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Drumroll please…. It’s been a wonderful year #Planning4LA! Here are some of the top moments from the year. Which moment was your favorite? Comment below and let us know! 10. Office of Historic Resources Presents 2018 Historic Neighborhoods Conference The Department's Office of Historic Resources, in partnership with the Los Angeles Conservancy, hosted its bi-annual LA Historic Neighborhoods Conference on Saturday, October 13, 2018. This year's theme was  The Intersection of Housing and Preservation. The day-long forum was open to anyone interested in neighborhood conservation and included presentations by field experts in preservation, and featured interactive workshops and open conversations with community stakeholders. 9. External Affairs Launches Monthly E-Newsletter and Community Corner Publications The External Affairs Units is committed to providing the community with up-to-date news and information about planning. That is why the External Affai

Imagine being woken up at 2:00AM to find your house, all of your possessions and precious memories being engulfed by flames. For many Southern California residents, this nightmare became an all too real, frightening reality on November 8 – when the Woolsey Fire gained speed and began destroying everything in its path.   Now, nearly three weeks later, the fire is finally 100% contained but has destroyed approximately 1,500 structures and priceless memories for those in its path. This isn’t the first massive fire we’ve seen in California. You may even wonder why our region particularly vulnerable to wildfires? Or, what role does planning serve to improve our resiliency to wildfire events? In short, we can address these challenges through Climate Adaptation Planning. Wildfire Risk in Southern California To understand these recent devastating wildfires, let’s first consider our local environment. Wildfires are uncontrolled fires on undeveloped land and are

Looking for something fun and not-so-frightening to do this Halloween? The City of Los Angeles is a great place to explore!  Home to some of the nation’s most popular cultural hotspots, Los Angeles has many historic neighborhoods for you to visit this Halloween. Whether you’re looking for tricks or treats, the City has some great places to experience the spookiest day of the year. Check out the featured neighborhoods below and other historic neighborhoods on our Office of Historic Resources website.   Angelino Heights Trek up the hilltop residential area of Angelino Heights to feel like you’ve taken a time machine to the late-19th century. This area is home to beautiful leafy hillsides, with some of the best remaining examples of Victorian-era architectural styles in Los Angeles, as well as later examples of Craftsman and Mission Revival Style homes. Residents of this area don’t skimp on Halloween candy or decorations either! If you decide to stop here for some trick-o

Connecting to our communities is what planning is all about. Whether it is updating a Community Plan, or speaking at a neighborhood event, we speak to Angelenos about issues that affect their everyday lives. Our neighborhood council system in the City of Los Angeles offers us, in particular, a forum by which we get to speak to local stakeholders on a regular basis.  This is why I was excited to participate in this year’s Congress of Neighborhoods, which brought together leaders from various neighborhood councils throughout the City. It provided an opportunity for planners, like myself to connect, educate and listen to members of our community. And, this year’s event was truly a success – evident by the fact that it had the largest turnout to date!  Attendees from across the City gathered to meet and speak with civic leaders and Department staff in an informal yet interactive setting. Our Department – City Planning – was selected to host two informational sessions, highlig

*CUE* Beyoncé’s ‘Run the World – Girls’ Imagine walking into your office on a Monday. You look to your left, you look to your right, and all of your colleagues are men.  No, this isn’t an episode of The Twilight Zone, however for many women working in the field of urban and regional planning this is an everyday reality. So, how can we imagine an innovative and immersive city if diverse voices aren’t heard – or asked to even take a seat at the table? That’s where the City of Los Angeles steps in. Here in LA, the City Planning Department has made concerted efforts to hire and train employees to create a more accessible and equitable city. From the Deputy Director of Planning to our Graphics team and everyone in between, women have played a vital role in shaping our City. Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself, well, how many women are actually working at City Planning.   Check the stats: 58% of our Employees are women. 57% of Planners are women. 58% of Sup

Let’s build a city, and we’re not talking about the SIMCITY game here people! Welcome to You-ville! A new city that’s going to be completely created and maintained by YOU. Although this is “You-ville,” it’s hard to imagine a city with a population of just one, so you’ll have to plan for at least a modest population. Ready to start? Let’s get to it! First, some things to consider…. Where do people live? Where do people work and how far is that from where they live? Where do people purchase the goods and services they need? Do you have any schools, if so, how many and what types?  What do your streets look like? Can you play in a local park? Can you park at the park? Are people walking, driving, using public transportation or speeding overhead on autonomous flying drones? What do you HAVE to have in your city to make it work?  We know, that’s a lot to think about (and not even everything to think about), so let’s break this down how a city planner