California
Orange County Lagging on Supportive Housing Goals
The county is far behind its goal of building 2,700 supportive housing units as the region grows more unaffordable.
California’s Year in Bike Policy
Bike and pedestrian advocates saw some big legislative and political wins in 2022.
Southern California Water District Declares Drought Emergency
State water officials say the region’s agencies will only receive 5 percent of their requested supplies for the start of 2023 due to intense drought conditions that continue to sap western water supplies.
Superfund Project to Deliver Massive Water Supply Boon to Los Angeles
The semi-arid region of Los Angeles is often mistaken for a desert, but the local water supply is also constrained by the environmental sins of the 20th century. The water supply equation of Los Angeles will soon change, however.
First Full Builder’s Remedy Application Filed in Santa Monica
In the time that it took Santa Monica to bring its housing plan into compliance with state requirements, a developer filed over a dozen preliminary applications under the obscure ‘builder’s remedy’ policy.
The Importance of Restoring Degraded Lands in Los Angeles County
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors just approved the Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+), which highlights the need for transforming degraded lands such as landfills and oil fields into parks and open spaces, particularly in underserved communities.
Bike Lanes Pitted Against Fire Safety in Oakland
The city’s fire department is pushing back on proposed bike lanes and narrower streets, citing concerns about emergency access.
San Jose Eliminates Parking Minimums
The California city is the largest in the country to abolish parking requirements, joining a bevy of other localities that are shifting to less car-oriented development.
L.A. County Calls for Flood Control Improvements
Recently revealed estimates put far more people in the region at risk for catastrophic flooding than previously thought.
Los Angeles To Phase Out Oil Drilling
The city has banned new wells and will end all extraction within two decades.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Housing and Fire Safety in California
A proposed development near the site of the devastating Camp Fire highlights the growing tension between building badly needed housing and protecting communities from heightened wildfire risk.
$1.9 Billion in State Budget Surplus Requested for L.A. Transit Projects
L.A. transit officials hope the state budget surplus can be used to fund regional transit project, including one highly anticipated light rail project that broke ground on Friday, December 2.
L.A.-Las Vegas High Speed Rail Could Break Ground Next Year
The privately funded train would shuttle passengers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in half the time it takes to drive and could take 3 million vehicles off the road.
Napa County Announces Forgivable Loans for Affordable ADU Rentals
Homeowners in the county will be eligible for the loans if they comply with affordability requirements for five years.
Controversial Agreement Yields Funding for Salton Sea Restoration
An unprecedented, but deeply controversial, agreement changes the equation for the Colorado River and the Salton Sea.
Lyft Pulls Micromobility From Los Angeles Area
The company will no longer provide shared bikes and scooters in the L.A. region, citing a ‘lack of longterm commitment’ from cities.
Marin County Mandates Building Electrification
Starting January 1, all new buildings in the county must be electric-powered, while multifamily apartment buildings will be required to provide electric car chargers.
Long Delayed, $1.95 Billion Central Subway Opens in San Francisco
San Francisco’s first north-south subway opened last weekend, extending service on Muni’s T light rail line.
New Scoping Plan Sets Carbon Neutrality Goal for California
California has long led the nation in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A law approved in 2006 still provides direction for the state’s efforts.
Outdoor Dining Parklets No Longer Cheap and Easy
Cities in Santa Cruz County, California are making outdoor dining laws permanent, and some businesses are getting sticker shock at the extra cost of maintaining the pandemic-era expansion of al fresco dining.
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.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
