The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is considering adopting an "Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone" policy to incentivize the development of urban gardens on empty lots (which actually do exist in San Francisco).
"Until now, the city has given few incentives to would-be urban garden developers. But a new proposal before the Board of Supervisors would create what’s called an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone for property owners willing to convert their empty lots to urban gardens," reports Mark Kelly.
"If the law is passed, participating property owners would see a significant cut in their property tax. To qualify, their gardens must be open and accessible to the public." The gardens must also remain as gardens for five years under the current proposal.
FULL STORY: San Francisco Supervisors Consider Tax Breaks To Seed Urban Garden Growth
SF Looks to Cultivate its Urban Gardens
Stephanie M. Lee reports on the complicated nature of creating an urban garden in San Francisco, and how the area's Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) hopes to streamline the process.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
San Francisco Slow Streets Bucks Citywide Trend, Reducing Injuries by 61 Percent
Low-cost interventions aimed at slowing traffic are making a major impact on road safety.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research