One Year In, Sarah Dennis Phillips Tries to Harness “Evolving” Attitudes in San Francisco

May 26, 2026 • CP&DR

Shortly after the election of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, he nominated Sarah Dennis Phillips to succeed Rich Hillis as planning director. Dennis Phillips was both a conventional choice and an offbeat. Offbeat, because she was coming from over a decade in the private sector, working for mega-developer Tishman Speyer. Conventional because she had previously spent a similar amount of time in San Francisco city government, in planning and community development.

Monterey-Area Planners Welcome APA Conference

September 14, 2025 • CP&DR

Planners from the Monterey area welcome their counterparts from around the state for the conference of the California Chapter of the American Planning Association, held in Monterey Sept. 28 – Oct. 1.

Transit Advocates Consider How to Elevate Gondolas in American Cities

June 4, 2025 • InTransition Magazine

Gondolas have taken hold in cities in Latin America and Europe. In the United States, they’re still confined to ski resorts.

Imperial Valley Hopes for Lithium-Fueled Development Boom

May 3, 2025 • CP&DR

The presence of lithium could lead to major developments in one of California’s more forlorn corners.

Ugly Sweaters, Plush Toys, and Transit Maps

September 3, 2024 • InTransition Magazine

Merchandising won’t pay the bills, but it can be cheeky fun with fans

Agencies Struggle To Find Enough Planners

January 16, 2024 • CP&DR

Cost of living, pandemic disruptions, and workloads have left planning departments short-staffed.

First, High-Speed Rail, Then Transit-Oriented Development

October 23, 2023 • InTransition Magazine

Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas rail line may spur local development

Brightline Aims High After Years of Hopes

October 23, 2023 • InTransition Magazine

High-Speed Rail Kicks Off Florida Service as a Model for California and Beyond

What Key Legislators Are Saying About Their Housing Bills

October 5, 2023 • CP&DR

The Terner Center hosted a conference about recent housing legislation that featured four legislators active in the area: Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks from the East Bay, Assemblymember David Alvarez of San Diego, and Senator Catherine Blakespear

Microtransit Changing the Landscape

November 14, 2022 • InTransition Magazine

App-based Rides Get Into the Public Transit Game

Cities, Counties Get Ready To Deal With Sea Level Rise

April 11, 2022 • CP&DR

Sea level rise is becoming increasingly unavoidable for planners in coastal California.

Podcast: What’s It Like To Be A Black Planner In California?

August 4, 2020 • CP&DR

CP&DR welcomes a panel of Black planners to share their personal perspectives on the current historical moment and on the future of planning in the era of Black Lives Matter.

A Turning Point for Malls

June 10, 2020 • InTransition Magazine

Shopping malls, built as meccas of U.S. retailing and mainstays of suburban life, had been suffering for a decade or more due to a “retail apocalypse” brought on by the rise of online shopping.

Luxury (and Layups) at the Chase Center

December 18, 2019 • The Architect's Newspaper

The Golden State Warriors’ privately financed arena in San Francisco reflects the moneyed interests of big tech.

Tightening The Belt

November 20, 2019 • The Architect's Newspaper

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is tying the world together—but what’s the end game?

Incoming Berkeley Design Dean Seeks to Unite East and West Coasts in Responsible Urbanism

August 29, 2019 • CP&DR

CP&DR’s Josh Stephens spoke with Vishaan Chakrabarti about his transition to Berkeley and the urban environment he will encounter upon moving west.

Stampede of New Residents Challenges Fort Worth

May 29, 2019 • Planetizen

An interview with Fort Worth Planning and Development Director Randle Harwood on the planning practices and ideas driving the future of one of the nation’s fastest growing cities.

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