Los Angeles
L.A.'s Top Transportation Official to Resign Following Staff Criticism
Jaime De La Vega, the General Manager of L.A.'s Department of Transportation announced his resignation yesterday effective Dec. 1st. During his two years on the job, the department shifted away from an auto-centric focus to embrace alternative modes.
“There It Is — Take It”: The Story of the Los Angeles Aqueduct
The controversial construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct provided grist for famous books and movies, and conflicts that continue to this day. In a multimedia feature, Louis Sahagun explores the history of the project that helped birth modern L.A.
L.A. Boulevard's Star Turn Has Neighbors Feeling Upstaged
As Abbot Kinney Boulevard becomes a mecca for the famous, the affluent, and international tourists, locals fear losing their place along "the Coolest Block in America".
L.A.'s Sprawling Valley Undertakes a Pedestrian-Friendly Retrofit
The San Fernando Valley is infamous for its seemingly endless expanse of flat, gridded single-family sprawl. But to accommodate growth and improve the quality of life, the Valley's distinct neighborhoods are looking to create a sense of place.
Specious Cost Estimates Could Scuttle L.A. Streetcar
Questions about specious cost estimates that were the basis of a ballot initiative to fund a new L.A. streetcar line were kept from voters, a Los Angeles Times investigation has revealed. The project may have to be delayed, shortened, or cancelled.
Bike Share Failures Have L.A. Looking for a Regional Solution
With expected launch dates repeatedly missed, and no progress in sight, L.A.'s plan to partner with upstart Bike Nation on developing a citywide bike share system has been a failure. Mayor Garcetti is starting over with a regional approach.
Garcetti Proposes "Chief Resilience Officer" to Tackle L.A.'s Earthquake Preparedness
Recent controversies have called into question whether Los Angeles officials have done all they can to prepare the city for its next big earthquake. Mayor Eric Garcetti is making earthquake preparedness a top priority.
The Gold Standard for Civic Data Delivery
Emily Badger is extremely impressed—and for good reason—with the City of Los Angeles' new neighborhood data portal, built in connection with the development a new health and wellness chapter for the city's General Plan.
L.A.'s New Mayor Halts Planning Department Merger
A controversial plan to merge L.A.'s Planning and Building and Safety Departments has been scuttled, for now. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who supported the merger as a councilman, announced it will not go forward in January as his predecessor had planned.
City Initiative Embraces Bottom-Up Placemaking in L.A.
The same week that the City of L.A. made a big splash with its "Great Streets Initiative", a new program that has the potential to have a sizable impact on city streets went less noticed. Damien Newton reports on the city's "People St" program.
Will Move to Encourage Density Stifle Downtown L.A. Redevelopment?
Out of concern that L.A.'s downtown properties are not being put to the highest and best use, the City Councilman representing the district has "quietly authored" a motion to incentivize density and place a moratorium on low-rise development.
Why Have L.A. Officials Ignored the Dangers of Concrete Buildings for 40 Years?
Across Los Angeles, more than a thousand concrete buildings built before the mid-1970s are at risk of collapse during an earthquake. With the area overdue for a substantial shaker, time is running out to identify at-risk structures and save lives.
A Hollywood Icon Becomes Overexposed
The Hollywood sign is a global icon and magnet for travelers to L.A., who seem unwilling to admire it from afar. For the residents of the neighborhoods underneath the historic sign, the hordes of tourists bring safety and quality of life concerns.
Great Streets Initiative is L.A. Mayor's First Executive Directive
In a keynote speech at the Urban Land Institute’s “Transit Oriented Los Angeles” conference, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the launch of a "Great Streets" program to coordinate work on, and investment in, "the City’s largest public space asset."
On Garcetti's 100th Day: Let There Be Metrics
On Eric Garcetti's 100th day in office, the new mayor of Los Angeles showed progress on his promise to increase accountability by launching a beta website to track City Hall performance in nine categories and for each city department.
Parking Lots to Become Pedestrian Paradise in Downtown L.A. Redevelopment
In what's being called "the largest downtown land acquisition since the recession", six acres of parking lots will be redeveloped as a $750-million mixed-use complex - continuing the astonishing transformation of L.A.'s South Park neighborhood.
Ten Years On, What Does Disney Concert Hall Say About Los Angeles?
As L.A.'s iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall celebrates its tenth anniversary, Sam Lubell ponders how its shimmering stainless steel skin reflects the city's approach to architecture and urban design.
Congratulations L.A., You Have the Worst Roads in the U.S.
A new study by TRIP, the Washington, D.C.-based transportation nonprofit, has concluded that drivers in the Los Angeles region ply the most deteriorated roads in the country, based on 2011 data from the Federal Highway Administration.
Upscale Makeover Threatens the Character of L.A.'s Beloved Public Market
L.A.'s historic Grand Central Market is undergoing an upscale makeover. Steve Lopez, an unabashed urban market fanatic, is concerned the changes threaten the market's role as discount center and bridge between affluent and working class Angelenos.
Car-Free Events Improve Cash Flow for L.A. Businesses
A new study by UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs has found that the city's popular CicLAvia open streets event has been a boon to local businesses: boosting sales 10% for businesses along the route and 57% for those participating.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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
