California
Gov. Jerry Brown's 16th and Final State of the State
Infrastructure, climate change, and natural disasters were among the themes of the California governor's final address to the legislature and public. Two of his accomplishments, high-speed rail and increasing the gas tax, face uncertain futures.
A Planning and Economic Development Quandary in Fresno
Should cities with some of the worst air pollution in the country be adding massive campuses for logistics and heavy industries?
Former Bay Bridge Piers Offer a New Approach to the Water
"Four piers from the old eastern span of the Bay Bridge will live on as a public boardwalk and vista point in Oakland and on Yerba Buena Island," reports Erin Baldassari.
It's the Tech Industry vs. the Sierra Club in California's Big Housing Debate
California State Senator Scott Wiener made a big splash this month by announcing a package of pro-development bills, and now interest groups are taking sides in a heated debate over housing and density.
BART Gets 10 New Rail Cars
Fewer seats and more room for standing commuters are among the updates to the rail cars coming to BART.
Op-Ed: Los Angeles Needs a Vermont Avenue Subway
As the second busiest bus corridor in the area, Vermont Avenue is currently a candidate for bus rapid transit. But would rail be a better choice?
Temporary Trailers Will House Homeless in Downtown L.A.
If approved, a City Council motion would mark a shift in how Los Angeles deals with a rising number of homeless residents.
California Gas Tax Repeal Update: And Then There Was One
One of two initiatives to repeal last November's 12-cents per gallon gas tax increase failed to attract enough signatures by the Jan. 8 deadline. However, the other initiative has major backing and will likely appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Legal Strategies Shift on the Front Lines of the Bay Area's Housing Debate
The threat of a lawsuit by the California Renters Legal Advocacy has the city of Dublin rethinking a housing proposal that would add 220 units near the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station.
Costs Jump on Central Valley Section of California High-Speed Rail
Costs for the initial construction segment, 119 miles from Madera to just outside Bakersfield, jumped $2.8 billion in what the consultant called the "worst-case scenario," to $10.6 billion, or over $89 million per mile.
'Electric Charge Network' to Install 7,500 New Charging Stations in California
One of California's three investor-owned utilities has announced an electric vehicle charging infrastructure program that will spend $130 million through 2020.
Orange County to Remove 1,000 Homeless People From the Santa Ana River
Responding to local homeowners and politicians, Orange County will clear homeless encampments from a riverbed and stormwater channel under its control.
Fatalities Mount from Brightline, South Florida's New Higher-Speed Train Service
A 51-year-old bicyclist became the second fatality in the first week of revenue service. It was the fourth fatality since the summer for the diesel train, which operates from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale.
The Slow Transition from Gas Taxes to Mileage Fees
Oregon was the first to conduct a pilot program in 2006, followed by California and Colorado last year. With financial backing from the U.S. DOT, at least four more states are exploring charging by the mile driven rather than the fuel burned.
Streetcars Coming to the OC
The conservative bastion of Orange County will soon begin on construction on the mode of transit favored by the Obama Administration: the "modern streetcar."
Airbnb Sheds Thousands of Hosts in San Francisco
New registration requirements have proven an effective disincentive for thousands of short-term rental hosts in San Francisco.
Trial Over San Francisco Waterfront Development Height Limits Begins
The State Lands Commission filed suit shortly after San Francisco voters approved Prop. B in June 2014, requiring waterfront developments exceeding height limits to obtain voter approval rather than go through the Planning Commission process.
A Pro-Housing Policy List of Your Wildest YIMBY Dreams
This list is a wishlist of the most ambitious possible YIMBY political platform.
Ballot Measure to Hike Bay Area Bridge Tolls Headed for June Ballot
A modest toll increase, $3 over six years, took a major step forward with the approval of a key Bay Area Toll Authority committee. With the exception of the Bay Bridge, the round-trip toll on each of the region's seven state-owned bridges is $5.
San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower Opens, Underwhelms
Of the city’s newest, tallest building John King writes, “[it’s] as if the creators were so busy being tasteful they forgot that big buildings can be fun."
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
