California
Pasadena's Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance Called Out as a 'Poison Pill'
Pasadena's accessory dwelling unit is designed more to prevent than accommodate accessory dwelling units. Planner and Pasadena resident Jonathan P. Bell implores the city's Planning Commission to reform it.

Op-Ed: San Francisco's New Urban Design Guidelines Could Backfire
John King argues that the city's new guidelines may leave too many loopholes open, potentially defeating their purpose: well-integrated new buildings.

California Water Plan Foretells Tension Between Cities, Farmers
Recognizing the ongoing drought's severity, Sacramento is set to adopt a new statewide conservation plan. But some say the regulations don't place enough pressure on California's agricultural sector.

Making Long-Term Planning and Democratic Politics Work Together
To the potential surprise of many planners in the United States, strategic planning and politics can work together to produce significant policy outcomes in democratically governed cities.

San Francisco Muni Hack Could Have Been a Catastrophe
The Internet of Things will continue to be a concern for cities, the ransomeware that struck the San Francisco transit system could have been much worse. A future attack will be.

A Pro-Development Argument in the Great Housing Debate
In the ongoing and contentious debate about whether market-rate development is a cure or a disease, another writer comes down on the side of more supply, no matter the cost.

Facebook to Donate $20 Million for Housing and Jobs in its Own Backyard
Facebook has decided that being a good neighbor means donating funding toward affordable housing.

More Evidence that Bay Area Housing Prices Are Hurting the Economy
Beacon Economics projects a slowdown in job growth in the San Francisco Bay Area due to the region's high housing costs.

San Francisco Rejects Environmental Review for Lack of Gentrification Analysis
In what could be a first, but potential not a last, the power of the California Environmental Quality Act was invoked in San Francisco with regard to concerns about gentrification.
The Architecture at Zero Competition Imagines the Future of Net Zero Energy
The winners of the 2016 Architecture at Zero competition took a case study located in the fog-locked city of San Francisco and delivered a net-zero site plan for a mixed-use academic facility.
Death Toll at 36 in Friday Night's Fire at Oakland Warehouse
Lax code enforcement is one of the concerns being raised by the devastating fire that occurred during a rave-style party, Artists had taken up residence in the building, which was not permitted for either general assembly events or residences.
Chariot Commuter Shuttle in San Francisco Expands 50 Percent After Ford Acquisition
Chariot shuttle service, recently acquired by Ford Motor Company, may soon be a more formidable competitor for San Francisco's public transit provider, Muni, due to an expansion to 150 vans. Expect new routes, five-minute headways, and $4 rides.

What it Takes To Pass a Transportation Sales Tax Measure in California
Ventura County's transportation sales tax measure failed after receiving almost 57 percent of the vote, illustrating the difficulty in passing tax measures intended for transportation improvements in California.

Route Approved for Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar
Construction on the Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar could begin as soon as 2018.
What Mobility Leaders Think About Car Connectivity
As autonomous vehicles prepare to disrupt transportation systems, Ford Motors President & CEO Mark Fields, L.A Chief Sustainability Officer Matt Petersen, and rideshare company Chariot co-founder Ali Vahabzadeh opine on tomorrow's mobility ecosystem.

California Using Data To Maximize Water Conservation Efforts
Even as the Golden State has a wetter fall, California's water leaders have launched a new tool to leverage information technology and available information to support decisions around local water reliability.

Plan Bay Area Update Calls for 30 Percent More Housing by 2040
The plan centers a large portion of the housing growth — around 46 percent — in the Big 3 Bay Area Cities: San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.

Orange County's Water Supply Is Ahead of the Resilience Curve
The Southern California county has long been a pioneer in water management.

Mapping Los Angeles' Underutilized City-Owned Property
New data shows that the city of Los Angeles owns nearly 9,000 parcels throughout the region—and that it could be doing a lot more with them.

Bay Area Sends Mixed Message on BART Funding
BART won big on election night with the passage of Measure RR, a $3.5 billion infrastructure bond measure. But the San Francisco Chronicle observes that results from two other local ballot measures suggest a mixed message on the rapid transit system.
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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.
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