California

A cable-stayed bridge designed spans the water of the Los Angeles River, which is placid and dotted with rocks.

A New Master Plan for the Los Angeles River

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to approved a new master plan for the L.A. River—the “Reimagined River.”

June 22, 2022 - Ethnic Media Services

View of Devil's Punchbowl rock formations

Envisioning a New Nature Center

Los Angeles County is seeking public input as part of the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area Nature Center replacement planning project.

June 21, 2022 - Antelope Valley Press

View of Yosemite Falls waterfall

Wanted: Taggers Responsible for Graffiti at Yosemite National Park

National Park officials are asking for the public's help to track down those responsible for graffiti recently painted in the park.

June 21, 2022 - CNN

3D rendering of a hydrogen storage facility with wind turbines in background

Energy Department Resumes Loan Program with Hydrogen Storage

The Energy Department's loan office, known for a bad loan to the solar panel startup Solyndra in 2011, will loan $504 million to a company that will use renewable energy to create 'green hydrogen' and store it in salt caverns in Utah.

June 21, 2022 - U.S. Department of Energy

Playground at Jackie Robinson Park, Sun Village, California

Nation's First Jackie Robinson Park Declared a Historic Landmark

Jackie Robinson Park in Sun Village has just been designated as a County Landmark by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

June 21, 2022 - Antelope Valley Press

1984 Olympics

L.A. Seeking Funding for New Transit Projects Prior to the 2028 Summer Olympics

Los Angeles officials have been working for years to deliver a suite of transit projects in time for the 2028 Olympics. Planners now hope federal infrastructure funding could reinvigorate the effort.

June 20, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, California

Waterfront Wonder: The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego

Learn more about this beautiful concert venue located on the edge of San Diego Bay.

June 20, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

California Shelter-in-Place

Downtown San Francisco Still Looking for a Post-Pandemic Comeback

“Downtown on the Brink” reads the headline of a recent San Francisco Chronicle feature.

June 15, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

View of downtown Los Angeles from a green park

Restoring Degraded Lands to Advance Park Equity and Environmental Justice

The restoration of degraded lands, including properties occupied by abandoned, redundant, or unwanted infrastructure, is of great importance in Los Angeles County where numerous underserved communities are plagued with environmental burdens.

June 14, 2022 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Central Los Angeles

How California Planning has Changed—and How it Hasn't

In the newest edition of his classic book Guide to California Planning, Bill Fulton says there is still tension between the state's suburban planning system and its urban reality.

June 13, 2022 - California Planning & Development Report

Goats grazing in a California field

How Goats Aid in Wildfire Prevention

Grazing goats can quickly and effectively clear steep or hard-to-reach hillsides of invasive, fire-fueling vegetation.

June 10, 2022 - National Geographic

Concrete dam of almost dried, low water level Stevens Creek reservoir in San Francisco Bay Area, California.

Desalination and Water Recycling Needed to Increase Bay Area Water Supply

In an ongoing drought exacerbated by climate change, the Bay Area needs to look toward two technologies to secure adequate drinking water supply: desalination and wastewater recycling, according to an analysis by the San Francisco Examiner.

June 9, 2022 - San Francisco Examiner

A group of tents line a street in front of Los Angeles City Hall.

Analysis: California’s Bumpy Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Implementation

California took the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule and ran with it. Fully realizing the goals of the AFFH in California will require more work, according to a recent analysis.

June 8, 2022 - Policies for Action

Crosswalk with cyclist and pedestrians in Santa Monica, California

Californians Could Get a Tax Credit for Not Owning Cars

The bill’s sponsors say it’s only fair to extend tax relief to Californians who don’t own cars as the state aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease driving.

June 8, 2022 - Streetsblog California

Amazon Warehouse

Amazon’s Largest Warehouse Ever Under Construction in Southern California

Twice as big as Downtown L.A.’s tallest skyscraper and bigger than Disney’s California Adventure Park with room to spare, the largest Amazon warehouse in the world is under construction in Southern California’s Inland Empire.

June 6, 2022 - Orange County Register

Los Angeles Grand Park

More Funding Available to Expand and Create New Recreation Programs in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District is making $23 million available for youth and veteran job training and recreation access programs.

June 6, 2022 - Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District

Rent Jubilee

Opinion: Californians Need Extended Rent Relief

With the pandemic-era rent relief program ending, many California households are still struggling to pay back their rent debt and find affordable housing.

June 6, 2022 - CALmatters

View of the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater

Take a Walk at the Hollywood Bowl

Few people are aware that the iconic concert venue is also a public park where visitors can walk around and exercise.

June 3, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

A barren landscape surrounds a reservoir well below its capacity.

Drought Renews Momentum for $4 Billion Reservoir Project in California

Bipartisan political support, billions in state and federal funding, and an unrelenting drought are creating momentum for the Sites Reservoir project in California's northern Central Valley.

June 2, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

A homeless encampment fills a sidewalk in front of a Sizzler restaurant advertising Thanksgiving dinner.

L.A.’s New Homelessness Plan: Ban Camping Near Schools, Daycares

The city of Los Angeles is scrambling to keep up with its growing homeless population, and increasingly leaning on punitive measures in response to the crisis.

June 1, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

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.