California
With Regulations Loosened, Granny Flat Construction Soars in California
Less restrictive permit laws and pre-fabricated, pre-approved building options are spurring more homeowners to build backyard additions.
How COVID-19 Impacted Mobility in California
Analysis of cell phone location tracking data shows changes in how Californians have moved around since the pandemic.
L.A. Mall Purchase Would Be the Biggest Victory Yet for Community-Driven Development
The Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Plaza mall is 41 acres of prime commercial real estate in the nation’s second largest city. When the mall came up for sale last year, a group of residents decided to shoot for the moon and started organizing to buy it.
Minnesota and California Take Steps to Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled
The two states both approved measures that will set VMT reduction goals and create enforcement mechanisms to promote more climate-friendly policies.
Controversial BRT Plans Revised in Los Angeles
The proposed changes to plans for a bus rapid transit route on Colorado Boulevard are an attempt to compromise between competing community concerns.
The Benefits of Covering Canals With Solar Panels
Research claims that installing solar panels over California's extensive canals could greatly expand the state's renewable energy production and reduce evaporation.
L.A.'s Historic CBS Campus Will Undergo Billion-Dollar Expansion
The Television City revamp will more than double the currently available space and include a multi-modal mobility hub, pedestrian improvements, and a "robust" transportation demand management program.
Hiking For All: Making the Great Outdoors More Welcoming
Not everyone feels comfortable going for a hike. Various groups are working to break down barriers so that more people can experience the joys and benefits of being in nature.
One Berkeley Resident's Fight to Desegregate the City
Dorothy Walker has spent decades working to eliminate housing discrimination. In February, the city council finally agreed.
Los Angeles Passes New Rent Relief Package
The city will offer a new round of rental assistance to eligible families who owe back rent.
3D-Printed Neighborhood Coming to the California Desert
The developer of the 15-home community claims they will produce homes with a tenth of the waste of traditional construction in record time.
Understanding Regional and Rural Park and Recreation Needs
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is doing a study to inventory and analyze the need for facilities like beaches, natural areas, open space, regional parks, trails, and local parks in rural areas.
California's 'Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure'
The newly released Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure shifts the state's transportation priorities to focus on clean energy and livability.
California Assembly Continues to Debate High-Speed Rail
With a train-friendly administration in Washington, supporters of the project hope that state leaders will make a stronger commitment to funding the full project.
Opinion: California Should Pass Aggressive Housing Reform
While some lawmakers oppose recent efforts to reform housing policies, others argue the state's affordability crisis calls for bold action.
Feds to the Rescue, but the Peril Remains: Preventing the Next Fiscal Apocalypse
Former Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole talks about the implications of the fiscal reset on city budget, policy, and service priorities going forward.
Oakland Wants to Make Space for Fourplexes
The city of Oakland in the East Bay Area is a hotbed of planning and development issues, most notably gentrification and the displacement of communities of color. Now the city is considering a drastic change to its zoning code.
Exporting California's Housing Challenges? Correcting the Record on Out-Migration
Michael Storper and Patrick Condon opine on what California's population demographics really reveal about housing, density, economic development, jobs, and affordability.
Supermarkets Closing in Response to 'Hero Pay' Requirements in Southern California
The cities of Long Beach and Los Angeles are dealing with the fallout from controversial decisions to require extra compensation for grocery store workers during the pandemic.
Opinion: High-Rises Won't Sink San Francisco
The weight of large buildings may not be a major threat to coastal cities, despite recent claims.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
