California

Downtown Los Angeles' $10 Billion Renaissance

Depsite having the most concentrated population of the homeless in the western US, $10 billion in investment is transforming gritty downtown Los Angeles into a "Manhattan of the West Coast."

January 3, 2006 - The Washington Post

Building Industry May Sue Air District Over Aggressive New Pollution Fee Rule

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District in December, 2005 approved the Indirect Source Rule, making it the first Air District in the US to regulate land uses, much to the ire of the building industry. Will they take the Air District to court?

January 2, 2006 - The Stockton Record

The Transformation of the San Francisc's Transbay Terminal

Will San Francisco finally get its train station? Plans are underway to create the "Grand Central Terminal of the West" from the underused Transbay Terminal.

January 2, 2006 - New York Times (Real Estate)

Curbing Inner City 'Condofication'

An editorial outlines ideas for dampening effects of California's Ellis Act, which allows landlords to "go out of business" and evict tenants, possibly in order to sell buildings for condo conversion.

January 1, 2006 - The San Francisco Bay Guardian

Solar Permitting Fees Plummet After Study Shows Wide Cost Discrepancies

The Global Warming & Energy Committee of the Sierra Club chapter in Silicon Valley decide to highlight the excessive permitting charges of some local cities... and results happen.

December 25, 2005 - San Jose Mercury News

The Long Fight For A Subway In LA's Densest Corridor

A political ban on building a subway through some of L.A.'s most dense neighborhoods is being lifted as traffic slows transportaiton to a crawl. But now, finding funding for a Red line expansion may prove nearly impossible.

December 24, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

Forest City's Interest in Metropolitan L.A

Forest City's long-term investment in L.A.'s core is paying off, says Senior VP of Development Kevin Ratner.

December 22, 2005 - The Planning Report

The Housing 'Cool Quotient'

Welcome to the latest In LA high-rise style: In Los Angeles, the newest housing status symbol for the young, design-savvy crowd is a condo in the 32-story Modernist block of stucco and glass on Sunset Blvd, and built in 1964.

December 22, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

A Planning Commission Embraces Height And Density

Oakland's Planning Commission is delighted to approve two residential highrises as the city continues enjoying its downtown revival under Mayor Jerry Brown.

December 22, 2005 - The Oakland Tribune

Innovating Southern California's Goods Movement System

Former California governors, Jerry Brown, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and Gray Davis team up to propose a better system for handling the environmental impacts of increased trade in Southern California's ports.

December 21, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

First 'Smog Fee' On New Development

San Joaquin Valley, CA, air quality officials may become the first in the nation to force builders to pay air pollution fees for new development.

December 20, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

When 4,000 Homes Close In On A Canyon Lifestyle

What happens when a developer is approved to build 4,000 homes in the midst of a rural retreat? It's a recurring question in Southern California.

December 20, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

Mixed-use Projects To Reshape Downtown Riverside, CA

Mixed use comes to downtown Riverside (CA), with several housing, office and commercial projects scheduled to break ground in 2006.

December 19, 2005 - Riverside Press-Enterprise

Greuel: Fixing Transportation In LA

Councilmember Wendy Greuel says that getting L.A. moving requires doing small fixes now and planning for big projects in the future.

December 17, 2005 - The Metro Investment Report

Developers To Pay For Air Pollution Caused By Sprawl

Air pollution control meant looking at tailpipes and smokestacks. Not anymore. San Joaquin Valley is first in nation to take into account air pollution created by urban sprawl.

December 16, 2005 - The Fresno Bee

The Benefits Of Immigration

A new report by the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy finds that immigration -- legal or illegal -- produces a net economic benefit for the country.

December 16, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

The Intriguing Promise Of Treasure Island

San Francisco's proposed Treasure Island development might be the new model for urban growth.

December 16, 2005 - The San Francisco Chronicle

New Eminent Domain Ballot Measures In California

Voter initiatives have been filed that address the issues brought up in Kelo V. City Of New London.

December 16, 2005 - League of California Cities

Building Big, Living Small

Doug Rucker builds large, spacious residences, but lives -- and works -- in a modest 710 square foot house.

December 16, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

Kotkin Responds To Los Angeles Mayor: LA Doesn't Want Density

Joel Kotkin criticizes Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for re-imagining Los Angeles. Kotkin says that Angelenos want to live in a place more like Manhattan Beach than Manhattan.

December 15, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.