Urban Planning is Not Boring - Samantha Ellman and Natalie Ikhrata

Latest Episodes:

The California Legislature Has Been Busy: A Policy Recap Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

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 Peoples’ Day, Explained

Why A Property Worth Millions Was Returned To The Tongva Tribe

Gabrielino-Tongva Indian Tribe

Mapping Indigenous LA

A Brief History Of LA's Indigenous Tongva People

A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2021

Other Sources

California YIMBY Statement on Governor Signing Major Housing Legislation

Embedded Planning Praxis with Jonathan Pacheco Bell Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

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:

To find more of his work, check out his Linktree and his blog!

Shoutout of the episode: LA Neighborhood Land Trust

Public Housing and the Vote to Repeal Article 34 Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

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

Applying to Grad School? We got you. Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

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!

Join our Slack workspace.

The Math is Mathing: Pro-Forma Analysis with Ben Feingold Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

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!

Grad School Survival Guide Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

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

Dear Zoning, You Suck Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

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

Zoning, RHNA, SB9…oh my! Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

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

L.A. Mobility Culture with Gia Chinchilla Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

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.

The 15-Minute City Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

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/

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