San Francisco

Construction Industry

A Bipartisan Case for Mass Timber—Combating Wildfires and Developing Local Economies

What’s good for our forests and planet can also be good for our jobs, communities, and the economy. That’s why we’re writing this together—an ex-Democratic political operative and an ex-Republican staff member who want to see mass timber flourish.

October 19, 2020 - ConorBronsdon

Northridge Earthquake, 1994

Earthquake Preparation for Resilience

A look at San Francisco's building resilience plan illustrates the pertinent need to include earthquake preparedness in resiliency planning.

October 13, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

San Francisco Traffic

Congestion Pricing Scheme Up for Discussion in San Francisco

The public is providing feedback for the idea of a congestion pricing scheme that could charge as much as $12 to drive into Downtown San Francisco.

October 5, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

Car-Centric Planning

The Causes of California's Development Malaise

A spate of recent articles has taken a critical look at the regulatory obstacles to a progrssive planning vision in the state of California.

September 22, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

Northern California Wilidfires

Wildfire Smoke Affecting Communities Across the Country

Wildfires in California and Colorado are spewing out smoke that is traveling to other parts of the country. The health effects of the dirty air are substantial, and they could last long after the fires are out.

August 31, 2020 - Inside Climate News

San Francisco Rail Transit

Compromise Reached to Save Caltrain

The saga of the three-county sales tax upon which the future of Caltrain depends is now in the hands of voters.

August 24, 2020 - KTVU

King Tides

The Cost of Sea-Level Rise Measured in Tens of Billions in California

A new report summarizes the impact rising sea levels would have on California residents, businesses, and infrastructure. The effects would be catastrophic for the San Francisco Bay Area.

August 20, 2020 - San Francisco Weekly

San Francisco

After Decades of Failure, 1,000-Plus Homes Coming to the Balboa Reservoir in San Francisco

Four developers tried, and four developers failed, until the San Francisco Board of Supervisors changed the story in August 2020.

August 13, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco, California

Can Planners Advance Environmental Justice When Rebuilding Existing Locally Unwanted Land Uses?

Miriam Solis, of the University of Texas at Austin, writes about a recent article she authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

August 11, 2020 - JPER

United States map

One U.S. State Boasts 33% Fewer Carbon Emissions Per Capita Than Any Other

California, the largest state by population in the United States, is responsible for 33% fewer carbon emissions per capita than any other state, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

August 3, 2020 - The Mercury News

San Francisco, California

S.F. Rezoning Plan Paused for Equity Analysis

A plan to rezone parcels around the busy intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, called the Hub, will undergo an analysis of the potential impacts of the plan on marginalized communities.

July 27, 2020 - The San Francisco Chronicle

BABS bikes in a socking station

Bike Share Lessons From the Pandemic

Bike share data from six U.S. cities offer insight into how Americans have changed travel patterns during the pandemic.

July 24, 2020 - Citymetric

San Francisco Bay Bridge

Plan Bay Area 2050 Draft Released

A regional plan for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area is available for public comment.

July 23, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

Regional Transit

Plan to Save Caltrain Emerges

Elected officials in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties have produced a counter proposal after killing a proposed sales tax last week.

July 23, 2020 - The Mercury News

Commuter Rail

Caltrain on the Rocks as Sales Tax Measure Fails

Advocates are concerned about the possibility of Caltrain entirely shutting down—less than a year after the commuter rail line seemed positioned for a massive expansion of service.

July 16, 2020 - The Daily Journal

High Speed Rail California

New Environmental Analysis for High-Speed Rail from San Francisco to San Jose

Issues of track blending and electrification factor heavily in the latest environmental impact report and environmental impact statement released last week for the California High-Speed Rail project.

July 13, 2020 - California High-Speed Rail Authority

The Mission Mural Gentrification

Right-to-Purchase Policy Empowers Tenants In San Francisco, Fights Gentrification

A new policy in San Francisco gives tenants the opportunity to purchase their listed buildings with the help of non-profit corporations, a cause for celebration among anti-gentrification advocates in the Bay Area.

July 2, 2020 - High Country News

San Francisco

More Housing Could Increase Affordability If You Build It in the Right Places

Focusing on zoning in hot-market urban centers misses economic realities—and major opportunities.

June 25, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Housing Construction

How to Treat Housing as a Human Right

SPUR's housing report, "What Will it Really Take to Create an Affordable Bay Area," found that it will take 2.2 million units in the next 50 years to avoid worsening housing inequality.

June 24, 2020 - SPUR

Retro Streetcar

Post-Pandemic Transit Plan Announced in San Francisco

The recently announced post-COVID plan for public transit in San Francisco looks a lot different than the pre-COVID days.

June 22, 2020 - San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.