptive to Plans for Express Lanes on Hwy 101 in Bay Area

Caltrans hopes to build two 14-mile high-occupancy toll lanes on Hwy 101 in San Mateo County, one of the region's most congested corridors that lacks carpool lanes. The $534 million project would begin construction in 2019.

December 16, 2017 - The Daily Journal

Battery Urban Farm

Long Beach Urban Farming Initiative Targets Vacant Lots

A California policy lets cities offer tax incentives to landowners who put vacant lots to use as urban farms or gardens. Long Beach is the latest comer, but the uptake has been sluggish elsewhere.

December 16, 2017 - Next City

Fiber Optic Cable

5G Broadband Coming in 2018, Says Verizon

The telecommunications company will debut the next-generation technology in three to five cities next year, including Sacramento.

December 15, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

Gasoline

California to Explore Next Steps in Converting From Gas Tax to Road Charge

A summary report of California's 9-month pilot program to test the use of a mileage charge to replace the gas tax to fund road infrastructure has been released. Next steps include exploring available technology to implement the road charge.

December 14, 2017 - The Sacramento Bee

Googpleplex

Mountain View Goes Big on Google Expansion, Approves 10,000 Housing Units

Could the approval of a massive redevelopment plan for Google property in the city of Mountain View pave the way for a new development-friendly approach to planning in the Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area?

December 14, 2017 - The Mercury News

Pacific Ocean

Santa Monica Wants to Stop Importing Water by 2020

This is a story about green building practices, conservation, and rainwater capture—not desalinization.

December 14, 2017 - News Deeply

Homeless Bike

Tiny Home Village Approved for Homeless in San Jose

Now San Jose's tiny home village pilot project, meant to create 40 units of "sleeping cabins for homeless individuals, needs to find a neighborhood to call home.

December 14, 2017 - The Mercury News

Dublin, California Freeway

Bay Area Express Lanes Turn a Profit

Not all of them, just the I-580 lanes. One of the reasons is that most users are actually paying, unlike the other two express lanes where a majority of users are clean-air vehicles or carpools, neither of which pay.

December 12, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Dies Suddenly at 65

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee passed away of a heart attack early this morning. He was 65.

December 12, 2017 - SFGate

Full House Painted Ladies

Real Estate Industry Wants to Expand Prop. 13 Property Tax Breaks

A proposed ballot initiative in California would extend the property tax limits offered by Proposition 13 as a lifetime benefit to homeowners over age 55 or severely disabled—even if they move to a new home in another part of the state.

December 11, 2017 - The Mercury News

BART Train

BART Goes Renewable

The Board of Directors approved a path to 90 percent renewable energy.

December 11, 2017 - San Francisco Examiner

California from Space

Can We Know Which Homes in California Will Burn?

As the state's worst wildfire season ever refuses to end, an analyst from UCLA considers how land use and building codes determine the location and extent of the damage.

December 11, 2017 - The Conversation

Complying With New State Laws on ADUs No Easy Matter

Santa Rosa is struggling to complying with two laws passed last year to encourage construction of inlaw units to increase affordable housing. Council members are concerned that loosened restrictions would degrade neighborhood character.

December 11, 2017 - The Press Democrat

Subway Construction

Sunday Fun: Watch the Path of the Tunnel Boring Machine Below Downtown Los Angeles

Like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but for a tunnel boring machine.

December 10, 2017 - Metro Los Angeles

San Francisco

Powerful Political Voices Call for Another Bay Area Bridge

U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein is leading calls for the so-called Southern Crossing—a bridge that would connect San Francisco and the East Bay somewhere south of the Bay Bridge.

December 10, 2017 - SFGate

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.