A few lessons on cities and urban life as observed on a recent trip to Tokyo and Kyoto.
What Japan Gets Right (A Partial List)
Frank Gehry’s Star Quality Outshined His Urbanism
Los Angeles-based “starchitect” Frank Gehry died at the age of 96. His fame is undeniable. His influence on cities is more complicated.
Newport Beach Housing Initiative Qualifies for Ballot
Newport Beach City Council votes to introduce a measure that would reduce allowable new housing below the target required by the city’s Housing Element, which will appear on the November 2026 ballot.
Despite AB 130, Glendale Rejects Sears Redevelopment Design
The 682-unit project was declared exempt from CEQA and apparently met the city’s objective design standards. The city council voted against it anyway.
Measures to Comply with Housing Law Pass in Santa Cruz, Sausalito
Voters resoundingly favored new housing in Santa Cruz and Sausalito, two cities that have historically had strong anti-growth movements.
Voters Face Multiple Housing-Related Ballot Measures in Santa Cruz, Sausalito
The Cities of Santa Cruz and Sausalito present voters with land-use ballot measures intended to promote affordable housing. However, the approach varies with measures in Santa Cruz revolving around increased taxes on property sales, while Sausalito focuses on localized zoning.
In 40 Years, Urbanism has Surged while Journalism has Faded
California Planning and Development Report celebrates its 40th anniversary—reflections on the trends of the past forty years and what’s in store for the future.
Monterey-Area Planners Welcome APA Conference
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.
Ballot Measure to Wipe Out Housing Laws Gains Support
Local control advocates are pushing the Our Neighborhood Voices ballot measure again
Hollister Rescinds General Plan
In an odd turn of events, the City of Hollister rescinded its own general plan in advance of a referendum
“Freedom Cities” Won’t Liberate California
A harebrained scheme for a new city near Oakland exemplifies a woefully misguided approach to city-building
Transit Advocates Consider How to Elevate Gondolas in American Cities
Gondolas have taken hold in cities in Latin America and Europe. In the United States, they’re still confined to ski resorts.
Why Hollywood and the Housing Industry Need Each Other
Making movies and developing real estate are uncannily similar processes. In Los Angeles, they work at cross-purposes, to everyone’s detriment.
Imperial Valley Hopes for Lithium-Fueled Development Boom
The presence of lithium could lead to major developments in one of California’s more forlorn corners.
Book Review Roundup: A Literary and Scholarly Tour of California
California has been the subject of a slew of books recently. Here are some of the best.
Cities Look to Self-Certification to Break Permitting Logjams
Pressured to rebuild Pacific Palisades, the City of Los Angeles may adopt a rare policy to help developers and builders sidestep lengthy permitting processes that can delay production of new housing
Housing Crisis Caused by Much More than Zoning
USC demographer professor of planning Dowell Myers does not dispute these phenomena. But, according to a newly published study “Misalignment of Housing Growth and Population Trends: Cohort Size and Lagging Measurements Through Recession and Recovery,” they are actually tangential to deeper economic causes that have led to what he describes as not just a local housing crisis but, indeed, a national housing crisis