A look at L.A. real estate, architecture, and urban planning news from the past week, highlighting projects, proposals, transportation updates, housing discussions, safety testing, and policy actions across the region.
LA River wetland pop-up
A guerrilla gardener installed a pop-up wetland in the LA River. Local officials and river advocates are far ahead in revitalizing the channel, with recent city projects under a master plan designed to resurrect natural habitat and expand public access. Progress is slow, with legal roadblocks and budget constraints delaying many proposals.
L.A. City bikeway mileage update
L.A. City Fiscal Year 24-25 Bikeway Mileage shows 35.6 lane-miles of new or improved bike facilities completed this year, with about half of that consisting of new bike and walk paths.
Orange County streetcar safety testing
Orange County begins safety testing on long-awaited streetcars. When service begins, the streetcars will operate from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., with later weekend hours. OCTA expects 5,000 riders a day.
Culver City housing approach
One California city’s idea to tackle the housing crisis focuses on taking the stairs. Culver City apartments up to six stories tall can now be built around a single stairwell. Conditions apply: each floor must be on the small side, maxing out at 4,000 square feet with no more than four units, alongside added fire-prevention measures.
Altadena bungalow court grant
A $6 million grant aims to rebuild an Altadena bungalow court lost to the Eaton Fire. The grant covers the purchase of the lot, debris cleanup, and reconstruction, which is expected to be complete by the end of summer.
Palisades fire water system findings
Officials say even a full reservoir would not have ensured water in the Palisades fire. Gov. Gavin Newsom called for an investigation, and findings show the water system would still have been quickly overwhelmed and lost pressure.
Intuit Dome naming rights
Intuit keeps naming rights on the Intuit Dome for the 2028 Olympics. The IOC’s reversal of its clean venues mandate opens a revenue stream for L.A. Olympic organizers working to cover $7.1 billion in estimated costs.
Pasadena 710 Vision Plan progress
The State Transportation Chief was said to be impressed by work done on Pasadena’s 710 Vision Plan, signaling momentum for the freeway stub redevelopment project.
Sepulveda Connects workshop
Sepulveda Connects – Transportation Workshop begins design options for boulevard upgrades. Creating the corridor in Culver City in four parts — Venice Boulevard to Washington Place, Washington Place to Ballona Creek, Ballona Creek to Sawtelle Boulevard, and Sawtelle Boulevard to Centinela Avenue — community members were asked to consider transit improvements around freeway ramps, shopping centers, restaurants, and schools.
Sunset Junction dedication
Signs designating Sunset Junction in honor of Jackie Goldberg were unveiled. Goldberg served on the LAUSD board, was board president, helped implement bilingual education programs, ended corporal punishment, and later became the first openly lesbian candidate elected to the Los Angeles City Council.
Palisades ‘mansion tax’ exemption
An L.A. committee voted to explore canceling the mansion tax for Palisades homeowners. Any final tax exemption would require further action from the City Council and Mayor’s Office.
