California
Ice Cube's LA Vision...at the Eames
In this short video, Ice Cube waxes poetic about Los Angeles' attitude, highways, and landmarks.
How Local Manufacturing Can Rub the Rust off the Rust Belt
William Bostwick explores how locally-sourced, niche product manufacturing could help the Rust Belt rise.
ULI Descends Upon LA With Ideas for Union Station
Carter Rubin at LA Metro’s The Source reports on ULI’s vision for Union Station, which Metro bought for a song earlier this year.
Population Growth Slows Dramatically in California, Including Fewer Births
Not only are more Californians leaving the state for greener pastures than those moving to it, but the birth rate is dropping as well according to a detailed new demographic report by county on 2010-2011 growth by the state Department of Finance.
Los Angeles Considers Lifting Artistic Mural Ban
Los Angeles is considering a new ordinance that will allow artists to paint murals on private property as long as they have permission from the owner.
Los Angeles Drafts Pro-Mural Ordinance
Part of the trouble is finding language that will prevent billboards from proliferating, but planners finally have a draft for public review (available in the article).
LaHood Defends HSR At House Transportation Committee Hearing
Speaking before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood defended the viability of the President's ambitious, national high-speed rail program.
Zoo Wants Billboards
As Los Angeles works to rein in billboard blight around the city, the Parks and Recreation Dept. comes out with a surprise request for permission to put up more off-site signage.
The Living Wage Mandate Works
A 2003 policy that mandated that subsidized developements grant jobs at living wages has not hampered development, according to one official.
Field Poll: HSR Falls Into Disfavor With Majority Of Californians
According to the non-partisan, independent poll, 64% of respondents endorse placing the 2008, $9.95 billion bond measure back on the ballot to allow voters to choose to proceed with the train project now that costs have doubled; 59% would vote 'no'.
Regional Planners Sued for Promoting Sprawl
The Cleveland National Forest Foundation is suing SANDAG over a $200 billion transportation plan that purportedly only promotes sprawl through freeway extensions.
San Francisco: "Transit First" In Name Only
Well ahead of it's time, San Francisco adopted a 'transit-first policy' in 1973. However, the 'drive-alone' mode dominates at 39%. While far better than elsewhere in the Bay Area and much of the U.S., transit remains clearly in second place at 32%.
Will CA HSR Survive Leg' Analyst's Blistering Report?
The non-partisan Legislative Analyst pulled no punches. To proceed with the project without more funding and environmental clearances would violate the authorizing ballot proposition and endanger funding for all other state needs, including education
Native-born Californians Reign Again
It's 1900 all over again - more Californians are born here than come from other states or countries. The recession and high housing costs have continued the outflow from the state meaning that growth is dependent largely on offspring of immigrants.
Redevelopment Project Sweeps The Bay Area
In San Francisco, almost one out of every six acres is slated to become parkland in the new urban infill projects in Mission Bay.
Is the Central Valley The Vietnam For CA High Speed Rail?
It's been called a white elephant and a boondoggle, but Stanford rail historian Richard White went further in his interview in the NYT by comparing it with escalating involvement in an unwinnable war.
BART To San Jose To Take $772 Million Step
One of the costliest transit projects in the Bay Area is a $772 million contract, closer to construction come Dec. 8. The long-awaited BART extension from Fremont to the region's largest city may be contingent on FTA funding expected in February.
"Environmental Architecture" at its Finest
Sarah Williams Goldhagen profiles The Sea Ranch; despite its failure as an alternative to suburban sprawl, it is considered a model for its environmentally sensitive, "sublimely beautiful" development.
East Bay County Proposes Half-Cent Transportation Sales Tax
The newly formed Alameda County Transportation Commission is proposing a permanent, half-cent sales tax be placed on before the voters of the second most populous Bay Area county for the Nov. 2012 ballot for a variety of transportation purposes.
From Foreclosed Home to Pocket Park
The city of Pacoima, CA is going ahead with a new program that transforms foreclosed homes into pocket parks. Vacant lots are being considered in addition to 10 foreclosed sites.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
