City Planning Teams Move to Figueroa Plaza!

The city of Los Angeles might grow quickly, but the Department of City Planning grows even faster!

Due to the recent uptick in the size of the department’s staff, several units have made an exciting move to Figueroa Plaza - this is to accommodate space in City Hall for all the additional new staff members.

The Office of Historic Resources (OHR), the Historic Preservation Overlay Zones Office, the Urban Design Studio and Major Projects have made the move.

The OHR was first, taking the trip east to 221 N. Figueroa St., Suite 1350, on April 9th. Major Projects and Urban Design joined them on the same floor with additional staff on the 14th floor.

The OHR is now in the same complex as the City’s Development Services Center, which helps us group more of the department’s public-facing functions together.

As a heads up, all email addresses stay the same, but phone numbers have changed! Find the new numbers here. It’s a new building and a new environment, but with the same great employees doing the work they know best. We hope to see you soon!

Young, Black and Planning

Based on recent data , African-Americans only represent 7.9% of those in the planning profession. In 2017, TheRoot.com published an article titled, “Urban Planning Can’t Happen Without Black People in the Room—Yet It Does,” reflecting on the importance of having multiple voices when planning and designing a city. In the City of Los Angeles, we see diversity throughout the City and in those who are helping plan the future of Los Angeles. In 2018, 16% of new hires and 12% of all promotions within the Department of City Planning were of African-Americans, representing 12% of the entire Department. Below, the Department of City Planning’s African-American City Planning Assistants and Associates share their advice for those interested in entering the profession. Scroll below to get their insights, and get inspired to plan! Kyle Winston "I grew up in South Central LA. I watched my neighborhood burn during the LA riots and then sit untouched for years won...

City Planning Department Celebrates Women's Equality Day!

*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. 5...

Building a City with the City Planning Department

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 cit...

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