Los Angeles

Ready and Waiting: New Law Makes Light Rail Possible in the San Fernando Valley

In another example of Los Angeles slowly unraveling itself from prior legislation that hinder its transit goals, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that will allow light rail construction in the San Fernando Valley.

July 13, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Design Crit: LACMA's Proposal to Bridge Wilshire Boulevard Misreads Los Angeles

The proposed expansion of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art recently got a major revision—now instead of cantilevering over the La Brea Tar Pits, the building would bridge Wilshire Boulevard.

July 9, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Op-Ed: No Room for Subjectivity in Los Angeles Design Guidelines

Sam Lubell outlines the good and bad of recent small lot design guidelines approved by Los Angeles.

July 6, 2014 - The Architect's Newspaper

Proposed Rail Station to Provide Future Rail Connection to LAX

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to move forward with a station near LAX, proving they'd made more progress in the last 12 months than in the previous 25 years to bring transit rail to the airport.

June 30, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Proposed River Bed Bike Path Would Connect Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles

The Los Angeles City Council asked city engineers to explore an proposal that would close an 8.5-mile gap in a bike path that runs inside the Los Angeles River channel—connecting Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles.

June 28, 2014 - KCET

Is Los Angeles the Museum Capital of the United States?

Los Angeles County Planner Clement Lau continues his case for proclaiming the City of Angels as the museum capital of the United States.

June 23, 2014 - UrbDeZine

A Growing Body of Knowledge Examines Unauthorized Housing in Los Angeles

An academic look at unauthorized housing in the Los Angeles area: Interview of Jacob Wegmann by Los Angeles County Planner Jonathan Bell

June 21, 2014 - UrbDeZine

Mapping the Toxic Emissions of the Los Angeles Basin

Knowledge is power when it comes to environmental justice, and a group of students from UCLA has recently armed residents of Los Angeles with a mapping tool that tracks the amount of toxins emitted by local factories.

June 20, 2014 - KCET

Great Streets? How about Healthy, Safe Streets?

Advocates and citizens in Boyle Heights, a historic and predominantly Latino neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles, are hoping for more than economic development from the city's Great Streets initiative.

June 18, 2014 - KPCC

Banksy Sweeping

No Fix for Rundown Sidewalks and Streets in Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles has been searching for years for a fiscal solution to the deplorable conditions of its streets and sidewalks, but a recent proposal to increase sales taxes by a half-cent to 9.5 percent is now dead.

June 13, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

The Death of a Bridge in Los Angeles

The demolition of the Riverside-Figueroa Bridge spanning the Los Angeles River between Elysian Valley and Cypress Park has commenced. Advocates lament a lost opportunity for open space as well as the car-centric design of the replacement span.

June 12, 2014 - Curbed LA

Los Angeles Paying Hollywood Community Plan Opponents $1.5 Million

Picking up the pieces from Los Angeles' failed attempt at implementing a community plan for Hollywood now involves paying off the lawyers who shot down the ordinance to the tune of $1.5 million.

June 9, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Greenfield Multi-Family

Supply, Demand, and Affordable Housing

Bill Witte, president of Related California, one of the most active developers of residential and commercial properties on the West Coast, talks about real estate, affordable housing, and a squeezed middle class with The Planning Report.

June 8, 2014 - The Planning Report

How to Put More Kick in Urban Parks and Recreation Planning

Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau makes a case for increasing the number of fields and facilities dedicated to a sport that is growing in popularity – soccer.

June 3, 2014 - UrbDeZine

Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti Picks the First 15 'Great Streets'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced $800,000 in funding for 15 "Great Streets" to be located around the city.

June 3, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

The Impossibility of Updating Los Angeles’ Community Plans

Despite years of community engagement, political discussion, and planning, the city of Los Angeles has struggled to pass updated community plans, and in many neighborhoods, developments may suffer through years of litigation and bureaucracy.

May 30, 2014 - The Planning Report

Army Corps Recommends $1 Billion Overhaul of the Los Angeles River

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is slowly changing its approach to the Los Angeles River. The executive leadership of the Corps took a major step in a new direction yesterday, when it recommended a $1 billion plan to revitalize the river bed.

May 29, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Meet the Historic Oddities of the Los Angeles Zoning Code's Use List

With the city of Los Angeles amidst its first comprehensive overhaul of its Zoning Code since 1946, the Planning Department's outreach efforts include a new post explaining the regulated land uses of yesteryear.

May 28, 2014 - Re:Code LA

Los Angeles Smog

Developer Defeats Planning Expertise in Downtown Los Angeles

The Los Angeles City Council recently approved a pedestrian footbridge for a large development west of Downtown. The approval came suddenly and despite the protests of advocates, planning professionals, and the volunteer City Planning Commission.

May 25, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Metro Subway Los Angeles

$2.1 Billion in Federal Transit Funding for the 'Subway to the Sea' in Los Angeles

Los Angeles will receive its largest-ever federal grant, $1.25 billion, to help fund the Purple Line subway, aka the "Subway to the Sea." Also on its way is an $856 million loan from the TIFIA program.

May 22, 2014 - Los Angeles Daily News

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.