California

Rendering of station for California High-Speed Rail train

Starpower Hired to Design California High-Speed Rail Station

The planning, engineering, and design team will develop the first four Central Valley stations on the train line.

April 5, 2023 - Foster + Partners

Playground with yellow shade sails and blue equipment in Los Angeles, California

Community Building Through Park Activation

Los Angeles County's popular and award-winning Parks After Dark program returns for the spring, providing opportunities for residents to come together in safe and welcoming spaces where they can access quality programming and a variety of services.

April 4, 2023 - KTLA5

Oil well pump jack sillhouetted against a colorful sunset sky in California's San Joaquin Valley

Holding Oil Companies Accountable for California's High Fuel Prices

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a first-in-the-nation bill that would penalize California's oil refineries for excessive profits. Will it lower the state's highest-in-the-nation fuel prices?

April 4, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Affordable Housing

Lessons in Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

With HUD seeking comments on a revamped version of the Affirmatively Furthering fair Housing Rule, now is a good time to seek lessons from the one state to attempt to implement the federal rule at the state level.

April 4, 2023 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Concept rendering of white electric big rig truck plugged into charging station

Half of California Trucks to Be Electric by 2035

The state wants to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles across the board, but concerns linger about the technology’s road readiness.

April 3, 2023 - The New York Times

A row of Victorian homes in San Francisco, California

San Francisco Rents Cheaper Now Than in 2020

Though ‘cheap’ is a relative term.

March 30, 2023 - San Francisco Examiner

South of Market

11,000 Housing Units Possible with S.F. Office Conversions, Study Says

A new study by SPUR and the Urban Land Institute’s San Francisco chapter estimates a specific number of apartment units that could be built from vacant office units in the city.

March 29, 2023 - The San Francisco Chronicle

California

California Attorney General Wants to Get Serious About Housing

A bill sponsored by the AG’s office would give the state’s top attorney more power to intervene in lawsuits related to the state’s housing laws.

March 29, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of desalination plant in Carlsbad, California

Federal Loan to Support San Diego Desalination Plant Overhaul

The financing will go toward funding an updated cooling system and ensuring the protection of local marine life.

March 28, 2023 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Aerial view at dusk of UC Berkeley campus with tall tower in foreground and San Francisco Bay in the background

Opinion: How California’s Environmental Law Empowers NIMBYs

Critics of a new provision calling “social noise” an environmental impact say the law can too easily be co-opted by anti-housing groups to block new development.

March 27, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

A group of wetsuit-clad swimmers gathers to talk in shallow water near the shore of the San Francisco Bay.

Proposed Pool Would Make an Olympic-Sized Play Area in the San Francisco Bay

The San Francisco Bay is usually an undesirable place to swim, except for a hearty few. A development proposal seeking assistance at the state level would add a pool to the Bay’s waters to make the idea of going for a swim more appealing.

March 24, 2023 - The Mercury News

A Metro Los Angeles bus driver is behind the wheel while wearing a mask.

Confronting the Crisis on Public Transit

Problems, old and new, are threatening what remains of our public spaces. How we respond right now could be make or break for public transit.

March 23, 2023 - Angie Schmitt

A light rail train waits at the Downtown Long Beach station with a sign that reads “Long Beach” to declare its route to riders.

Long Beach Residents Oppose Proposed Homeless Services Hub Near Rail Terminus

L.A. Metro’s “end-of-the-line” policy forces people experiencing homeless off transit every night at the same time and location. A proposed hub would provide services a few stops before the end of the line in Long Beach.

March 22, 2023 - Long Beach Post

A toll payment facility in Florida.

Tolling All Lanes

Bay Area transportation planners are studying a radical idea to reduce traffic congestion and fund driving alternatives: tolling all lanes on a freeway. Even more radical, the plan considers tolling parallel roads.

March 21, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Chandler Tiny Home Village in North Hollywood, California

California Pledges to Provide 1,200 ‘Tiny Homes’ for Unhoused Residents

Critics of the plan say the effort is a drop in the bucket in a state where tens of thousands of people experience homelessness every night.

March 21, 2023 - Cap Radio

A broad valley with two tall peaks in the background. In the foregound, but far below the view from the hill where the photo was taken, large freeways are visible.

Infamous 315-Unit Lafayette Housing Development Finally Approved

In a dramatic sign of how far zoning reform has come in the state of California, CEQA wasn’t enough to stop a 315-unit apartment development first proposed 12 years ago in the city of Lafayette.

March 17, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Dirt walking trail with blue ocean on one side and green hillside on the other in Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan

The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.

March 16, 2023 - Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

High-Rise Development

San Francisco Nonprofit Accused of Neglecting Tenants, Misusing Funds

A major housing organization with city contracts is neglecting poor housing conditions in its buildings while amassing lobbying power and political influence.

March 16, 2023 - The San Francisco Standard

San Francisco, California

Backlash to San Francisco Development Spotlights City’s Conflicting Priorities

Residents of the Bayview neighborhood say they support new housing, but object to a proposed building that would replace one of the area’s only green spaces.

March 15, 2023 - San Francisco Examiner

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

Proposed Bill Would Strengthen California’s Renter Protections

The bill would improve on the 2019 Tenant Protection Act by further limiting rent increases and adding more eviction protections for California renters.

March 15, 2023 - KTLA

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.