Over Oct. 22-25, three Planning Division staff members attended the 2016 state conference of the American Planning Association in Pasadena. Over the course of the four days, planners attended engaging sessions and hands-on workshops. Highlights included:

• "Crafting Mi Casa: Lessons of Latino Informal Housing Practices in Los Angeles," which described different perspectives on secondary dwelling units (SDUs) constructed without permits, and strategies to legalize SDU conversions in order to promote resident safety.
• "The Nuts, Bolts, and Windows of Sustainable Historic Buildings" about encouraging environmentally sustainable and economically feasible preservation of historic resources, with a focus on structures in and around Pasadena.
• "Los Angeles River Revitalization Bicycle Tour," a mobile workshop that toured projects transforming the concrete channel into an urban oasis comprised of thriving ecosystems and public open space.

In addition, Principal Planner Thomas Rogers was a panel member for a well-attended session titled "Moving Beyond a Project’s Effects on the Environment: Addressing Environmental Impacts on Projects Outside of CEQA," which addressed a recent California Supreme Court decision and how it may affect environmental review.