California
Evaluating CEQA: The Controversial Law Turns 50
The California Environmental Quality Act, commonly referred to as CEQA for short, has been influencing planning and development in California for 50 years, creating a constant source of controversy and criticisms from both sides of the debate.
Outdoor Dining Outlawed in L.A. County—Restaurateurs Want to Know Why
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently closed outdoor dining because of a sudden but rapid rise of coronavirus infections in the county.
Environmental Review for Light Rail Through The Valley Approved
The B Line subway includes two stops in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, but other than that, commuter rail and buses are the only options for transit. New light rail plans could change that.
The Pandemic's Most Critical Health Metric Just Shut Down Most of California
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who issued the nation's first stay-at-home order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, issued a new order to prevent hospitals in the nation's most populous state from being overwhelmed with COVID patients.
The Transit Catastrophe Continues: San Francisco, D.C. Forecast Service Cuts, Layoffs
Advocates have been waiting for the other shoe to drop as transit agencies deal with cratered revenues during the pandemic without support from Congress.
Cars Pollute in More Ways Than One
Tires wear down and shed toxic microplastics into stormwater, which eventually ends up in rivers and the ocean. Recent research sheds new light on the extent of the damage.
A Dark Night for the Right to Housing Movement
After a string of high-profile successes in places as geographically distant as Philadelphia and the East Bay Area, an ugly episode in L.A. County the day before Thanksgiving dealt a brutal setback to the burgeoning right to housing movement.
Controversial Aerial Tram Proposed to Serve Dodger Stadium
A new electric aerial gondola system is being proposed to transport baseball fans and concert goers from Union Station over the Los Angeles State Historic Park to Dodger Stadium.
SCOTUS: Freedom of Religion Trumps Public Health in a Pandemic
In a late-night 5-4 ruling on the eve of Thanksgiving, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a governor's executive order to stem the spread of a contagious virus can not impede the right of people to gather in a church.
Transportation Tech Innovation Zone Launched in Los Angeles
Urban Movement Labs (UML) is working with the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti to undertake a series of pilot programs to entice private companies to Los Angeles to develop and test innovation transportation technology.
Anaheim Tries a New Approach for 1,000 New Units of Workforce Housing
Many cities in California are too expensive for the firefighters, teachers, and nurses that provide essential professional services. Anaheim is hoping to leverage a new statewide program to put a significant dent in that housing challenge.
'Seriously Delinquent' Mortgages Explode, But Don't Expect a Great Recession-Style Meltdown
More and more homeowners are falling behind on mortgage payments as the pandemic lingers, according to recent market data.
San Francisco Bans Natural Gas Use in New Development
San Francisco becomes the 40th city statewide to legislate a ban on natural gas in development projects.
Where Los Angeles Most Needs Trees
Google has unveiled a new tool called Tree Canopy Lab in an effort to keep cities like Los Angeles cool by helping them to know where to plant more trees.
Southern California Officials Slow to Accept Complete Streets
Proposed changes to the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority's highway program would allow local governments the flexibility to implement complete street elements with new projects. The proposition has been a surprisingly tough sell.
Las Vegas High-Speed Rail on Hold
A plan to build a high-speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas is on hold after the developer came up short on fundraising. Affordable housing projects in California stand to benefit from the newly available state bond funding.
The Legacy of Chicano Urbanism in East Los Angeles
Fifty years after the Chicano Moratorium, James Rojas reflects on the future of Latino Urbanism.
More Parks and Trees Can Increase Life Expectancy
New research shows that increasing park acreage in areas that face park deficits and low levels of tree canopy could lead to significant population-level increases in life expectancy.
State Audit Faults California's Affordable Housing Development Processes
The California State Auditor's office is proposing an overhaul of the state's approach to affordable housing development, citing the cost burdens of the housing market as proof of the necessity for change.
Judge Tosses Area Planning Commission Decision on Controversial South L.A. Project
The California Housing Accountability Act, approved by the State Legislature in 2017, is cited in a court ruling that soundly rebuffs the decision by the South Los Angeles Area Planning Commission to veto a controversial project.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
