California
San Francisco Debates an Anti-Homeless Fence
The deployment of so-called defensive architecture is in the news again. This time the controversy is in the public realm, as San Francisco considers a fence to keep homeless out of McCoppin Hub.
San Francisco Approves Accessory Dwelling Units
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has approved legislation that will allow the construction of accessory dwelling units, potentially adding thousands of units to the city's housing supply.
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Employees Get a Raise—Months Before Operations Begin
The North San Francisco Bay Area has lacked passenger rail for decades—but the process of hiring the staff necessary to operate the line on a daily basis has been complicated by the cost of housing in the area.
Good News on Car Sharing
Car sharing networks that allow the vehicle to be returned to any location were found to have the impact of removing seven cars for each rented car in San Diego in a three-year study released July 19.
California Studies Standards for Recycled Drinking Water
California is considering piping recycled potable water directly into people's homes.
Innovations in Street Furniture Reflect New Approach to Public Space
After a tour of Los Angeles street furniture, Alissa Walker offers her reflections on cities' changing approach to public space.
Friday Eye Candy: Tour Downtown L.A. Before Urban Renewal
The New Yorker has produced a video comparing the streets of Downtown Los Angeles on either side of a 70-year span of history.
How Will L.A.'s New Inglewood Football Stadium Revitalize South Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles Rams COO details both the stadium's sustainable design and the positive impact the privately funded complex will have on Southern California.
California's Rural Communities Want Transit, Too
Parts of California’s rural, working-class Central Valley see virtually no transportation investment, leaving many residents stranded in the heat.
Study: Bureaucracy Restricts Housing Supply
A recent study by Trulia concentrates on elasticity (i.e., the rate at which housing stock grows, relative to demand), and arrives at the conclusion that bureaucracy, not regulation, is responsible for rising housing prices.
Study: Land Use Regulation Restricts Housing Supply
A new paper studies the impacts both of specific land use regulations and land use regulations in the aggregate.
New Player Emerges in Car Sharing Services
Arriving just in time in the District of Columbia, as Safe Track disrupts Metro service, General Motors launched 'Maven' to compete with ZipCar, Car2Go, and Enterprise car sharing services.
San Francisco Shifts Maintenance Burden for Street Trees Back to the City
Three proposed legislative measures would undo one of the more obvious signs of the recession, and return the responsibility for street trees to the city.
'50s Researchers Saw Architects as Key to Understanding Creativity
What would Richard Neutra do with a third arm? UC Berkeley researchers once asked him that and more, for science.
How to Develop a 'World Class Waterfront': a Letter to the San Diego Unified Port District
Downtown San Diego’s waterfront is undergoing major changes. Regarding the latest proposal, the San Diego Environment + Design Council has some words of advice in this open letter to the Port District.
Cleanest Diesel Locomotives to Join Southern California Commuter Rail Fleet
Forty so-called Tier 4 locomotives, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designation requiring a dramatic reduction in particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions, will be joining Metrolink's fleet covering 512 track miles in six counties.
Key Facts from L.A. County's Park Needs Assessment Study
L.A. County's Parks and Rec Dept. has just completed a major study of the county's park needs. Departmental Facilities Planner Clement Lau explains the study and below are a few things that came to light.
Taxis Taking a Back Seat to Uber and Lyft at Airports
The Bay Area provides a case study of the effect of transportation network companies on ground transportation to and from airports.
$1.25 Billion Approved for Caltrain Electrification; More Funding Needed
At their July 7 meeting, the Caltrain Joint Powers Board, a 3-county body that administers the crowded San Jose-to-San Francisco commuter rail line, unanimously approved $1.25 billion in contracts to rail and infrastructure firms for electrification.
Bay Area Activists Mobilize to Ban Big-Box Stores
The latest front line of the battle to prevent the spread of big-box stores is the city of Pleasanton, California.
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
