Los Angeles

Port of L.A.'s Clean Trucks Plan Draws Private Sector Critique

Differences between the clean trucks programs at the ports of Long Beach and L.A. may bring months of litigation, derailing clean air efforts at the nation's largest port complex.

April 4, 2008 - The Planning Report

Los Angeles' Brawl With Sprawl

Officials in Los Angeles were successful in implementing high-density growth policies to curb sprawl. However, a disconnect between culture, transportation policy, and the real estate market may have disastrous consequences.

March 31, 2008 - The Economist

The Densest Cities in America

The blog post features a list of the top five densest cities in America, and looks at the conditions that have made them that way.

March 31, 2008 - Environmental Graffiti

Funding Bureaucracy Highlights L.A.'s Parks Deficit

The city of Los Angeles is currently sitting on more than $130 million dollars intended to build parks. But those funds are tied to council districts high in development, leaving districts with little development high and dry.

March 30, 2008 - LA Weekly

A Rerun In The Campaign For Mayor Of L.A.

Twenty years ago, Los Angeles voters chose Tom Bradley's "world city" vision over a slow-growth councilman's carping about overdevelopment. Voters may face the same choice - and one of the same candidates - in 2009.

March 28, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Review Halted for Major L.A. Housing Project

Review of a project that would have added more than 5,500 homes to the fringes of Los Angeles has been halted after a recent City Council vote. Many expect this to be the death knell for the project.

March 25, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Viewing L.A.'s Density Debate From the Passenger's Seat

A Los Angeles Times columnist hears about the Los Angeles density controversy and sees its implications during a recent drive around town with County Commissioner Zev Yaroslavsky.

March 23, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Introducing Smart Growth To An Edge City

A new master plan for Los Angeles's Century City attempts to undo some of the shortcomings that typically plague Modernist master-planned edge cities. Its goals include walkability, greening, and a more appealing public realm.

March 21, 2008 - Planning Magazine

Oh No, Not Another L.A.

Although Tucson has only about 6 percent of the population of metropolitan Los Angeles, residents of the Arizona city fear California-style sprawl and water problems. So where are Tucson residents looking for answers? That's right, California.

March 20, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Subprime Tent Cities

This video from the BBC looks at the ten cities that have sprung up outside of L.A. as a result of the subprime mortgage meltdown.

March 19, 2008 - BBC via YouTube

New Funding Resuscitates L.A.'s Grand Avenue Project

The highly anticipated mixed-use Grand Avenue project in downtown L.A. has just secured $100 million in funding. This new funding is expected to kickstart the project's construction, which has been delayed for months.

March 18, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Foraging for Food in the Urban Environment

This report from Weekend America talks with an urban food forager and looks at how to find food on the street in L.A.

March 15, 2008 - Weekend America

Wilshire Grows and Traffic Follows

A swath of residential developments are ushering in a more dense and more lively atmosphere into L.A.'s Wilshire corridor. But many are concerned that the new residences will add too much traffic to an already congested area.

March 11, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Similar Sister Cities

A look at the similarities between Los Angeles and Mexico City.

March 11, 2008 - LA Weekly

Sacramento Outsmarts San Francisco, L.A.

Residents of San Francisco and Los Angeles like to feel superior to supposedly unsophisticated Sacramento. Yet, Sacramento appears to be ahead of the hip coastal areas when it comes to actually implementing smart growth.

March 10, 2008 - California Planning & Development Repot

Guarding the Hollywood Sign

This report from NPR looks at the impending sale of land on the hillside above the infamous Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, and the local official who's trying to prevent it.

March 10, 2008 - NPR

L.A. Erasing Murals

Murals are under fire in Los Angeles, as city officials are painting over what they see as "illegal signs".

March 8, 2008 - Which Way, L.A.?

End of Downtown Construction Boom May Be Near

Two notable large-scale projects in downtown L.A. have not broken ground on time, which many see as a sign of the end of downtown's real estate boom.

March 1, 2008 - The Architect's Newspaper

Beneath the Surface of L.A.'s Densification

This article from the LA Weekly looks at efforts by the city planning department and key politicians to increase the density of the city.

February 29, 2008 - LA Weekly

Is L.A. Ready to Rethink Mobility?

Plans to convert major arteries to one-way streets in L.A. are meeting tough criticism. Many say the city needs to rethink what mobility should mean, but others say L.A. isn't ready for such a paradigm shift.

February 28, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

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.