The Warner Center 2035 Plan was designed to bring growth to Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley. If the opening of a $350-million Westfield Village in September is any indication, it’s succeeding.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who ushered the plan to adoption in 2013, sees his role in this growth as that of a "closer"—working at the city and state levels to create opportunities for development, and then "getting out of the way."
"The biggest city financial tool is subvention," he explains. His own political work concerning subvention moved Westfield’s opening date up by 10 years. Also useful has been the Local Development Corporation (LDC), a fund of mobility fees paid by new developments. Blumenfield is working on a framework for an entity to expend the funds, which are growing as development heats up in the area.
The Warner Center plan addresses a problem all too well known to planners and developers in Los Angeles:
"Previously, the area saw hodgepodge development—wherein everything came to the Council and needed a variance, and every issue was a fight. The plan creates a smoother path… It’s a plan that’s truly a plan."
It also shifts planning away from another quintessential Los Angeles issue: cars. The Valley is notorious for lacking public transportation options, so Blumenfield is working to get Metro to invest in transit capacity. That expectation is baked into the plan:
"The Warner Center 2035 Plan also relies on us thinking differently and not assuming that we have to drive everywhere. The plan envisions more pedestrian-friendly and more bike-friendly development. If you can live, work, and play in an area, you don’t have to get in your car every time."
Blumenfield’s experience with financing tools predates his tenure in the city council. As a state senator, he authored two bills aimed at reforming California Redevelopment Agencies. The full interview in The Planning Report explains how that effort ended with CRAs being eliminated altogether.
FULL STORY: Blumenfield Proud of Warner Center 2035's Blueprint for Growth

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland