California
San Francisco ‘Best-Performing Metro’ for VMT, Traffic Reduction
The city saw a 13 percent drop in miles driven per capita in the last five years.
Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Restrict Oil and Gas Operations Near Communities
The signed legislation grants local communities more authority to restrict oil and gas operations near sensitive areas and address the environmental risks of idle wells, while also ensuring the permanent shutdown of low-production wells.
California Law Ends Road Widening Mandates
Housing developers will no longer be required to dedicate land to roadway widening, which could significantly reduce the cost of construction and support more housing units.
California Colleges Debate Letting Students Sleep in Cars
Long Beach City College offers a Safe Parking Program to enrolled students who need a safe place to spend the night. Other schools are skeptical.
Gov. Newsom Signs Housing Bills Aimed at ‘Original Sin’ of Affordability
A package of 32 bills could help make housing more available and affordable in California.
California Law Bars Parking Mandates Near Transit
Local governments are prohibited from requiring parking spaces at new developments where transit is readily available.
California Law Would Streamline Adaptive Reuse Process
A bill passed by the state senate would ease the permitting process for office conversions in central city neighborhoods.
San Francisco Scrambles to Build Shelters Faster
Mayor Breed directed city officials to double its shelter expansion goal.
SoCal City Defies State, Extending Homeless Shelter Ban
The Norwalk City Council voted to extend a ban on shelter facilities days after receiving a warning from state officials that the ban violates state housing laws.
Sacramento’s Traffic Safety Crisis Could Be Declared a Public Emergency
Street safety advocates are calling for a stronger declaration that would focus on road design and equity.
Judge Sides With Oil Companies Over LA Drilling Ban
The decision invalidates a law that would have eliminated oil drilling in the city over the next 20 years. A proposed state law could still let cities regulate extraction.
San Francisco Could Ban Overnight RV Parking
Advocates say the proposal would further destabilize the lives of people forced to live in their vehicles.
Historic LA Filming Complex Could Get $1B Makeover
A revised plan for a revamped ‘Television City’ in mid-city Los Angeles was endorsed by the City Planning Commission, but faces more hurdles before full City Council approval.
California Bill Clarifies ‘Builder’s Remedy’
New laws eliminate the murky, ‘free-for all’ approach to the policy, letting developers continue to build new housing projects under stricter guidelines.
Study Reveals Los Angeles a Hotspot for Insect Diversity
A study reveals that L.A. is a surprising hotspot for insect and spider biodiversity, with diversity driven more by proximity to mountains and stable temperatures than by land value.
New Exhibit Highlights the Urgent Need to Protect Joshua Trees
The Lancaster Museum exhibit “Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees” aims to raise awareness of the ecological importance of Joshua trees and the threats they face from climate change in the Mojave Desert.
The Essential Role of Parks in Advancing Sustainability
Parks are vital to sustainability, providing environmental, economic, and social benefits that improve public health, support biodiversity, and promote equity, as recognized in Los Angeles County’s OurCounty Plan.
Puente Hills Landfill Redevelopment Plan Wins Award for Transformative, Climate-Responsive Design
This project to transform a former landfill into a climate-resilient public space has won the 2024 Global Impact Award from ASLA and IFLA for its innovative, community-driven design that addresses environmental and social challenges.
California Cities Intensify Criminalization of Unhoused Residents
Following a key Supreme Court ruling, some cities are imposing more restrictive laws on outdoor sleeping and encampments.
Caltrain Introduces Electric Train Fleet
The Bay Area agency will switch to all electric trains by the end of September.
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.
Ada County Highway District
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
