California

The City of San Francisco is expanding its program of "parklets" -- small public patio-like spaces built on parking spots.

March 25, 2011 - The San Francisco Examiner

Data from mobile app Waze is used to create a visualization of the throbbing, insistent pulsing of Los Angeles traffic.

March 24, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Environmental justice advocates have been able to do in court what oil companies unsuccessfully attempted at the polls in November: deal a severe blow, if only temporarily, to CA's landmark climate law AB 32 by challenging the cap & trade provision.

March 24, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Built around a BART station in 1999, Oakland, California's Fruitvale Village has had a tough time keeping its retail space alive (as have many TODs). The property managers have learned some lessons over the years about how to overcome the challenges.

March 23, 2011 - New Urban Network

The recent adoption of a citywide bicycle plan in Los Angeles could bring about broad changes to the city's physical environment.

March 22, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

As lawmakers in California wrangle over the state's budget, redevelopment agencies appear to be days away from being killed.

March 22, 2011 - California Planning and Development Report

Two Bay Area planning agencies have jointly released what they call their "Initial Vision Scenario", a first step in implementing the Sustainable Community Strategy required by state law (SB 375, 2008) to reduce climate emissions from transportation.

March 22, 2011 - Mercury News

A new poll of California residents finds that perceived quality of life in the state has dropped.

March 21, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

An urban renaissance is underway in Oakland, where a population surge and a fleet of trendy shops has revived parts of a formerly crime-ridden city.

March 21, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Salt Lake City is aggressively expanding its light rail network thanks to a voter approved tax increase. This post wonders whether the city could follow mimic a proposed plan in Los Angeles to speed up the use of those taxes.

March 20, 2011 - The Source

Plans to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles hinge on more than football. A major element in making the idea work financially for the city is to make it an attractive site for conventions and conferences.

March 18, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

An enterprising couple from Los Angeles turned an RV into a mode of public transportation for the party-going crowd. Recent partnerships with Foursquare and Walt Disney Imagineering have made the RV a popular way to get around Tinseltown.

March 16, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

The Democrat, Maxine Waters, objects to the 10 & 110 Freeway high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on the basis of equity while Rep. Gary G. Miller, the ranking CA Republican on the House Transportation Committee, sees it as "double taxation".

March 16, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Facing possible dissolution, redevelopment agencies in California have gone on a bond-spree in the early months of 2011.

March 14, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Timothy Egan describes growing American ethnoburbs, or "entire cities" (or suburbs) "dominated by a nonwhite ethnic group," and their implications for politics and power.

March 14, 2011 - New York Times

The name has changed, butt he reform game stays the same. Chief Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner has promised a more transparent project approval process. A team of consultants is just beginning to pitch their ideas.

March 13, 2011 - The Planning Report

As California's coastal counties see less growth in 2010 Census figures, the state's inland areas could become bigger players in politics.

March 13, 2011 - The Sacramento Bee

In 2013, San Francisco will host America's Cup; many hope this will expedite development along the Bay City's waterfront.

March 11, 2011 - The Achitect's Newspaper

The San Francisco Bay Area has seen its smallest rate of growth in the state's history, according to data from the 2010 Census.

March 11, 2011 - The Contra Costa Times

California Controller John Chiang, an independent, elected officer, audited 18 of the state's 425 redevelopment agencies (representing 16% of all RDA dollars) and found huge differences in how blight is defined and a lack of accountability.

March 8, 2011 - Los Angeles Times