California

Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports Put Zero Emissions Goal in Writing
Mayors Eric Garcetti and Robert Garcia pledge their ports will bring their carbon footprint down to zero by 2030.

Google to Buy 300 Modular Apartments for Employees
Mountain View is an expensive place to find housing, in part because of Google itself. The tech giant plans to do something about the housing crunch, for its employees at least.

Los Angeles Metro to Go Fully Electric by 2030
The move is risky. The agency has no electric buses now, and the last ones it operated performed so badly they had to be returned. The plan is to make the transition in phases, and hope that battery technology improves.

Road Diets and Bike Lanes in the Works in South Los Angeles
Urbanize.LA has the scoop on the first indications of plans in South L.A. to give more space in the road to bikers.

Nation's Second Bikeshare Fatality Under Investigation in Manhattan
The police report conflicts with videos showing CitiBike rider Dan Hanegby, 36, an avid cyclist on his daily commute, being hit by a charter bus on June 12. Almost a year earlier, a Divvy Bike rider was fatally struck by a truck in Chicago.

Opponents of Rent Control Claim Victory in Special Election in Bay Area
Voters in Santa Rosa, California rejected a measure that would have retained the rent and eviction control ordinance that the city council had approved lasted August. The referendum was placed on the ballot by the California Apartment Association.

L.A. Country Clubs Taking More Than Their Share and Paying Less
Malcom Gladwell takes on the racial and environmental problems related to the game of golf, particularly as it relates to L.A. property taxes and the Ship of Theseus.

Apple's New Headquarters: Sprawling and Sprawl-Inducing
Apple's new campus contains thousands of parking spaces, but neither transit options nor daycare.

Decision on California's $15.5 Billion 'WaterFix' Expected, Finally, in September
The massive project known as the California WaterFix has nearly come to its day of reckoning.

Linkage Fees a Tough Sell for Affordable Housing
Advocates for linkage fees as a tool to enable the construction of additional have encountered stiff resistance in some of the country's most populated areas.

In the Silicon Valley, Eichler Is Synonymous With Single-Story Overlay
Residents of homes designed by Joseph Eichler are concerned that new two-story homes could invade their privacy and block sunlight and views. They have sought and won zoning protection.

Odd Years are Good for Hiking State Gas Taxes
Already California, Indiana, Montana, South Carolina (overriding a governor's veto), Tennessee, and Utah* have raised gas taxes this year, while last year was a drought—only New Jersey increased its gas tax.

How L.A.'s Nighttime Park Programming Lowered Crime and Costs
Los Angeles County's Parks after Dark (PAD) program and the city of Los Angeles' Summer Night Lights (SNL) program are proving to save lives, lower crime, and reduce costs, writes L.A. County parks planner Clement Lau.
Renewable Natural Gas and Electricity Should Power Los Angeles Bus Fleet
It's not one or the other but both, argues Denny Zane of Move LA in a guest commentary for the Los Angeles Daily News about the decision that Los Angeles County Metro will make on June 22 on the future of the nation's second largest bus fleet.

Voter Backlash Expected From Gas Tax Hike
There's a reason it can take decades to increase gas taxes — and many California legislators may soon found out why in November 2018, if not earlier. On November 1 of this year, state gas taxes will increase 12 cents per gallon.

California Progress Report: GDP Increases While GHGs Fall
California is demonstrating that improving the economy and the environment go hand in hand. A new inventory report from the state's Air Resources Board notes changes in gross domestic product, population, and greenhouse gas emissions since 2000.

When Surveillance Cameras Pay the Cost of New Street Lamps
Are the energy and money savings from modern street lamps worth the proliferation of surveillance technology around the city? San Jose, California is considering just such a quandary.

San Diego Activists Form Coalition to Respond to Homelessness, Housing Crisis
A diverse coalition of social justice, labor, and environmental groups have come together under the name Build Better San Diego to troubleshoot and advocate for affordable housing, writes affordable housing developer and advocate Murtaza Baxamusa.

Report Ranks the World's Leading Cities: Now and in the Future
New York is the most important city in the world, but San Francisco is best positioned for the future, according to AT Kearney's "Global Cities" report.

Celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th Birthday Today
June 8 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Dezezen has rounded up 10 ways to celebrate nationwide.
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