San Francisco

Plenty Green But Too Tall?

In what may prove a decisive test to see the political limits of what green building offers developers, a LEED Platinum, 10-story office building is proposed along San Francisco's tightly regulated waterfront - exceeding the height limit by 40 feet.

November 10, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

SF Affordable Housing Measure Defeated

Measure B would have allotted $30 million to lower-income residents who currently can't afford to live in San Francisco.

November 6, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

'Decentralized Urban Farming' Takes Root in San Francisco

By planting in under-utilized backyards, farmer Trevor Paque has brought small-scale farming to more than 50 homes across San Francisco -- a decentralized farm expected to feed more than 150 families come spring.

November 4, 2008 - USA Today

How to Make San Francisco More Sustainable

As part of its series on creating a sustainable future, the San Francisco Bay Guardian has outlined a list of steps for improving land use in the city, and argues that current plans from the mayor won't be enough.

October 25, 2008 - The San Francisco Bay Guardian

Improvements to SF's Public Transit System in the Works

San Francisco's Municipal Railway transit system will see incremental but major changes in the next five years.

October 23, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Affordable Housing That Improves the Neighborhood

Critic John King says three new housing projects in San Francisco go beyond the goal of shelter, creating fun, attractive environments.

October 22, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

Noise Pollution in San Francisco is A Health Risk, Study Shows

A new study shows that noise pollution on the streets of San Francisco is putting nearly one in six residents at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and other stress-related illnesses.

October 10, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Familiar Name Tops List of Most Sustainable Cities

Portland, Oregon, has again been named the most sustainable city in the U.S. in a recent ranking.

September 23, 2008 - Christian Science Monitor

Supermarket Sweep

Large supermarkets in San Francisco are being replaced with higher-end specialty grocers, and some say it's a bad thing for many customers.

September 22, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

The 250 Sq. Ft. Condo

Technically these are SROs- Single Room Occupancy units, but it's a spanking new building, cafe below, in the vibrant SoMa district, starting at only $279,000. The catch: some units are only 250 sq.ft.

August 25, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Fighting Bike Lanes and Emissions in San Francisco

One vocal San Francisco man has halted progress on the city's expansive bicycle master plan, claiming that the more space allotted to bicycles, the more traffic congestion -- and greenhouse gas emissions -- there will be.

August 22, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal

The Spread of Ciclovia

Temporary street closures for pedestrian use -- an idea that spawned in Bogota, Colombia -- are occurring in cities all over the world. The trend is expected to continue.

August 18, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

Broad Green Building Law Passed in San Francisco

San Francisco has passed some of the strictest green building requirements in the nation, for new construction and renovations.

August 6, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Public Transit Benefits Mandate Proposed For San Francisco Employers

San Francisco's latest attempt to mandate employers to provide benefits to their workers is to provide economic incentives to use public transit or vanpools. However, unlike prior mandates, e.g. health care, the business sector appears OK with it.

August 2, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

S.F. Looks To Kick Cars Off Market Street

Officials in San Francisco have proposed permanently banning cars from a 2.3 mile section of Market Street, downtown's major thoroughfare.

July 24, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Most Walkable City: San Francisco

San Francisco has been named the most walkable American city by the walkability website WalkScore.

July 18, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Bike Buddies Turn Commute Into Workout

T.J. Kelly was finding it difficult to squeeze in exercise, and looking at his rising commute costs. A new co-worker helped him turn his commute into a workout.

July 2, 2008 - Wall St. Journal

New San Francisco Parks Key to Neighborhood Vibrancy

Two new parks in San Francisco show how great neighborhoods are defined by their public spaces, according to this article from the San Francisco Chronicle.

June 25, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

The Flight Back from the Burbs

Bay Area tech companies are increasingly opening offices in downtown San Francisco, a significant change from the development pattern of the last ten years.

June 19, 2008 - BusinessWeek

Want to Renovate Your San Francisco Home? Good Luck.

San Francisco city planners take a hard line on renovating the city's stock of historic homes. Homeowners, architects, and even preservationists are saying the department has gone too far.

May 27, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

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.