California

Architect Peter Calthorpe lays out a forceful argument for the lower costs and higher benefits of constructing high speed rail versus expanded highways to serve the state's growing population and economic development.

January 10, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Writing on the topic of Los Angeles Times Architecture Critic Christopher Hawthorne's year-long series exploring the city through its literature, Nate Berg talks to the author about his critical touchstones and common themes.

January 10, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

SF Park is an outstanding success when measured by 'ticket anxiety'; i.e. the new program allows motorists to reduce the likelihood of being ticketed by making payment easier and allowing for longer parking stays, thus avoiding a $55-65 citation.

January 9, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Researchers look at the largely suburban South Bay area of Los Angeles to offer ways to retrofit auto-oriented suburbs for more pedestrian travel.

January 9, 2012 - Access

Cities and redevelopment agencies are pushing for legislation that give them a stay of execution. Meanwhile, cities are evaluating which projects will be impacted.

January 9, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Nearly 10 years in the works, a connector between Oakland International Airport and the BART transit system is taking shape.

January 8, 2012 - The Contra Costa Times

San Francisco's Coit Tower is one of the city's historic and iconic buildings, and it's also home to a collection of historic fresco paintings of Depression-era California. But the building and its paintings are falling apart.

January 7, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

A 'peer review' committee advises that the legislature should refuse to authorize funding for the first phase of California's high speed rail project, citing a "immense financial risk" for the state.

January 6, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

In last week's court ruling, the California Supreme Court didn't just kill redevelopment. The court also upheld a drawn-out process of other agencies picking the meat off redevelopment's bones.

January 5, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

The California State Supreme Court recently upheld the eradication of the state's roughly 400 redevelopment agencies, and now officials from those groups are trying to convince legislators to give back some of their spending powers.

January 4, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

There's no budget for anything over-the-top, but it is an opportunity to bring in drought-resistant landscaping. The Department of Recreation and Parks is evaluating ideas.

January 3, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Tens of billions of dollars are to be side aside for a plan to protect against flooding of the San Joaquin River basin. Cities wonder if this "broad road map" is enough to protect those truly at risk, and, of course, who pays for it.

January 3, 2012 - Stockton Record

San Francisco's planning and permitting process has become so complicated and expensive that former advocates of preservation are now fighting back against the city's historic preservation efforts.

January 3, 2012 - The New York Times

Curbed offers it's eclectic selection of the "best, worst, and ...showiest of things that happened in Los Angeles real estate, architecture, and neighborhoods this year."

January 2, 2012 - Curbed Los Angeles

Parklets are a new urban trend spreading to cities all over the world. It's an idea born in San Francisco, and the San Francisco Chronicle's John King takes a tour of each of the city's new mini-parks

January 1, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Call it megachurch fatigue: A proposed Sufism Reoriented sanctuary is just one of an increasing number of religious developments facing no shortage of community backlash in northern California.

December 31, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

A group of lawyers in California has filed a lawsuit to overturn the two-thirds legislative voting requirement of Proposition 13, the law that limits increases in the state's taxes -- but not property taxes.

December 30, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

The State Supreme Court struck down redevelopment. Now it's up to the political players in California to strike a deal to bring it back. Can they do it? And what will the state's price be?

December 30, 2011 - California Planning & Development Report

The court's decision is likely to have far-reaching effects on how cities in California finance and facilitate urban redevelopment.

December 30, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

If high-speed rail fails, 130 miles of track will have to go to Amtrak. But critics say that the backup plan comes with no guarantee that Amtrak would even have to use the tracks and is, therefore, a useless backup plan.

December 30, 2011 - Los Angeles Times