California
How Much Is Too Much for a State Electric Vehicle Rebate?
Battery electric vehicles (without gas tanks) are eligible for a $2,500 California rebate, on top of the federal $7,500 tax credit. A bill before the state Senate would quadruple it.
The End of Redevelopment Worsened California's Housing Crisis
Anthony York performs an autopsy of how decisions made by Governor Jerry Brown and the California Legislature during the Great Recession are influencing the housing market, nearly a decade later.
Nation's First All-Electric Bus Route Launches in Stockton, California
A city once infamous for municipal bankruptcy is now setting a standard for public transit technology.
Housing, Transit Crunches Collide in the Bay Area
The New York Times explores the Bay Area housing crisis through one woman’s three-hour commute.
New Bay Area Commuter Rail Service Begins Today
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train is set to start service Friday, running between Sonoma and Marin Counties in the Bay Area. Future extensions are planned that to take it to Larkspur for ferry service to San Francisco.
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.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
