California
Elon Musk Cleared to Tunnel in Southern California
Elon Musk will get a first chance to prove predictions that the Boring Company can improve tunneling technology after the city of Hawthorne in Los Angeles County approved his plan to build a two-mile tunnel.
Too Much Driving is Spoiling California's Emissions Report Card
A new economics report from Beacon Economics for Next 10 shows that what good for the environment is good for the state's economy, but the results are marred by increasing vehicle-miles-traveled. The state's housing crisis is partly to blame.
Southern California City Halts All Mixed-Use Construction
Redondo Beach, located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, is responding to public outcry by halting all mixed-use projects in the city. Meanwhile, an advisory committee is working on the city's first new General Plan in 25 years.
Congestion Pricing Could Be Fairer Than the Status Quo
A timely debate, as New York City debates a congestion pricing scheme proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and California looks for ways to reduce emissions from transportation.
California to Consider 12 New Water Storage Facilities
A total of $2.7 billion will be awarded to a potential list of 12 water storage projects, thanks to funding from California's Proposition 1, approved by voters in 2014.
California Carbon Offset Program Judged Effective by Stanford University Study
The new study determined that carbon forestry offsets, which allow polluters to reduce carbon emissions out-of-state rather than in impacted communities near large pollution sources, is a beneficial climate program.
Putting Teeth into the California Housing Accountability Act
A 35-year-old law is not living up to its moniker, the 'anti-NIMBY law'. A bill co-sponsored by a group associated with the YIMBY movement would fine cities $10,000 per housing unit if they fail to comply with the law.
Equity Heads West
A new study details the locations where homeowners are likely to be "equity rich" or underwater. Homeowners in western states are more likely to be equity rich, but many homeowners are still recovering from the Great Recession.
Two Housing Bills Will Exacerbate California's Housing Shortage
SB 35 (Wiener) and AB 199 (Chu) make it more costly to build housing by requiring prevailing wages where applicable, pleasing construction unions but making affordable housing less affordable, opines CALmatters political columnist, Dan Walters.
Why Replace Successful BRT With Rail?
The Orange Line, a bus rapid transit line running through Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, has been a success. To those calling for an expensive conversion to rail, several experts say, why bother?
The Trump Administration's Assault on Diversity Spreads to Housing Vouchers
Recently, the Department of Justice announced it would investigate college affirmative action programs for discrimination against whites. More recently, HUD announced that it was suspending an Obama-era rule meant to prevent segregation.
Is the Era of the 'Free' Freeway Coming to an End?
No one's suggesting that freeways will be converted to tollways, but a pattern is emerging that when freeways are widened, express lanes, financed in part by user fees, are being added rather than mixed-flow lanes. Case in point: the Inland Empire.
L.A. County Pilot Project Will Pay Homeowners to Add Granny Flats
A new pilot project doesn't have the funding to upend the housing market in one of the most expensive markets in the country, but it does set a precedent of support for new housing models.
Another Tool to Build Public Infrastructure in Post-Redevelopment California
UC San Francisco is using a Campus Facilities Improvement Association (CFIA) to help build its Mission Bay campus. Infrastructure financing wonk Jim Chappell explains how it works.
Cooling L.A.
Changing the color of L.A. streets and growing out the urban canopy are part of a campaign to fight the heat island in and around Los Angeles.
Testing New 'High Tech Security Screening' for Transit Users
Union Station in Los Angeles is featuring the latest in surveillance technology, meant to deter terrorists. The concern might also be that such technology is yet another impediment in the transit user experience.
Is Brownfield Development Health Risk Tolerance Out of Whack?
Is the bar for health risks in brownfield development set too high? Environmental attorney Richard Opper thinks so and argues the case in this opinion piece.
San Francisco's Muni Has a New $21 Billion, 20-Year Capital Plan
Some surprises and lots of blue-sky thinking are revealed in the new capital plan for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
Coastal Cities Setting the Sustainable Development Standard
Although no U.S. region has yet to even get halfway to sustainability goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement, certain U.S. cities are doing better than the rest.
Five Big Ideas About the Future of Transportation and Land Use in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Magazine provided Los Angeles Director of City Planning Vince Bertoni an opportunity to speak in his own words on the ways planners are preparing for the future.
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.
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
