California

A new study from the Tax Foundation starts with the premise that user fees - gas taxes and tolls, should pay for road funding. All 50 states are evaluated to see the greatest percentage of user fees. Delaware is rated first; Alaska and Wyoming last.

January 22, 2013 - Tax Foundation

Now that redevelopment projects in CA are officially dead, a retrospective on one of the state's 'most successful' redevelopment projects reveals an inconvenient truth: demolition for surface parking has undermined much of its accomplishments.

January 22, 2013 - UrbDeZine.com

One of the cities that's led the growing trend in urban freeway removal is considering another tear down, report Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross.

January 21, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

The homes designed by architect John Lautner have appeared often in films, many times as characters themselves and many times associated with villains. Adam Baer examines what it is about Lautner's designs that inspire associations with evil.

January 21, 2013 - The Virginia Quarterly Review

Renting out luxury homes has become an attractive choice in today's housing market. High-end renters get many of the benefits of owning a home, with greater built-in flexibility, and without the financial risk.

January 19, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Interactive before and after images taken nearly six decades apart show L.A.'s changing urban landscape.

January 18, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Yosh Asato compares the current dot-com and housing boom around South of Market (SoMA), the heart of San Francisco's tech industry, to previous booms that resulted in inevitable crashes. Is there an optimistic future for the city this time around?

January 17, 2013 - Metropolis Magazine

Ryan Holeywell discusses a new report from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley that examines the top reasons people stop using public transit. Frequent, consistent service is most important to riders.

January 16, 2013 - Governing

Facing federal regulatory action for violating Clean Water Act standards, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors will consider a parcel tax weighted towards a property's amount of impervious pavement to fund programs to reduce stormwater pollution.

January 16, 2013 - The California Report

For those that dream of traveling the length of the Golden State without getting behind the wheel of an automobile, a new map shows the interconnected system of trains and buses that can get you from San Diego to Eureka and in-between.

January 14, 2013 - SF.Streetsblog

At a forum held last week, candidates to become L.A.'s next mayor outlined their approaches to tackling the city's most daunting housing challenges - from homelessness to the need for more affordable housing.

January 14, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Azeen Ghorayshi looks at how Oakland's civic hackers are trying to change the city through technology -- giving people greater access to data, increasing transparency, and keeping people better informed -- all with minimal investment by the city.

January 14, 2013 - East Bay Express

As the L.A. metro continues to expand, so do opportunities for artists to showcase their art. For transit riders, this adds an important element to their daily journey, making the commuting experience all the more memorable.

January 12, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Most California lawsuits challenging environmental impact reports have their sites set on infill projects.

January 12, 2013 - California Planning & Development Report

After 25 years, Santa Clara's light rail has failed to live up to its promise, proving to be “among the least successful in the nation” reports Mike Rosenberg, while “serving as a constant reminder that the car is still king in Silicon Valley."

January 11, 2013 - Oroville Mercury Register

This week the L.A. City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee forwarded to the full council a progressive bike parking ordinance that could dramatically change how developers provide parking for both bikes and autos, reports Damien Newton.

January 11, 2013 - LA.Streetsblog

For anyone who's tried to commute between the San Fernando Valley and L.A.'s Westside during rush hour, it's clear the existing options just don't work. LA County is now considering six options - from BRT to rail tunnels - to help ease congestion.

January 10, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Now that the powerful Community Redevelopment Agency is dead, Los Angeles is considering consolidating economic development efforts, using new money that flows to the city post-redevelopment.

January 9, 2013 - California Planning & Development Report

Angel Jennings reports on the opening of renovated Del Aire Park in unincorporated Los Angeles County, home to the state's first public orchard.

January 7, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Two L.A. City Council members have floated an ambitious proposal to fund the city's backlog of needed road repairs. At a time when the city is expanding transit, and seeking other tax hikes, should $3 billion in street repairs be a top priority?

January 7, 2013 - Los Angeles Times