Urban Planning is Not Boring

If you live in California, you've probably heard of CEQA aka the California Environmental Quality Act. In this episode, Sam and Nat give a very high-level introduction of the CEQA process, its purpose, and opportunities for CEQA streamlining for various housing and multi-use developments.    For more info: OPR CEQA 101 CEQA Portal Topic Paper - CEQA Exemptions SB 375 and CEQA Streamlining   Other Sources: Introduction: The US Is Gently Discouraging States From Building New Highways   CEQA: What are Exemptions Under CEQA and How Are They Used?. Want to save nature? Get to know CEQA CEQA Streamlining Opportunities

Sam and Nat provided you with some historical information regarding freeway development and eminent domain in the last episode. Today they are bringing you the topic of freeway expansion and why it does not work to solve traffic congestion. Referencing a report written by Transportation for America, Sam and Nat give you an overview of what induced demand actually is and what it means when it comes to highway expansion and traffic congestion. Not only will you learn about induced demand and the nuances associated with urban sprawl and traffic related challenges, but you will also hear about what can possibly be done about it! Listen to hear more. For more information regarding the complete report by Transportation for America visit the link below! The Congestion Con Other Resources: How highways make traffic worse What's Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse Expanding highways and building more roads actually makes traffic worse

Sam and Nat are beginning a mini-series to discuss all things freeway! Today they begin the series by diving into the history of the interstate highway system and provide some information regarding eminent domain and the role it played in freeway development across the country. Sam also provides some insights on a related case study in Santa Monica that she has been reviewing across this semester. This episode is anything but boring! Sources: A Brief History Of How Racism Shaped Interstate Highways Beneath The Santa Monica Freeway Lies The Erasure Of Sugar Hill Below Market Housing Pilot Santa Monica tries to repay historically displaced families Santa Monica’s message to people evicted long ago for the 10 Freeway: Come home

Welcome back to another episode of Urban Planning is Not Boring! Sam and Nat took a couple of weeks off to focus on school, work, travel, etc., but we are BACK! In this episode, we are talking about a relatively new phenomenon - builder's remedy. If you're from LA or living in LA currently, you've probably heard of the 4500 proposed units of housing in Santa Monica in response to builder's remedy. Why is there a sudden push to propose so much housing? Does builder's remedy have the potential to help us solve the housing crisis? We explore these questions and more in this week's episode! For more information, check out these resources: A Primer on California’s “Builder’s Remedy” for Housing-Element Noncompliance Builder’s remedy could allow thousands of new homes in California Santa Monica’s ‘builder’s remedy’ experiment holds lessons for the region City leaders still hope to block 15 of 16 builder’s remedy projects

Sam and Natalie sit down with Kristy Kilbourne, also know as @passionateplanning on Instagram, to bring listeners advice on how to navigate a career in planning. Covering topics from what employers are looking for in a potential new hire to what a career in planning actually looks like, this episode is one you won’t want to miss! If you’re an aspiring planner or an early-career planner, make sure you check out the free World Town Planning Day Student Event that the Canadian Institute of Planners is hosting online! Kristy will be delivering a keynote at the end of the day with her colleague Natalie Persaud RPP, MCIP. This event will be helpful for planners outside of Canada, as well! Where to find Kristy: Instagram LinkedIn Your Planning Career About Kristy: Kristy Kilbourne, MCIP, RPP, AICP (she/her) is a passionate urban planner, instructor, and career coach and mentor to planners. Her professional background includes working in a variety of roles in the local government and non-profit sectors, as well as an independent consultant. She is an active member and volunteer with organizations including the Canadian Institute of Planners, the American Planning Association, and the Urban Land Institute. As passionate about "the Planner" as the practice of planning, Kristy is also the founder of Your Planning Career, an organization that supports career development for planners. As a career coach, she cares deeply for planners and has had the privilege of supporting hundreds of planners and aspiring planners at all stages of their careers from across Canada, the U.S. and other parts of the world. Kristy holds a Master's of Environmental Studies (Urban and Regional Planning) Degree and is currently a Ph.D student in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, Canada. She is a military spouse and mom of 3 amazing sons.

Welcome back to episode 15 of Urban Planning is Not Boring! This week, we have a very special guest on the podcast! Elizabeth Pino, a community engagement specialist and Planning Commissioner for the City of Torrance, speaks with Sam about everything from her role as a commissioner, how to get involved in public service, her experiences as a woman and mother, and the group that she helped found, Anti-Racist Moms (ARMs). About Elizabeth Pino: Elizabeth Pino is a Latina immigrant, wife, proud mother, and passionate public servant. She currently serves as Planning Commissioner for the City of Torrance and as a community engagement specialist for Wider Circle - a community-based health organization that drives better health for older adults and other vulnerable communities. Born and raised in Cali, Colombia, during one of the darkest times in the country, known as "The Pablo Escobar Era." Elizabeth witnessed things a young child shouldn’t have to. The country was going through a volatile political era. This experience helped shape her perspective and fully understand how any country can fall apart without proper government control. These injustices motivated her to attend a four-year university, studying Political Science, and choose a career serving others. She also holds a Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis on Nonprofits. During her first year in college, she interned at City Hall Los Angeles with Councilman Greig Smith. Where her love for public service evolved. After graduating from college, she co-founded a non-profit called Kiikas.org. Through this non-profit, Kiikas helped to educate young women on self-awareness techniques and provide tools to increase proactive participation in their health. Meet Elizabeth Pino About Anti-Racist Moms (ARMs): Bruce’s Beach Juneteenth celebration sheds light on Black history in Manhattan Beach

Hello everyone! We are back after a brief break with our 14th episode! As you may know, the California State Legislature has been busy lately. Consequently, there has been a lot of legislation signed into law by Governor Newsom, with a lot of these new laws relating to and impacting our work as planners. Tune in for a conversation about a select few laws that we wanted to highlight: CARB’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, AB-2097, AB-2011*, and SB-886. We hope that we are having a nuanced conversation that can be fruitful to everyone listening, despite being a bit critical of the bills! However, there are SO many more bills that have been signed into law, so we wanted to provide some additional resources for those interested in learning more. Some other bills that we we did not have time to cover… SB-1137: Would prohibit new oil and gas wells or extensive retrofitting of existing operations within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, nursing homes and hospitals AB-2147: Decriminalizes safely crossing the street at non-intersections. AB 1279: Codifies California’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 CalMatters Legislation Tracker Streets for All State Endorsements and Instagram page *Related to AB-2221 And last, but certainly not least, we wanted to acknowledge that we are both currently residing on and recording this podcast from Tongva land. We did not go into depth on the history of Indigenous Peoples Day and the horrific treatment of Native tribes and individuals in the United States; however, we wanted to provide some resources for further exploration and, as always, invite conversation and discussion about Indigenous planning and how Indigenous practices can be implemented into the field of urban planning. Indigenous

Sam and Nat have the pleasure of sitting down with Jonathan Pacheco Bell to discuss his Embedded Planning Praxis. We discuss the importance of moving from community engagement to community partnership in planning, focusing on the premise that planning does not happen from our desks! We have to plan in the spaces and places within the community. Listen to learn more about Jonathan and his Embedded Planning Praxis! Where can you find Jonathan Pacheco Bell? Follow him on Instagram @c1typlann3r @embeddedplanning Some of Jonathan’s Most Notable Work: 2018 manifesto in #PlanMag declaring Embedded Planning praxis exists Article defining Embedded Planning praxis Article covering Embedded Planning and graffiti origins Latest article on Embedded Planning praxis and environmental justice To find more of his work, check out his Linktree and his blog! Shoutout of the episode: LA Neighborhood Land Trust

Sam and Nat sit down with their former classmate, Alex Sarno, who shares his experiences from both undergrad and graduate school. He also shares his experiences in consulting and how he prepared himself for a career in urban planning. Listen to hear more!

Join Sam as she discusses the history of public housing, how public housing came to have a poor reputation, and what repealing Article 34 would mean for California. Sources: The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein California voters to decide on repeal of anti-public housing measure in 2024 Lawmakers Push to Repeal Anti-Black Housing Law in California Constitution It’s Past Time to Repeal Article 34 Why it's been so hard to kill Article 34, California's 'racist' barrier to affordable housing Article 34

Are you considering applying to grad school? Have you ever wondered what the process to apply to grad school is like? Look no further! Natalie and Sam answer your questions about the grad school application process. We cover everything from the letter of rec process to how to make your application stand out! We hope you enjoy! For more information about Water Drop LA, please find their website here. To donate to Water Drop LA, click here. Stay connected! Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok! Join our Slack workspace.

Sam and Natalie are joined by industry professional and amazing USC adjunct Professor, Ben Feingold. What are pro-formas? Why are they used in development projects? Ben Feingold takes us through the financial analysis behind various project types and gives his own perspective on what makes a project so successful. Listen to learn more!

In this episode, Nat and Sam discuss the first four chapters of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein...and it gets a bit heated.

In this episode, Nat and Sam go through some of their biggest tips for starting grad school! From finding your favorite study spots to being intentional, we chat about tips specific to beginning a Master of Urban Planning and any graduate program, more generally. If you have comments, questions, thoughts, etc. about our first book club book The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, feel free to reach out to us at urbanplanningisnotboringpod@gmail.com

We often associate historical discussions with the past which leads us to believe there are no impacts on the present. Sam and Natalie explain exactly why not everything historical is left in the past. The co-hosts dive into the history of zoning ordinances, exclusionary zoning, redlining, and unpack how these practices continue to impact folks today. Listen to get the full story! Urban Planning is Not Boring announces our BOOK CLUB! We are SO excited to launch our book club, and the first book that we will be reading is “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein. We invite you all to join us in reading this book; we will be reading Chapters 1 through 4 and discussing this first section in our episode that we will release August 22. If you have any comments, questions, observations, etc. from the book, we encourage you to DM us on Instagram @urbanplanningisnotboring or email us at urbanplanningisnotboringpod@gmail.com by August 19! We would love to chat about any listener comments/questions. To listen to the NPR Code Switch video: Housing Segregation and Redlining in America: A Short History To rent free ebooks and audiobooks with your library card, download the Libby App! Other Sources: A Brief History of American Zoning Understanding Exclusionary Zoning and Its Impact on Concentrated Poverty For more information: Down-Zoning and Exclusionary Zoning in California Law America’s racist housing rules really can be fixed Effective Zoning Reform Isn’t as Simple as It Seems

Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! In this episode, we cover a topic that was requested via our Instagram Stories: Zoning. We begin by defining what zoning is, what is taken into consideration within zoning codes, and discuss how the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) and California Senate Bill 9 (SB9) relate to zoning. EDITS: The court case brought up in the beginning of the episode is Village of Euclid vs Ambler Realty Company. RHNA is currently on the 6th cycle, not the 8th. Sources: Abundant Housing LA’s Updated Guide to Zoning in Los Angeles LA City Planning Zoning Overview SCAG RHNA Senate Bill 9: Senate Housing Package Understanding the Zoning Code in the City of Los Angeles, Crest Real Estate

In this episode of Urban Planning is Not Boring, Sam is joined by her friend Gia Chinchilla. Sam and Gia met through Climate Action LAb, a collective that Gia founded in 2019 that aims to inform & empower Angelenos to tackle environmental justice and climate-related issues in our city. Since working at CLAb together, Sam and Gia have bonded over their shared passion for equitable and sustainable transportation solutions. Tune in to hear our conversation about Climate Action LAb, the LA Green New Deal, transit in LA, and the Urban Future conference. About Gia: Gia (she/her) is an e-Mobility professional, carbon consultant, and writer based in Los Angeles and Paris. She is driven by the simple question: how can we create systems that sustain our well-being? With over five-years experience in clean technology and consulting, Gia has helped her clients reach innovative solutions to challenging decarbonization problems with a holistic “roadmap” to zero emissions technology. A natural storyteller, she has leveraged her experience in interpersonal communication as Founder of @climateactionlab by connecting members with the environmental movement in an approachable manner. Her work has been featured at the United Nations, the TED stage, and multiple global conferences. Outside of work, you can find Gia searching for inspiration by exploring her favorite cities via two-wheels, running trails, and her appetite To keep up with Climate Action LAb, visit @climateactionlab and the website. To join the Climate Action LAb Club, visit the registration form For more information about the LA Green New Deal, check out the pLAn. For more information about the Urban Future conference, visit their website.

Have you heard of the concept of the 15-minute city? Winner of the 2021 OBEL AWARD and coined by Professor Carlos Moreno at the Sorbonne in Paris, this framework shapes the city in a new way that is centered around accessibility by walking and biking, keeping immediate needs within a 15-minute walk or bike. In this episode, Sam and Nat chat about what the 15-minute city framework means and some of the positive and negative implications of the implementation of this project. Sources: Welcome to the 15-minute city, written by Natalie Whittle. Published on Financial Times on July 16, 2020 https://www.ft.com/content/c1a53744-90d5-4560-9e3f-17ce06aba69a Defining the 15-minute city, written by Andres Duany and Robert Steuteville Published on CNU on February 8, 2021 https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2021/02/08/defining-15-minute-city The OBEL AWARD 2021 Winner https://obelaward.org/winner-2021/ Shoutout: Culdesac Tempe - The first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the US! Culdesac is a real estate developer and property manager. We build neighborhoods that embrace community, open space, and mobility. We offer residential units at a variety of price points integrated with local retail, commercial uses, and open space for nature and public plazas. Our communities prioritize biking, walking, and transit over cars and parking. We partner with leading mobility companies to deliver convenient and affordable transportation services. This creates a vibrant urban lifestyle without the need for a private vehicle. https://culdesac.com/

Sam and Nat give you a breakdown of everything you need to know about the Master of Urban Planning program. From the various concentrations that you can choose from to the ability to add certificates, we have got you covered! Since they recently finished their first year in the program, they dive into personal insights gleaned from the last year and share their thoughts on the classes that they have taken over the last year. For more information on the USC Master of Urban Planning program, check out the website linked here. Destination Crenshaw We are stamping Crenshaw Boulevard, the spine of Los Angeles’ Black community, with a transformative infrastructure project that will boost our community through economic development, job creation, and environmental healing, while elevating Black art and culture. When completed, Destination Crenshaw will be the place to experience the most dynamic expression of Black American culture in the United States. A 1.3-mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard will be transformed from an area that has long deserved economic investment and strategic urban planning, into a thriving commercial corridor linked by architecturally stunning community spaces and pocket parks, hundreds of newly planted trees, and over 100 commissioned works of art. For more information about Destination Crenshaw, check out the website linked here.

Historic decision making and planning has led us to a nation with only one viable transportation option: the car. In the past, planners have focused on alternative modes of transportation including buses and rail systems. Dr. Hasan Ikhrata, CEO of San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), argues that these alternatives are not competitive with the car, in their current form, and the future of transit must be approached differently. More on Dr. Ikhrata: Dr. Ikhrata has over 30 years of public and private sector transportation planning experience in the region. As Executive Director of SANDAG, he directs day‐to‐day operations of the agency and implements policies set by its governing board. In addition, Dr. Ikhrata is the Chief Executive Officer of the SANDAG Service Bureau, the nonprofit public benefit corporation chartered by SANDAG. For more information about FACT, please visit their website linked here: FACT San Diego

Get to know your not so boring podcast hosts Sam and Natalie as they dive into their educational backgrounds, interests, and what led them to the field of urban planning! Resources for Contraception and Abortion Access: For access to mail-in birth control, emergency contraception, and medication abortion pills: Three for Freedom For abortion funds by state: Donations 4 Abortion For Planned Parenthood donations: Planned Parenthood