Urban Planning is Not Boring

Sam and Nat sit down to discuss all things Capstone! With graduation right around the corner, the capstone project is a pivotal element of the MUP graduate program at USC. This episode dives into the project’s components and all the ups and downs Sam and Nat faced during the process of writing their reports! 

This week, we are so lucky to have Dr. Santina Contreras a researcher and adjunct professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy. Santina's work focuses largely on environmental justice, disaster planning, and community engagement. With a background in structural engineering, Dr. Contreras has a unique subset of skills in the planning field, and we dive into how her background and passions hav...

"The role of transit in shaping urban form is as important as its role in meeting transportation needs." - Meghna Khanna In this episode, Sam and Nat chat with the amazing Meghna Khanna, a Senior Director at Los Angeles Metro. After seeing Meghna's keynote address at the APA Los Angeles Awards Ceremony, we knew that we wanted her to come on the podcast to talk about the work that she and her team...

Desiree (Dee) Powell does it ALL! From working with full-time with Congress for the New Urbanism, starting her own planning and placemaking group Do Right By The Streets (DRBTS), heading up the Sunny South Dallas Food Park activation and community space, and founding the Black Planner Collective, we quite frankly don’t know how she manages it all! But somehow, this incredible woman does!    Listen...

In today’s episode we are joined by Peter Enzminger to discuss all things affordable housing! This episode's discussion focuses on the different elements of affordable housing development and the ways in which it is both similar and different from market-rate housing development. Peter addresses many unique aspects involved in affordable housing development, including the historical significance o...

On this episode Sam and Nat sat down with Kristen Jeffers, MPA, who is an author, speaker, podcaster and analyst to talk about their experience in the field of Urban Planning. These experiences are what ultimately led to her authoring the book titled A Black Urbanist Journey to a Queer Feminist Future which will be published soon! Her insights are fascinating and touch upon the intersectionality o...

Have you ever heard of critical cartography? After taking Dr. Kim’s course “Critical Cartography and Urban Spatial Ethnography”, Sam knew that we needed to have Dr. Kim on the show. In this course, USC students have the opportunity to consider mapping conventions and peoples, phenomena, patterns, behaviors, etc. that traditional mapping leaves out. Join us for an amazing conversation with Dr. Anne...

Since starting this podcast, we’ve received a lot of questions about various urban planning topics, careers in the field, ways to be involved without a degree, and our personal journeys. We decided to answer some of these questions that we got on Instagram - everything from how we feel about expanding Fastrak lanes to if we ride bikes! Listen to find out more!   For more information regarding prof...

Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! We are starting off the year with an episode that is a bit different from our typical content - a lighthearted discussion about our resolutions for 2023 and our goals for the podcast this upcoming year.  We have already started planning for amazing guests, new topics, and more listener/supporter engagement, so get ready for more urban planning knowledg...

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...

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...

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....

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....

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...

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, A...

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 Advance...

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...

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...

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 he...

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 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...

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...

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...

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 sustainab...

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...