Mayor Eric Garcetti
From Architecture Critic to 'Chief Design Officer'
Christopher Hawthorne, the Los Angeles Time architecture critic whose broad role at the paper included much needed focus on streets and the public realm, has announced that he will be joining the staff at City Hall.
L.A.'s Mayor Garcetti Sides With Single-Family Housing Near Transit
Politicians are taking positions on a controversial California housing bill to densify by transit. Even after amendments were accepted on March 1 in response to concerns about displacement and demolitions, the mayor of Los Angeles remains opposed.
Praise for the Trump Infrastructure Plan
While there has been no lack of criticism (some might say condemnation) of the $200 billion investment that aims to generate an additional $1.3 trillion, some individuals and groups have stepped forward to praise the plan, or at least parts of it.
Temporary Trailers Will House Homeless in Downtown L.A.
If approved, a City Council motion would mark a shift in how Los Angeles deals with a rising number of homeless residents.
Los Angeles Adopts 'Linkage Fee' for Affordable Housing Funding
Los Angeles is the latest city to adopt a "linkage fee" that charges new development to generate funding for affordable housing, joining cities like Seattle, Chicago, and San Jose.
The High Cost of Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging
There's nothing like the convenience of charging one's electric vehicle at home, assuming you have a garage, driveway, or your apartment building has a charger. California cities and utilities are working to increase EV infrastructure on all fronts.
Editorial: Ambitious Plans Don't Work Without Political Leadership
The Los Angeles Times critiques the political culture in Los Angeles. In this case, it's the failure of a road diet project that provoked the criticism, but these lessons apply to the city's bicycle plans and homeless housing plans, too.
Worldwide Response to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics: Skepticism
More than one media outlet praised Los Angeles' optimism for cutting a deal with the International Olympics Committee to host the 2028 Olympics.
L.A. Now Has Real Money for Homelessness but No Real Plan
L.A. has a new bond issue and a new sales tax for homelessness. But Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council actions to alleviate homelessness have been tepid and slow. Affordable housing developer and Michael Russell has some suggestions.
Transit Agencies Move Toward Electric Buses
Transit agencies from Washington to Florida are beginning to make the switch from diesel and natural gas-powered buses to battery electric buses, some faster than others.
Debating Los Angeles' Proposed Affordable Housing Development Fee
A proposed affordable housing development fee has inspired a debate about how far developments fees can go in generating funds for affordable housing before they finally stop development altogether.
Los Angeles' Neighborhood Integrity Initiative Presents Demands to City Leaders
Last week, leaders of the initiative to curb development in L.A. surprisingly presented Mayor Eric Garcetti with an ultimatum: Agree to their list of demands by August 24, or they will take the issue to the March 2017 ballot.
A New 25-Year Plan for Los Angeles' Water Supply
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has adopted a new 25-year plan that aims to drastically reduce the amount of imported water the city relies on in a given year.
What L.A.'s New Expo Line Extension Won't Do
The $1.5 billion, 6.6-mile light rail extension from Culver City to Santa Monica is projected to double trips on the line by 2030, giving commuters a viable alternative to driving. Just the same, don't expect the extension to reduce congestion.
Los Angeles Looking for New Planners, New Community Plans
Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced his commitment to the planning process in Los Angeles by proposing a program that would hire new planners and launch new planning efforts at the community level.
How High is Too High for Transportation Sales Taxes?
Sales taxes are regressive, but unlike the gas tax, they bear no relationship to transportation. Should a November transportation ballot measure pass, sales taxes in three cities in the county of Los Angeles would exceed 10 percent.
NIMBYs at Center of California's Housing Shortage
Sacramento Bee's political columnist, Dan Walters, writes that NIMBYs are among the main reasons for the state's chronic housing crisis, and one of their main tools is the California Environmental Quality Act, which must be reformed by politicians.
Change of Leadership for Los Angeles' Planning Department
Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated Vince Bertoni to lead the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Bertoni is currently the planning director of the city of Pasadena.
Los Angeles Declares Shelter Crisis Ahead of El Niño
Facing winter storms and flooding, the city of Los Angeles is opening public buildings as temporary shelters for the homeless. Mayor Garcetti also has the option of declaring a state of emergency around the 26,000 people without housing.
National Attention for the Bold Plan to Reshape Transportation in the City of Angels
Mobility Plan 2035, a visionary plan to get Angelenos out of their cars, attracted the attention of The New York Times. The plan calls for using road diets and transit-only lanes to replace auto trips with bike and bus trips, but many are skeptical.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
