Bay Area
The New Regionalism of the Coronavirus Pandemic
In the absence of federal leadership in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, East Coast states and West Coast counties have collaborated to implement uniform containment strategies to arrest the spread of COVID-19, and it's catching on.
Bay Area Ordered to Shelter in Place
Six Bay Area counties have taken drastic action to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. "Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both."
Competing Funding Strategies Promoted for Bay Area Transit Mega-Measure
Two Bay Area transportation sales tax measures affecting three Bay Area counties performed poorly on Super Tuesday, but it hasn't deterred the groups backing a nine-county mega-measure. Progressive groups are proposing non-sales tax alternatives.
Tech Buses: Not Just for Techies, and Not Just for San Francisco
What began as Google buses, transporting highly paid engineers from San Francisco to Silicon Valley, has transformed into multi-company fleets serving white- and blue-collar workers in the 3,000-square-mile Northern California megaregion.
Are Charter Cities Subject to California's Housing Laws?
After a San Mateo County Superior Court judge ruled that charter cities are exempt from the Housing Accountability Act, aka the anti-NIMBY law, the state stepped in to support the appellant, a YIMBY group that launched a "Sue the Suburbs" campaign.
San Francisco Gets Lavish Urban Amenity—For Free
The new, privately financed Chase Center arena was designed with San Francisco's tech wealth in mind. It's a handsome addition to the Mission Bay neighborhood but pulls the Bay Area further away from its blue collar roots.
California Climate Program Offers Up to $9,500 Toward Purchase of Used EVs
Lawmakers want to ensure that electric vehicles are accessible to all Californians, particularly lower-income motorists in disadvantaged communities. Unlike other incentive programs, participants must also scrap an older, polluting vehicle.
Why Big Tech Billions Won't Dent California's Housing Crisis
New multibillion-dollar affordable housing commitments from leading tech firms may build out thousands of units, but that's nothing next to California's gargantuan housing shortage.
Homelessness Fuels a Backlash in California
The Golden State's ongoing homelessness crisis has residents on edge and is testing the limits of empathy in a state known for its liberal values.
Exurban Sprawl Picking Up Where the Great Recession Left Off
Despite the environmental effects of exurban sprawl, Northern California's housing shortage is being alleviated on the extreme edges of the San Francisco Bay Area.
City to Bicyclists: Berkeley Not in Idaho
Berkeley, California might have a reputation of a very progressive city, but when it comes to cycling, it appears to have little tolerance for cyclists who roll through stop signs. Police are justifying the crackdown on the terms of a state grant.
Counties Outside of Bay Area Eye Transportation Mega Measure in 2020
Northern San Joaquin Valley transit officials are eying a $100 billion Bay Area transportation measure to potentially fund a $1 billion rail tunnel for two commuter railroads to bring workers to the East Bay and Silicon Valley.
Appetite for ADUs Rises in San Jose
San Jose has issued a steadily-rising number of ADU permits in recent years. Now, Mayor Sam Liccardo has implemented measures to ease the process for homeowners who want to build granny flats.
Op-Ed: Only Half of San Francisco is Changing
Using a mid 20th-century painting as his point of reference, Benjamin Schneider points out that the vast, disruptive changes we often associate with San Francisco are only affecting the city's eastern side.
Gentrification and Race in the San Francisco Bay Area
A feature article revisits the gentrification and displacement discussion, especially as it pertains to racial and economic demographics, in one of the nation's most troubled and challenging housing markets.
$100 Billion Bay Area Transportation Tax Considered for November 2020 Ballot
Two years after voters in the nine-county Bay Area agreed to hike tolls on the region's seven state-owned bridges, regional business leaders are hoping they will approve a one-cent regional sales tax to fund $100 billion in transportation projects.
Bay Area Planners Acknowledge the Need for Regional Housing Solutions
While most Bay Area communities are pursuing housing solutions "individually," local planners acknowledge the need for strategies that address the regional as a unified whole.
Kaiser Permanente to Construct Highrise Headquarters in Oakland
Following Salesforce's lead, the healthcare giant will relocate to a high-rise urban headquarters, transitioning out of seven locations it currently occupies in the East Bay.
Spotlight On Bay Area Planners
At this week's American Planning Association National Conference in San Francisco, a roundtable of eight planning directors from the Bay Area discussed their cities unique situations and common challenges.
Bay Area Transportation Planners Breathing Easier After Court Ruling
A total of $4.5 billion in road and transit projects was at stake in a state taxpayer group's lawsuit against a regional ballot measure approved by voters in June 2018.
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
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
