August 2025

August 29, 2025

Lessons From Katrina for Citizen Planners in L.A., Asheville, and Florida

In the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina, Steven Bingler, planner and citizen of New Orleans, as well as the founder of Concordia LLC, shares key takeaways from the post-disaster recovery planning for Hurricane Katrina and how cities like Los Angeles, Asheville, and Florida should incoporate community members and be human centered in their approach to rebuild. TPR excerpts this op-ed published originally by Common Edge.

August 28, 2025

Gerhard Mayer’s Call for Comprehensive Urban Change

As California’s legislature debates several zoning and building reforms, TPR spoke with acclaimed architect Gerhard Mayer both on the specific impact of single-staircase building reforms on Los Angeles' urban form and public health, and the urgent need for comprehensive changes to current planning dictum if the goal of City leaders is to incentivize the building of attractive, amenity-rich multifamily neighborhoods.

August 28, 2025

LADWP’s New Ratepayer Advocate — Meet Tim O’Connor

Tim O’Connor, newly appointed Executive Director and Ratepayer Advocate for the Office of Public Accountability (OPA) at LADWP, outlines his vision for modernizing the role to meet today’s affordability, climate, and infrastructure challenges.

August 27, 2025

Excerpt: Urban Land Magazine on Parks as Drivers of Economic Growth

In Urban Land Magazine, Bianca Clarke and Jennifer Yip of the Trust for Public Land present new studies on the economic benefits of park investment. Drawing on case studies from multiple cities, they show that parks are not just community amenities but essential drivers of economic growth.

August 22, 2025

At the Speed of Trust: Building the 11th Street Bridge Park

Scott Kratz, founding director of Washington, D.C.’s 11th Street Bridge Park and EVP of Building Bridges Across the River, has shown that a bridge can be more than steel and concrete—it can be a platform for equity. Overseeing $100 million in affordable housing, workforce training, and anti-displacement strategies, Kratz stresses that real progress “moves at the speed of trust,” built through resident engagement and transparency.

August 22, 2025

Excerpt: Jeff Goodell on The New American Inequality

Jeff Goodell warns that extreme heat is dividing the U.S. into the “cooled” indoors and the “cooked” outdoor workers. Heat waves are deadlier, protections are weak, and low-wage workers — bear the greatest risks. The comforts of some are built on the suffering of others, a climate injustice that will only deepen as the planet warms.

August 21, 2025

Remembering Lou Naidorf by Brenda Levin, FAIA

This tribute reflects on the life and legacy of Lou Naidorf (1928–2025), architect of the iconic Capitol Records Building. Through Brenda Levin’s (FAIA) personal introduction, it highlights his mentorship, generosity, and vision of architecture as a civic act that uplifts communities. The piece honors both his groundbreaking design achievements and the lasting personal impact he had on colleagues and the city of Los Angeles.

August 21, 2025

Aaron Payley on Placemaking for New Futures

TPR's edited transcript of the Building Better Cities by Kate Gasparro podcast episode “The Public Realm and the Resistance of Placemaking”, features Paley on the founding of CicLAvia, the intersection of arts and culture in our public spaces, and how temporary changes in our environments can help us reimagine new futures.

August 7, 2025

West Hollywood’s Cultural Vision for LA28: “Inventing Traditions” and Leading the Arts

As preparations for LA28 advance—including a forthcoming executive order from President Donald Trump to establish a federal task force supporting the Games—West Hollywood stands out as the first city to adopt a fully funded, multi-year Cultural Plan. Spearheaded by Arts Manager Rebecca Ehemann and shaped by Laura Zucker of AEA Consulting, the plan emphasizes creativity, inclusion, and civic identity. Themed “Inventing Traditions,” it fosters local and international cultural collaborations tied to the Games. The initiative positions West Hollywood as a model for leveraging the Olympics to create a lasting cultural legacy.

August 7, 2025

California Insurance Crisis Panel: The State of the Insurance Industry

TPR covers a timely and important panel discussion—“The State of the Insurance Industry”—convened by Capitol Weekly and the UC Student and Policy Center. The panel explored how California’s insurance landscape is evolving in response to escalating climate-related risks, with a particular focus on the impact of recent wildfires in the Los Angeles region.

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© 2025 The Planning Report | David Abel, Publisher, ABL, Inc.