There's an old joke that what the locals fear more than a federal government in disarray is a federal government that has its act together. Well, now the joke's being put to the test.

According to walkscore.com , I work in a walker's paradise. The walkscore of our office in Ventura, California, is 95. I also live in a pretty good walking environment. My duplex has a walkscore of 78—and that's way better than the walkscore in the cavernous suburban house I used

Winters – one of the most charming towns in the Central Valley – is considering whether to accept the town's first franchise fast-food outlet. I almost never take sides in these things, but I'm hoping the city's leaders say no to the proposed Burger King.

UCLA Extension's annual Land Use Law and Planning Conference is typically a demilitarized zone. Combative environmentalists and builders usually check their weapons at the door, and a civil discussion about legislation, litigation, and regulation ensues. Not so last Friday during

For quite some time now, we've heard about the credit crisis, the foreclosure crisis, the health care crisis, the state budget crisis, the climate change crisis. Add one more crisis to your worry list: the transit crisis.

The Los Angeles City Council voted today to limit the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city (described by one councilmember as the "the capital of medical marijuana") to a total of 70 storefront locations. With an estimated 900 dispensaries currently operating w

Like nearly everybody, I awoke last Wednesday morning to ghastly images and video of the Haitian earthquake. Anybody who lives along the California coast – and that's about 80% of the state population – is likely to have respond to this event with a combination of pity, fear, sad

What if the judges are getting it wrong? What if they don't understand the law? People don't usually pose such questions in public. But I'm willing to risk it and to ask out loud: Does the Sacramento-based Third District Court of Appeal issue the wackiest California Environmental

The weather report for commercial real estate is bad, according to The New York Times , which reports rapid falls in value in local office buildings . In California, the weatherman is predicting flurries of half-empty office buildings and shopping malls to fall on Golden State ci

24th Annual Land Use Law & Planning Conference Friday, January 29, 2010 8:30am - 5:00pm Millenium Biltmore Hotel Downtown Los Angeles 506 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90071-2607 (310) 825-7885

Ask the people in Cincinnati about the wisdom of building publicly funded stadiums for major league sports teams.

The close of one year always induces predictions for the coming year. Putting one's forecast in print – even virtual print – is a dangerous business. But I can't help myself.