California

White and red Cruise autonomous car on San Francisco street with concrete Brutalist-style building in background on grey, rainy day.

California Grounds Cruise Autonomous Fleet

In the wake of serious pedestrian injuries and a federal investigation, state agencies have barred the driverless taxi company from continuing to operate.

October 25, 2023 - CALmatters

Apartment buildings in San Diego, California

San Diego Housing Programs Awarded $4.8 Million

The new funding will support city projects aimed at streamlining the process for building affordable housing and transit-oriented development.

October 23, 2023 - NBC San Diego

View of Los Angeles skyline on sunny day with palm trees in foreground

Youth Employment Program Earns Top L.A. County Award

The highly impactful Youth At Work program offers youth paid opportunities to develop skills in customer service, leadership, mentoring, and community engagement while helping with various programs and projects at Los Angeles County parks.

October 23, 2023 - Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission

Puente Hills Landfill as seen from the air

Creating a New Regional Park by Restoring Degraded Lands

Los Angeles County is transforming 142 acres of the Puente Hills Landfill into parkland, creating the first new regional park in the county in over 35 years. The recently released concept plan and renderings show what the park will look like.

October 23, 2023 - Puente Hills Landfill Park

Multicolored tiny homes for temporary shelter in complex adjacent to freeway overpass in Los Angeles, California.

Tiny Homes are a First—but not Last—Step in Ending Homelessness

Cities are trying to stretch affordable housing funds to meet the demand for both short- and long-term housing.

October 22, 2023 - CALmatters

View of Santa Barbara, California street with neo-Spanish colonial architecture and wooden outdoor dining deck with tables and red umbrellas.

Santa Barbara Renews Parklet Program

The city updated its pandemic-era on-street dining program with new regulations that limit the locations and design of parklets.

October 20, 2023 - edhat

Canada geese and ducks on the shore of a lake with red brick boathouse in background across the lake in Lincoln Park, Los Angeles.

Study: How Urban Redlining Impacts Bird Populations

A legacy of historic housing discrimination and disinvestment is having lasting effects on more than just human lives in cities.

October 19, 2023 - Phys.org

White and red Cruise self-driving vehicle on a San Francisco street.

Feds To Investigate Autonomous Car Crashes

The NHTSA has opened an investigation into Cruise self-driving cars after four separate incidents that injured pedestrians in San Francisco.

October 19, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Modernist light brown cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Diocese Says ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’

A new California state bill lets churches and other faith-based institutions bypass environmental reviews for proposed affordable housing on their properties.

October 18, 2023 - Episcopal News Service

California state capitol building dome with U.S., California, and POW/MIA flags on flagpole

Election 2024: California Voters to Decide on $6 Billion Homelessness Bond

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two ‘behavioral health’ bills that put Proposition 1 on the March 2024 ballot, targeting the housing, mental health, and substance use treatment needs of homeless residents living in encampments. Opposition has arisen.

October 18, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

Blurred lights of traffic in motion on San Francisco street with high-rise buildings and Bay Bridge visible in background at night.

Six California Cities Cleared for Speed Cameras

The state approved automated traffic enforcement for a five-year pilot program.

October 18, 2023 - Streetsblog San Francisco

A group of socially distanced tents for the homeless are set up on a parking lot in San Francisco's Civic Center.

San Francisco Aims to Speed up Supportive Housing Placement

The city wants to expedite the process for getting people into available housing units.

October 17, 2023 - Oakland Post

Row of offshore wind turbines in large water body against sunrise or sunset sky.

Offshore Wind Growing Fast in California

The rush to secure coastal leases for wind energy production is causing some critics to call for stronger scrutiny from regulatory agencies.

October 16, 2023 - CALmatters

Group of four children with backpacks and helmets riding and walking their bikes.

Study: School Biking Programs Can Boost Student Health

A survey of middle school students who participated in in-school cycling programs showed a potential correlation to improved mental health.

October 16, 2023 - Loma Linda University Health

Father and son riding bikes on a sidewalk next to a road withough bike lane on California coast with palm trees in background at golden hour.

California Governor Vetoes Sidewalk Cycling Bill

The law would have allowed people to bike on sidewalks on roadways that lack safe bikeways.

October 15, 2023 - CalBike

110-10 Interchange

L.A. Times: California Must Shift Transportation Spending Priorities

Despite its ambitious emissions reduction goals, California continues to spend a majority of transportation funds on car-centric infrastructure.

October 12, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

View of Los Angeles skyline on sunny day with palm trees in foreground

Report: New Housing Permits in Los Angeles Decline in 2023

Compared to last year, the city has approved 5.3 percent fewer residential units.

October 12, 2023 - Hilgard Analytics

Wooden boardwalk through yellowed grass field with tall granite cliffs and waterfall in background in Yosemite National Park, California.

New Law Makes California's 30x30 Goal Official

Governor Newsom just signed SB 337, codifying the state's goal to conserve at least 30 percent of California's lands and coastal waters by the year 2030.

October 10, 2023 - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

Blue and silver Pacific Surfliner train at platform in San Diego, California.

Amtrak Introduces ‘Renewable Diesel’ on Pacific Surfliner

The California train will begin using fuel made from used cooking oil and other non-fossil fuel sources.

October 9, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Silver and white Metrolink commuter train passing through Newhall Pass with desert mountains in background in Antelope Valley, California.

Train Service Expands to Northern Los Angeles County

The added Metrolink service will improve the public transportation system’s accessibility and availability for riders across the Antelope, Santa Clarita, and San Fernando valleys.

October 9, 2023 - Antelope Valley Press

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.