California

The Arts District and the 'Missed Opportunity' of Planning in L.A.
Downtown L.A.'s Arts District transformed from an industrial sector to a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood. Now, the community's attempts to protect their vision from haphazard development illuminate Los Angeles's broken planning process.
Huge Drop in California Cap-and-Trade Revenues—Could Market Be Collapsing?
'Huge' is an understatement. Revenues were less than 2 percent of what was forecasted. The uncertainty of the continuance of the program may be responsible. The plummet in revenues to high-speed rail adds to uncertainty of the $64 billion project.

Planetizen Week in Review: May 27, 2016
Planetizen Managing Editor James Brasuell shares some of the biggest news and announcements from the week in planning, land use, and related topics.

Some Things Aren't for Sale in San Francisco's Dolores Park (Like Dolores Park)
Controversy struck the famously laissez-faire expanses of Dolores Park in San Francisco this week, after the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department launched, and then quickly rescinded, a program to rent park space.

Fresno's Troubled Housing History
The crisis facing many Fresno renters is nothing new. A history of housing in the city shows how, since the late 19th century, poor housing conditions have been "ingrained in Fresno's culture."

The Sad Saga of Three East Coast Subways
With so much attention placed on the woes facing D.C. Metro, it's important to recognize that it is hardly the only subway facing critical infrastructure investment needs.

L.A.'s Water Supply Increasingly Relying on Management of Stormwater
In October 2014, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti acted to make the city more resilient from drought and climate change. In 2016, we get an update from leaders Gary Hildebrand and Marty Adams on L.A.'s stormwater capture systems.

One Utility's Plan to Build Thousands of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Southern California Edison wants to add 1,500 public charging stations to its service area, potentially expanding the effort to 30,000 charging stations if all goes well.

Critiquing Uber's Cross-Border Service from San Diego to Baja California
In Mach, Uber launched Passport, a service allowing cross-border service from San Diego to any location in the northern Baja California region. A columnist's experiment with the service reveals more PR effort than mobility service.

A Few Big Cities Lead the Economic Recovery
As the debate about whether people prefer to live in the suburbs or the big city rages on, data from the U.S. Census reveals a clear preference on the part of economic trends in the wake of the Great Recession.

What L.A.'s New Expo Line Extension Won't Do
The $1.5 billion, 6.6-mile light rail extension from Culver City to Santa Monica is projected to double trips on the line by 2030, giving commuters a viable alternative to driving. Just the same, don't expect the extension to reduce congestion.

An Interview with the General Manager of the Los Angeles DOT
What's it like to lead the department of transportation in a city trying to overcome decades of car-centric planning? Let LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds tell it in her own words.

L.A.'s New Pershing Square Will Be 'Radically Flat'
After stakeholder engagement and an international design competition, Agence Ter's plan for "radical flatness" has been selected to replace downtown L.A.'s current Pershing Square. The preferred alternative is, above all, simple.

What It's Like to Ride the New Expo Line to Santa Monica
For a bit of fun, take this animated ride on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's new Expo Line extension.
Beverly Hills Planning for Self-Driving Shuttles, Connecting to Transit
A city known for its opposition to transit might be on the cutting edge of first-last mile technology innovation.

Parking Concerns Raised Around L.A.'s New Expo Line
Good news: Metro Los Angeles will open the long-awaited Expo Line extension, connecting Santa Monica and the the beach to Downtown Los Angeles, this weekend. Bad news: the public waited until now to worry about the parking around new stations.

Uber Partners With San Francisco Landlord to Subsidize Car-Free Tenants
A large development in San Francisco would limit parking spaces by paying for its tenants to go car free. Uber is paying part of the bill.

A Long-Awaited Bus Line Falls Short of Expectations in Chicago
The Chicago neighborhood of Bridgeport provides a case study of the collision between neighborhood advocacy, politics, and transit planning.

California Governor Proposes Streamlined Affordable Housing Process
Rather than devoting more funds for affordable housing, California Governor Jerry Brown is supporting streamlined regulations, mandated by the state and enacted at the local level .

The eBay for Apartments Is Here
A San Francisco startup will allow landlords to auction long-term rental leases to competing bidders online.
Pagination
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie