California

Wildfire recovery area with small trees growing in burn areas in Angeles National Forest in California.

Resilient Communities, Healthy Ecosystems: A Balanced Approach to Wildfires

Effective wildfire mitigation in California requires a holistic approach that goes beyond large-scale vegetation removal, emphasizing home hardening, defensible space, strategic planning, and reducing human-caused ignitions.

February 16, 2025 - UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

Los Angeles, California skyline against mountains at sunset.

Building Resilient Communities: Insights from the LA County Cities Summit

The Los Angeles County Cities Summit convened local leaders to share strategies for advancing sustainability, addressing climate resilience, extreme heat, and other pressing environmental challenges through policy and community-driven solutions.

February 14, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Top floors of blue and white apartment building with palm trees against sunny blue sky in Malibu, California.

LA County Leaders Seek to Increase Penalties for Rent Gouging

Landlords who raise rents sharply after disasters could face fines of up to $50,000.

February 11, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

List of various international languages with text in English and original language.

Language Matters: Addressing Communication Gaps in Disaster Response

A UCLA study reveals that language barriers left many Asian residents in Los Angeles County without critical wildfire evacuation and recovery information, highlighting the need for more inclusive emergency communication strategies.

February 10, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

View of wooded area and homes in Altadena, California with hills and downtown Los Angeles, California in the distance.

Half of Altadena’s Black Homes Lost or Damaged in Eaton Fire

The community has higher Black homeownership rates than most of Los Angeles, but now faces an uncertain future as residents struggle to rebuild.

February 9, 2025 - The Guardian

Wasco Viaduct under construction in California's Central Valley as part of California High-Speed Rail project.

California HSR Could Be Up and Running by 2033

A newly restructured leadership promises to speed up the arduous construction process and start running trains in five to eight years.

February 7, 2025 - GovTech

Avalon Boulevard entrance to Dignity Health Sports Park, on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills, home to the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer in Carson, California.

More Than a Game: How Sports Can Uplift Communities After Disaster

In the wake of devastating wildfires, a professional sports team in Los Angeles is stepping up to support affected fans, offering aid, morale-boosting gestures, and a sense of community resilience.

February 6, 2025 - CNN

Amorphous white building for Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, California under construction behind green construction fence.

A New Cultural Landmark: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Set to Open in 2026

Transforming a former parking lot into a dynamic cultural hub, this new museum will feature expansive gallery spaces, theaters, educational areas, and lush green landscapes while prioritizing community engagement, local hiring, and inclusive design.

February 5, 2025 - Parametric Architecture

View of downtown Los Angeles, California through orange haze.

Lawmakers Call for Improved Air Quality Monitoring in LA Following Fires

Wildfires like those in Los Angeles that destroy urban structures release toxic chemicals, including lead, into the air.

February 5, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

Close-up of pink tulips in bloom at Descanso Gardens, Los Angeles County.

Cultivating Color and Community: Seasonal Planting at Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens’ annual planting of 35,000 tulip bulbs showcases the power of seasonal design to enhance public spaces and engage visitors.

February 3, 2025 - NBC Los Angeles

Close-up of cluster of red paper Lunar New Year lanters at night.

Bringing Communities Together: Lunar New Year Festivities Across LA County

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, LA County Parks is hosting free community festivals at 61 parks, featuring cultural performances, food tastings, crafts, and interactive activities that honor the Year of the Snake and promote unity and tradition.

February 3, 2025 - The Los Angeles Post

Fence with barbed wire and For Sale sign around vacant field.

From Brownfields to Community Assets: A Conference on Land Revitalization

The 2025 California Land Recycling Conference (CALRC) will convene experts in Carson, CA, from September 16-18 to discuss brownfield redevelopment, sustainability, and equitable land reuse, with session proposals open until March 31, 2025.

February 3, 2025 - Center for Creative Land Recycling

White hydrogen tank.

First US Hydrogen Public Utility to Launch in California

The project will serve as an intermediary between clean hydrogen providers and consumers.

January 31, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Young child riding scooter on gravel path in park.

Parks as Community Lifelines: Supporting Residents During Times of Crisis

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation demonstrates how parks serve as vital community infrastructure by adapting to crises, offering public health services, disaster relief, and essential support for residents in need.

January 30, 2025 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Center-running protected bike lane on Valencia Street in San Francisco, California.

How San Francisco’s ‘People Protected Bike Lanes’ are Moving the Needle on Road Safety

A local bike safety protest has become a global phenomenon.

January 29, 2025 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Row of tall palm trees in Los Angeles against sunset sky.

Rethinking Los Angeles Landscapes: Balancing Iconic Trees and Fire Resilience

L.A. must balance fire resilience with ecological preservation by gradually replacing flammable non-native plants like eucalyptus and palm trees with native and fire-resistant species while rethinking urban landscapes and land management practices.

January 28, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

White Waymo autonomous vehicle in parking area in San Francisco, California with Ghirardelli vintage sign in background.

Robotaxi Charging Lots Could Complicate San Francisco Housing Development

Multiple sites slated for housing development are now being turned into charging and storage lots for autonomous vehicles, making housing an unintended victim of the robotaxi revolution.

January 27, 2025 - San Francisco Chronicle

Bird's eye view of moderately busy large freeway interchange in California.

California Environmental Leaders Call on State Agencies to Prioritize Multimodal Transportation

Even before President Trump took office, California was not meeting its emissions reduction goals.

January 27, 2025 - Streetsblog California

Aerial view of Menlo Park in Silicon Valley, California.

Menlo Park to Develop Parking Lots Into Housing

The city will issue a request for proposals to build subsidized housing on up to three downtown parking lots.

January 23, 2025 - Palo Alto Daily Post

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.