California
Uproar Over San Francisco’s $1.7 Million Toilet
Critics question why a single-toilet public bathroom could cost the city close to $2 million and take two years to build.
Identifying and Addressing Rural Park and Recreation Needs
Rural communities are not homogeneous. Each has its own unique demographics, location, topography, history, park and recreation needs, and community preferences.
Ramping Up Recycled Wastewater
States like Colorado and water suppliers in parts of Southern California are expanding the use of recycled wastewater to protect dwindling drinking water supplies.
How Office Conversions Could Benefit San Francisco
The city could emulate Calgary, New York, and other cities in supporting office conversions as a way to boost floundering downtown economies and provide much-needed additional housing.
Wildfires Second-Largest Source of Emissions in California
New research quantifies the impact of wildfires on California’s air quality, indicating that bigger and more frequent fires contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
Unhoused People Overwhelmingly Want One Thing: Shelter
Two new studies shed light on what people experiencing homelessness actually need by using a shocking new tactic: asking them.
The Consequences of Sprawl: Overcrowded Housing and Covid Deaths
Los Angeles is the nation's capital of both crowding and sprawl. A feature published by the Los Angeles Times provides the history of how the metropolis achieved this contradiction.
West Coast Offshore Wind Takes a Step Forward
The federal government announced a lease sale for locations along the California coast approved for offshore wind energy production.
Majority of Southern California Cities Miss Housing Deadline
Close to two-thirds of the region’s municipalities missed the October 15 deadline to revise their housing elements, jeopardizing state funds and control over local development.
Dodger Stadium Gondola Completes Draft Environmental Impact Report
No World Series? At least Dodger fans can imagine themselves soaring over the traffic jams on the way to and from Dodger stadium in a new gondola.
Caltrain Railyard Redevelopment Back on the Table in San Francisco
An incredibly complex development proposal for 20 acres of Caltrain railyard is back on the table, nearly a decade since it first made news in San Francisco.
How to Hire and Retain Bus Drivers During the Great Resignation
Bus systems all over the country are cutting service due to an ongoing shortage of operators—the drivers who make the whole system go. A few examples of success provide a way forward.
Orange County Desalination Plant Wins Key Approval
A desalination plant is moving forward in Orange County with California Coastal Commission approval just a few months after another, uch more expensive project, failed the same test.
Fresno Development Will Provide Little Parking
The builder is relying on demand for lower-cost, transit-oriented housing units for residents who don’t own private cars, opting to provide only seven parking spaces for a 37-unit building.
California Needs More Housing—But Where?
The state’s housing shortage is complicated by the growing number of places threatened by wildfires.
When Nostalgia Impedes Progress
Urban design critic John King urges fellow Berkeley residents to embrace change and growth.
San Francisco Rezoning Makes Room for 34,000 Housing Units
To meet state-mandated housing goals, San Francisco plans to accommodate thousands of new housing units focused in the city’s west side, which has seen little growth for decades.
Transit and the ‘Big One’
Bay Area transit agencies employ rigorous protocols to ensure they’re prepared for the next major earthquake.
Offshore Wind Energy Faces Challenges on West Coast
Unique geography and high costs have stymied offshore wind energy production in California, but new incentives and innovations could soon make it more accessible.
Opinion: California Jaywalking Law a Step in Right Direction
A new law doesn’t fully decriminalize jaywalking, but bars law enforcement from issuing citations to pedestrians when crossings aren’t ‘truly dangerous.’
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
