California
The Perilous Future of Bay Area Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit, a hugely successful system pre-pandemic, is now struggling to close a massive projected budget gap, with no certain solutions on the table.
Inspirational Leadership: Interview with Los Angeles County Parks Director
In a recent interview with the National Recreation and Park Association, L.A. County Parks Director Norma Edith García-Gonzalez shared about her career and the equity-focused work being carried out by the L.A. County Parks Department.
Pandemic-Era Economic Growth in Metropolitan Areas
The world has gone through three turbulent years of Covid-19. The Brookings Institution continues its analysis of inclusive economic growth in 192 metropolitan areas in the U.S. during this period with the publication of Metro Monitor 2023.
Delays in Power Hookups Force New Buildings To Sit Empty
Hundreds of residential and commercial buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area are vacant, waiting for electric connections from PG&E.
Advancing Equity Through Conservation and Restoration
Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) makes the case that to be equitable, 30x30 efforts must include both conservation of additional natural lands and restoration of degraded lands.
Election 2024: Red vs. Blue States
In a speech on Sunday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, likely Republican presidential contender Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said that the pandemic was “a great test in governing philosophies."
Study: L.A.’s Wealthier Residents ‘Export’ Air Pollution to Poorer Neighborhoods
Residents of Los Angeles who drive less are exposed to higher rates of air pollution due to policies that have encouraged commuting through low-income neighborhoods.
Low Pay, High Housing Costs: Not a Good Equation for Teachers
The rising cost of housing, along with the pandemic, has transformed the lack of housing affordable to teachers in expensive parts of California from bad to worse. Solutions so far only address half the problem or don’t go far enough.
The Importance of Multi-Benefit Projects for Stormwater Capture and Recreation
Los Angeles County just broke ground on a $41 million stormwater capture project at Adventure Park in Whittier.
Reimagining Conservation to Prioritize Vulnerable Communities
Learn more about Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) which focuses on environmental conservation and restoration, regional recreation, and rural recreation.
Austin Scores Highest on Pandemic Recovery; Bay Area and Baltimore Lowest
The Bay Area Council and CBRE created an economic tracker to measure how well the nation's 25 largest metropolitan areas have recovered from the public health restrictions imposed on their regions at the onset of the pandemic.
Los Angeles County Looks to Mandate Seismic Retrofits
A common building type is a major contributor to earthquake fatalities, prompting the Board of Supervisors to consider requiring safety upgrades on older buildings.
Orange County Developers Eye Dying Malls for Housing, Mixed-Use
As indoor malls lose their luster, their properties offer convenient amenities and infrastructure perfectly suited for redevelopment into housing, parks, and retail.
Study: One-Quarter of L.A. County Bus Stops Equipped With Shelters
Bus riders in Los Angeles frequently lack protection from sun and extreme heat, with bus stops in some of the county’s hottest areas having the worst amenities.
Huntington Beach Mounts Legal Challenge to State-Mandated Density
The Orange County beachfront community has had enough of the California State Legislature’s preemption of local zoning laws.
Palo Alto E-Bike Ban Faces Local Backlash
Local cyclists are resisting a plan to prohibit e-bikes in all of the city’s open space preserves.
San Diego Expands Transit Oriented Zoning From a Half-Mile to a Mile
A recent package of code changes by the city of San Diego will make it possible to build high-rise residential buildings and accessory dwelling units in larger areas around public transit.
Lawsuits Follow Housing Plan Failures in the San Francisco Bay Area
The Regional Housing Needs Assessment drama continues in California.
Financial Dire Straights for L.A.’s Skid Row Housing Trust
Terrible news about the financial situation at one of L.A.’s most prominent homeless service providers broke earlier this month.
Extreme Heat Responsible for Growing Death Rates Among Unhoused People
Extreme heat events like the ‘heat dome’ that baked Southern California last summer kill a disproportionate number of people experiencing homelessness, who have fewer resources to protect themselves from the scorching sun.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
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
