California

Retrofitting Vulnerable Buildings Becomes Mandatory in Earthquake Prone LA..
Decades in the making, the Los Angeles City Council has approved regulations requiring the retrofit of vulnerable wood and concrete buildings.
Charger Rage Hits Electric Vehicle Country in California
All is not copacetic in the Bay Area's EV community. An apparent shortage of electric vehicle chargers is causing incidents where EV owners disregard proper 'charging etiquette' and unplug the charger from other EVs to charge their own vehicle.

California Governor Jerry Brown Pessimistic on Affordability
Housing often costs a literal fortune in California, and Governor Jerry Brown doesn't see an easy fix. Demand to live in the state is high, but there are local factors at work impeding housing construction.

Mercedes-Benz Bets on a Suburban Future
From a new Silicon Valley facility, Mercedes' R&D department is developing car-share services based on a vision of 21st-century suburbs. The company is also testing self-driving prototypes and electric models.

Bay Area Warned: Millennials Will Leave if Housing Prices Don't Change
Millennials in the Bay Area are feeling priced out, and may bolt if they can't find housing they can afford.
Watch San Francisco's Houses Transform Into Million Dollar Listings
A new study by Trulia quantifies the number of houses that broached the $1 million listing benchmark in the city of San Francisco between January 2010 and September 2015. A pretty/scary infographic illustrates the findings.
Mansionization Déjà Vu Reveals Differences of Opinion in Southern California
An editorial favors one local city's approach to mansionization over another's. When will they ever learn?
BART Squeezing Every Inch of Capacity While Waiting for Reinforcements
BART expanded service in September in a display of the lost art of making the most of what they've got.
Ambitious Subway Agenda Endorsed by Transportation Secretary Foxx
When San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener proclaimed last month that his city "should always have a subway under construction," there were many doubters due to the funds required and unlikelihood of federal support. "Aggressive" is good, says Foxx.
When Too Many Farmers' Markets Are Too Much of a Good Thing
Few locations are such a natural fit for farmers' markets as Orange County—but the number of certified farmers' markets in the county are shrinking and others are struggling.
The 'Energy Atlas' of Los Angeles County Lets Planners and Citizens Track Energy Use
"Not knowing which kinds of buildings consume what is like not being able to gauge differences between a diesel truck and a hybrid car."
Report Grades California's Rail Stations on Neighborhood Service
A report by Next 10 takes the form of a scorecard for six light and heavy rail networks. Rail that serves existing urbanized areas scored the highest.
Self-Driving Buses Coming in 2016 to an Office Park in San Ramon, California
The self-driving future is coming sooner than you might have expected—to a suburban office park in California's Bay Area.
More Americans Living Next Door to Fire Danger
A summer of drought and devastating fires has demonstrated the dangers of allowing residential developments to sprawl ever farther into wild, natural environments.
Bay Area Extreme Commuting for the Love of Larger, Affordable Single Family Homes
It's a tradeoff that 3.9 percent of the Bay Area workforce are willing to make to own an affordable home. It's often not even a choice between living in the city or the suburbs, but the close-in suburbs or the exurbs or San Joaquin Valley.

Sierra Nevada Snowpack at 500-Year Low
Unusually scarce precipitation last winter has left little snow on the mountains, endangering a key California water reserve.

Who Will Pay to Fix San Diego's Broken Sidewalks?
San Diego quest to find solutions to repairing damaged city sidewalks continues, with home and business owners potentially facing liability for trip-and-fall accidents
Will Public Art Revive the 'Champs-Élysées of Los Angeles'?
Once called the "Champs-Élysées of Los Angeles," MacArthur Park later became known for crime and prostitution. While it has yet to experience a revival like other L.A. parks, an unusual public art project has generated renewed interest in the park.
Health by Design: Findings from ULI
A new ULI report finds that innovation in placemaking is about the inter-relatedness of health and the built environment.
Traffic Deaths in California Continue to Rise—How to Stem the Tide
Traffic fatalities in California have been rising since 2010, rising to 3,104 in 2013 after decreasing from 2006 to 2010. Experts point to several specific reasons for the increase; one of the most prominent may be in your hand right now.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions