Los Angeles

Why the Space Shuttle Feels Right at Home Along L.A.'s Grand Boulevards

It wasn't Angelenos' supposed love of the artificial and exaggerated that brought crowds of people to the city's streets to see Endeavour's slow crawl across town, but an appreciation for authentic spectacle and the pleasures of public space.

October 16, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

LA Densification Must Offer Suburban-like Amenities

Joe Edmiston, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, embraces the suburban, private yard-quality to Los Angeles living in an interview with The Planning Report, emphasizing the need to balance densification with open space.

October 14, 2012 - The Planning Report

New Small Lot Housing Development in L.A. Asks: 'How Dense Can You Go?'

An enterprising developer and experimental architect are pushing the boundaries between L.A.'s suburban style of single-family housing and its need for dense infill development on a site in the city's Echo Park neighborhood.

October 10, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

New Report Taps TOD to Provide L.A.'s Workforce Housing

UCLA's Paul Habibi believes that L.A.'s lack of affordable workforce housing, the "donut hole" between subsidized housing and high-end housing preferred by developers, is harming the city's competitiveness. In a new report he outlines a solution.

October 5, 2012 - KPCC

The Epitome of Community Within a Los Angeles Housing Complex

Park La Brea, the nation's largest housing complex west of the Mississippi, like much of Los Angeles, has changed dramatically over the decades. Yet, an overwhelming sense of community and identity has endured.

October 5, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Is Franklin Roosevelt Responsible for Suburban Sprawl?

Jeremy Rosenberg continues his fascinating series on the laws that shaped Los Angeles with a look at the local, and national, impact of the 1934 National Housing Act on residential development patterns.

October 4, 2012 - KCET Departures

ARTmageddon Reveals a Changing Los Angeles

Warnings over the traffic nightmare that could result from the closure of the 405 freeway last weekend in L.A. prompted a city-wide celebration of the local, artistic, and walkable treasures of the city.

October 3, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Freeway Construction Was the Real Carmageddon for L.A.'s Communities

After a weekend in which Los Angeles successfully navigated the closure of one of its most clogged freeways once again, we look back at the disastrous effect that freeway construction had on L.A.'s communities during the middle of the last century.

October 1, 2012 - KCET Departures

As L.A. Stadium Mega-Project Goes for Final Approval, Architects Slam Design

As L.A.'s massive downtown stadium and convention center project hurtles towards final approval, the questions regarding its design and feasibility grow to a roar.

September 28, 2012 - Daily News

Los Angeles Considers How to Close its 'Missing Link'

Long Beach's Press Telegram explores the options for completing a 4.5-mile stretch of the Long Beach (710) Freeway connecting Alhambra to Pasadena, a controversy that's been brewing for five decades.

September 27, 2012 - Press-Telegram

Reviews Are in for L.A.'s First Bike-Friendly Street

At under a mile, L.A.'s first official "bike-friendly street" isn't going to transform the commuting habits of many Angelenos. Nevertheless, as an example of the city's new attitude to bicycling, recent improvements to Yucca Street are worth noting.

September 24, 2012 - LA Weekly

Is International Immigration the Solution for Declining Cities?

With researching suggesting international immigration can kick-start local economies, cities across America are contemplating efforts at attracting, and retaining, immigrants. But are immigrants the silver bullet to revive declining cities?

September 24, 2012 - Bloomberg

Will a New Rail Line Hurt or Help Crenshaw Boulevard?

In the latest entry in his "Boulevards" series, Christopher Hawthorne reports on the planned light rail line along Crenshaw Blvd in Los Angeles, and how it has caused a rift for some residents who are feeling left out of the revitalization process.

September 22, 2012 - The Los Angeles Times

Should Citizens Be Enlisted to Document L.A.'s Sidewalk Shortcomings

Following up on a recent LA Times editorial arguing for a "citizens sidewalk brigade" to document the state of every one of the city's sidewalks, rather than a proposed $10 million three-year survey, columnist Steve Lopez registers his approval.

September 18, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

New L.A. Bridge Designs Reflect a City Intent on Serving People, Not Just Cars

Sam Lubell reports on the proposed designs for a new Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, which incorporate Angelenos' hopes for a more walkable and park-friendly future.

September 18, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

LA: An "Ideal Transit City"?

Matthew Yglesias reports on how Los Angeles is embracing its natural advantages to become an "ideal transit city," matching its transit investments with improvements to the built environment.

September 17, 2012 - Slate.com

Is L.A. TOD Purposely Pushing out Low-Income Residents and Local Businesses?

A protest last week through downtown Los Angeles was meant to raise awareness of local activists' concerns that Los Angeles County Metro is displacing working class people and small businesses as it develops land adjacent to its stations.

September 17, 2012 - KPCC

Can Urban Waterways Become the Next Great Public Spaces?

Cities across America have been revitalizing their waterfronts for decades with new parks and development replacing heavy industry. But, a new breed of advocates is going one step further, and pushing for a time when people can just jump right in.

September 17, 2012 - Salon

Mitigation or Extortion? Getting the Most out of a Deal for LA's New Football Stadium

As the L.A. City Council prepares to consider final approval for a proposed downtown football stadium and renovated convention center, Jim Newton ponders to what extent community groups will be able to leverage the fast-tracked approvals process.

September 12, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Strengthening Recovery Has Downtown LA Booming Again

While the housing crash may have temporarily halted the dramatic growth in downtown LA's residential sector, new retail and restaurant openings continued. Now, as the housing market recovers, developers are clawing to get back to building residences.

September 12, 2012 - Los Angeles Downtown 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.

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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.