News - Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Friday, October 16, 2009

New UCLA Program on Local Government Climate Action Policies (LoGCAP)

Supported by the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and the Luskin Center for Innovation, the UCLA Program on Local Government Climate Action Policies was created in July to strengthen local governments’ capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change policies. California legislation such as SB 375 focuses on local government authority to address the causes of climate change. Local governments have the ability to mandate energy efficient buildings, control land uses, and directing regional transportation planning. However, most research has focused on policies targeting higher levels of government. Additionally, planners and policymakers lack of a commonly accepted greenhouse gas measurement framework to assign responsibility for emissions among local governments. Even if such a framework existed, local governments seeking to reduce emissions may lack the knowledge and ability to identify successful emissions reduction opportunities. LoGCAP will address these challenges by supporting and applying academic research to:

-Develop benchmarks for community greenhouse gas emissions measurement and accountability to help local jurisdictions plan, implement, and measure improvements

-Work with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and other organizations to develop practical greenhouse gas measurement guidelines and standards for communities

-Identify the effectiveness and costs of various local climate change mitigation and adaptation policies, evaluate the financing options for such mitigating and adaptive policies, and assess the equity of the distribution of such costs.

For more information: www.lewis.ucla.edu/climate

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Profile: Incoming Board Member, Hasan Ikhrata

Hasan Ikhrata has served as Executive Director of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) since January 2008. His responsibilities include implementing the policies of an 83-member Regional Council and directing day-to-day operations of the nation’s largest Metropolitan Planning Organization. Ikhrata has over 25 years of public and private sector experience in Transportation Planning in the Southern California region.

Prior to joining SCAG in 1994, Ikhrata worked for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for four years. While there, he developed a comprehensive Transportation Control Measure/Transportation Demand Management program for the MTA and 88 cities in the County. While at the MTA he also developed multi-modal performance measures for use in updating the MTA Long Term Capital Plan. Ikhrata worked for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for two years managing transportation and air quality related projects. He headed the evaluation of various components of Regulation XV, the nation’s first mandatory employer based trip reduction program designed to reduce commute related automobile travel. Holding a Research Assistant position for six years with the University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Ikhrata investigated three main areas: land use and transportation planning; harnessing the energy of tidal waves; and pile foundations under dynamic loads. He also worked abroad for the USSR government, Moscow Metro Corporation, where he conducted subway ridership forecasting, engineering design and analysis of TDM programs for the Moscow Subway system.

Hasan Ikhrata holds PhD Candidacy in Urban Planning and Transportation from USC, a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from UCLA, and Bachelors and Masters degrees in Civil and Industrial Engineering from Zaporozhye University in the former Soviet Union.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

New Sustainable Transportation Program at UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies

The University of California’s Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) received a $6.25 million grant to create a new Program for Sustainable Transportation over the next five years. The new program is funded by the UC Office of the President and will bring together researchers from more than 30 disciplines on six UC campuses to seed multi-disciplinary initiatives, including collaborations between economists, geographers, ecologists, city and regional planners, public policy analysts, engineers from civil, environmental, electrical and mechanical engineering, computer scientists and experts in energy. UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and Lewis Center faculty affiliates will focus on three specific projects this year:

-JR DeShazo, Director of the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, and Rui Wang, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, will be working in collaboration with faculty from UC Irvine and other campuses to address the needs of local and regional governments. The project will identify information needed to engage more effectively in sustainable land use and transport planning. Work will include canvassing the range of existing local government initiatives related to GHG emissions from the transport sector, and prioritizing local policies and practices for further study.

-Allison Yoh, Associate Director of the Lewis Center; and Brian Taylor, Professor and Chair of Urban Planning and ; Director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies will work with researchers at UC Berkeley to assist Caltrans in developing a statewide transit strategic plan. The plan will facilitate the delivery of cost-effective public transit services to improve mobility, contribute to climate stabilization, and support employment access. Effective transit services will require coordination between many agencies and institutions, including the transportation community, land use authorities, environmental groups, metropolitan planning organizations, and state and federal agencies. Yoh and Taylor will address the challenge of aligning multiple (and many) interests to a common goal by recommending measures for performance, and mechanisms for enforcing accountability.

-Michael Manville, Postdoctoral Scholar at the Lewis Center, and Donald Shoup, Professor of Urban Planning, will conduct an evaluation of barriers to the successful implementation of performance-priced curb parking. Both Los Angeles and San Francisco currently are engaged in multi-million dollar experiments with market-priced parking to test their efficacy in reducing vehicle miles traveled (and therefore carbon emissions, energy expenditures, and other pollutants), and in generating significant revenue. Early evidence from both cities, however, suggests that these experiments may be undermined by large amounts of legal and illegal nonpayment. This project will estimate the magnitude of the nonpayment problem, identify its sources, and suggest ways to overcome it.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Profile: Incoming Board Member, Michael Woo

Michael Woo is Dean of the College of Environmental Design at Cal Poly Pomona, serving 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students in architecture, landscape architecture, urban and regional planning, art, and regenerative studies.

The first trained urban planner elected to the Los Angeles City Council (1985 – 1993), Woo has been involved in issues such as climate change, smart growth, the relationship between land use and transportation, and the promotion of healthy cities. In 1993, Woo gave up his Council seat to run for Mayor of Los Angeles. Out of 24 candidates in the field, he reached second place, ultimately receiving 46 percent of the citywide vote in the June 1993 run-off election. Woo has been a member of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission since 2005. As a planning commissioner, Woo played a key part helping to draft the “Do Real Planning” principles, which publicly stated the Commission’s expectations of proposed new development projects. He has been a strong proponent of transportation demand management requirements and reform of off-street parking policies. Most recently, Woo initiated the temporary moratorium on new electronic billboards and a Planning Department study of land use options for reducing the health effects of breathing polluted air within 500 yards of a freeway. From 2008 - 2009, Woo worked as a consultant to ClimatePlan, a statewide coalition advocating changes in local land use and transportation policies as a key strategy for combating climate change. In early 2009, Woo was appointed to the Regional Targets Advisory Committee which gave recommendations to the California Air Resources Board for reducing greenhouse gas emission relating to land use and transportation changes in each region of the state. Woo was an Adjunct Professor at USC’s School of Policy, Planning, and Development, teaching the undergraduate introduction to urban planning and development.

He earned his Master of City Planning degree from UC Berkeley, and received a B.A. in Politics and Urban Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Michael Woo is Dean of the College of Environmental Design at Cal Poly Pomona, serving 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students in architecture, landscape architecture, urban and regional planning, art, and regenerative studies.

He earned his Master of City Planning degree from UC Berkeley, and received a B.A. in Politics and Urban Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Profile: Incoming Board Member, Katherine Perez

Katherine Aguilar Perez is the Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Los Angeles District Council. With her background in private real estate development, governmental policy and urban planning, she has emerged as one of the most articulate and credible advocates promoting the responsible use of land.

Previously, Perez was the Vice President of Development for Forest City Development where she focused on transit oriented development and mixed use projects in emerging markets. Prior to joining Forest City, Ms. Perez was the co-founder and Executive Director of the Transportation and Land Use Collaborative (TLUC) of Southern California, a nationally recognized non-profit that promotes greater civic involvement in planning and development. Previously, she worked for Pasadena Mayor William Bogaard as the Deputy to the Mayor where she worked on transportation, planning and Latino constituents’ issues. In August 2009, Perez was appointed to the California Public Infrastructure Advisory Commission by Secretary of Business, Transportation & Housing Dale Bonner. The Commission will assist the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and regional transportation agencies in developing public-private financing agreements for high-priority infrastructure projects throughout the state. In July 2009, Perez was asked to join the Advisory Board of the US High Speed Rail Association, the only organization in the United States focused entirely on advancing a state of the art national high speed rail network across the country. Perez is an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Planning and Development, teaching the graduate courses designed to focus on the technical skills of public participation. Recently, Perez served as an Adjunct Professor at the UCLA School of Policy teaching on transit oriented development. Katherine Perez is recognized as a 2009-2010 Senior Fellow of the UCLA School of Public Affairs. Senior Fellows are distinguished civic leaders to volunteer their time to leadership development in the School. She serves on the Board of Directors for AltaMed Health Services, which provides healthcare and human services to the underserved, multi-ethnic communities of Los Angeles County. She is a member of the UCLA Alumni Council of the Graduate School of Public Affairs.

Katherine Perez received her Masters Degree in Urban Planning and Transportation from UCLA and her Bachelors Degree in Political Science from CalState Northridge

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Profile: Incoming Board Member, Mary D. Nichols

Mary D. Nichols was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Chair of the California Air Resources Board in July 2007. She returns to the Air Board 30 years after serving under Governor Jerry Brown from 1978 to 1983.

In her return as Chair, Nichols’ priorities include the full implementation of AB 32, the state’s landmark climate change program, as well as steering the Board through numerous efforts to address goods movement and curb pollution from diesel trucks, offroad equipment, and ports activities. Nichols also oversees the expenditure of $8,000,000 in annual research funds at dozens of universities and research institutes, including projects directly linked to policy development in the fields of health effects, exposure, emissions, atmospheric processes, economics, and advanced technologies for both air pollution and climate change.

Nichols has devoted her entire career in public and private, not-for-profit service to advocating for the environment and public health. In addition to her work at the Air Board, she has held a number of positions, including Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Air and Radiation program under the Clinton Administration; Secretary for California's Resources Agency from 1999 to 2003; and Director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment. As one of California’s – and the nation’s -- first environmental lawyers she initiated precedent-setting test cases under the Federal Clean Air Act and California air quality laws while practicing as a staff attorney for the Center for Law in the Public Interest. She is also a professor of law at the UCLA Law School, and a member of the board of advisors of the UCLA-based Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment. Her connection to UC Davis dates back to 1994 when Nichols served on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Transportation Studies.

Mary Nichols holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Making Solar Energy More Affordable

In a study commissioned by the Los Angeles Business Council, Lewis Center research staff are collaborating with the Emmett Center for Climate Change and the Environment in the UCLA School of Law to find ways to make roof-top solar energy more affordable. The team will evaluate the expected future costs of rooftop solar energy development, predict development rates by rooftop solar providers under current policy, and determine expected participation by rooftop solar providers under alternative programs. The final reports will be used by regional policy makers as a guideline for policy design in order to achieve lasting economic development and meaningful contribution from solar energy towards the region’s renewable energy goals.

For more information, please contact Ryan Matulka at ryan.matulka.2009@anderson.ucla.edu

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Leading the Region out of Recession: Investing in Latino-owned Firms

Lewis Center Director J.R. DeShazo recently completed research on the role of Latino-owned firms in the Greater Los Angeles Economy. Los Angeles Latino-owned firms lead the nation in numbers, comprising over half of all minority-owned firms in the region, and DeShazo suggests that strengthening these firms will grow the regional economy, and lead the region out of the recession. These firms tend to operate in the economic sectors of construction, retail, health care and social assistance, and are also poised to create new green technology jobs and related stimulus package jobs. Latino-owned firms are likely to benefit from investment more than other minority-owned firms, because they are more likely to be sole proprietor businesses, often with no or very few employees, and could benefit greatly from technical assistance in the areas of marketing, business plan development, accounting, information technology and tax preparation. Such assistance should come from both local public agencies deigned to support businesses as well as business associations. Latino-owned firms are also more heavily dependent on business financing from their own home equity loans and on personal credit cards than are other minority groups, and therefore are more likely than other groups to be hard hit by the recession. In the near term, Latino-owned business will need short-term credit, which will also strengthen longer-term relationships between commercial banks and Latino-own businesses.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Arrowhead Symposium on Transportation-Land Use-Environment Connection

Scholars, policymakers, and practitioners met October 18-20 for the annual Lake Arrowhead Symposium on the Transportation, Land Use, and Environment Connection. This year’s theme, appropriately, was "Economic Crisis as Opportunity for Reform." Over two and one-half days, decision makers and analysts at all levels for the public and private sectors explored the roots of the current economic crisis, its global scale and local implications for both transportation systems and local government finance. Panels and speakers also addressed the challenges to building consensus amidst potentially competing economic and environmental needs, and consider opportunities to better measure and evaluate the performance of urban and transportation systems. Finally, discussions turned to solutions for fundamentally altering systems of authority and action in order to increase the stability, accountability, and performance of government in California.

The symposium was co-sponsored by UCLA Extension Public Policy Program; UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies; and the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies.

Conference proceedings will be available online in early 2010, through the Institute of Transportation Studies website: www.its.ucla.edu/events/

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

New Course: The Politics of Traffic Congestion

Lewis Center Postdoctoral Scholar Michael Manville is teaching a course this quarter on the Politics of Traffic Congestion. Dr. Manville's course, open to graduate students in the School of Public Affairs, analyzes the political problem of congestion. Readings and lectures focus on the incentives that face elected leaders in their quest for traffic jam-busting solutions. The course will highlight the feasibility of pricing policies, the politics of public transportation investments, and the use of development restrictions to fight traffic.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Graduate Research Grants (GRG) deadline is October 23, 2009

Currently, the Lewis Center is allocating approximately 6 awards between $1,000 and $4,500 each, in support of:
-Theses
-Applied Policy Projects (APP's)
-Client Projects
-Comprehensive Projects
-Applied Management Research (AMR's)
-Law School Related Research Projects

This money can be used to cover research expenses such as:
-Data
-Software
-Travel for data collection
-Production of a final report
-Undergraduate research assistance

Priority is given to projects on regional issues in southern California. Last year’s recipients studied individual and collaborative projects covering a range of topics, a list of which can be found on our website: Graduate Research Grants 2009

We encourage all graduate students to apply. Please check the Lewis Center website for the most up-to-date information on this program. Graduate Research Grants 2010

Monday, October 5, 2009

New at the Lewis Center: Deborah Grantham

The Lewis Center welcomes Deborah Grantham as the Events Planner and Communications Coordinator. In her new role, Deborah will work to communicate the Center's research to a variety of audiences: practitioners and specialists, policy-makers, students, and other stakeholders. Deborah is a long-time member of the UCLA community, having worked in marketing environments to promote healthcare and education. Most recently, at UCLA Extension, she publicized and supported business classes and conference events, while simultaneously supplementing her education through evening classes in the fields of landscape architecture, land use, site planning, and environmental impact and social analysis in development. We welcome Deborah and the wealth of expertise and experience that she brings to this position.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Rediscovering the Urban River: Los Angeles and Beyond

Undergraduate minors in Urban and Regional Planning have developed a public awareness exhibit documenting urban impacts on rivers and restoration efforts. Students consulted with various stakeholders of the L.A. River and, through photography and archival research, documented the changing uses of urban rivers and the effects of restoration efforts.

Accompanied by Professor Paul Ong of the Department of Urban Planning, a group of students also traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil. At the same time, others traveled to several U.S. cities. The students compared and contrasted river restoration efforts in cities throughout the nation and the world.

The project is co-sponsored by the Lewis Center, and was recently on display as part of UCLA Day and the School of Public Affairs reception for alumni and distinguished achievement awardees. Students worked closely with L.A. City Councilmember Ed Reyes and his staff to display it at the Los Angeles River Center during July. The exhibit was also part of the Salon Series of the Los Angeles Architectural Foundation and was exhibited at the Friends of the LA River's "Touch the Water, A River Play." The exhibit will be on display at the Heal the Bay Aquarium through December 2009.

Click here to see the posters.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hear audio files from the recent conference on Solving California's Foreclosure Crisis

Conference program and speaker biographies
Audio files for presentations
Highlights of the Conference

Full Audio Recordings of Conference Sessions:
Welcome and Keynote Remarks by Assemblymember Ted Lieu
Session 1: Getting Our Bearings
Session 2: Assessing Effects - Economic and Social Impacts of the Crisis on Neighborhoods, Localities, and States
Session 3: Public and Non-Profit Sector Responses to the Crisis
Session 4: Private Sector Responses to the Crisis
Powerpoint files for presentations
Conference proceedings (coming soon!)
Speaker and Participant Rosters

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Donald Shoup and Allison Yoh Testify on Reducing Congestion and Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Parking Policy Reform

Invited by California Senator Alan Lowenthal, ITS faculty member Donald Shoup and Lewis Center Associate Director Allison Yoh testified before the Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing at a February hearing on reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions through parking policy.

Donald Shoup reported that free parking and minimum parking requirements distort urban form, skew travel choices, raise the cost of housing and other goods, and harm the environment. He proposed that cities charge the right prices for curb parking that leave one or two spaces open at all times, return meter revenues to neighborhoods that generate them, and reduce or remove off-street parking requirements. Allison Yoh presented parking strategies for reducing congestion, based on a recent RAND report that she co-authored. She reported that the use of pricing - including the pricing of parking - is critical to meeting congestion reduction goals. Although often controversial, pricing strategies are cost-effective to implement, equitable when implemented widely, and can raise revenues to address impacts on lower-income drivers and support other alternatives such as transit.

Senator Lowenthal subsequently authored and introduced Senate Bill 518, which passed in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee in April. The bill requires that cities and counties adopt various options from a menu of parking-related policies, ranging from unbundling parking prices in residential rental developments with five or more units, to eliminating minimum parking requirements.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Zoe Elizabeth Develops Sustainability Indicators for Los Angeles Metro

Zoe Elizabeth, an Urban Planning graduate student and recipient of a Lewis Center Graduate Research Grant, is developing a set of sustainability indicators for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). As one of the nation's largest land-owners, electricity consumers, and vehicle fleet operators, Metro's activities create serious environmental impacts in the region.

Elizabeth's research project, Indicating Progress: Metrics and Methodologies in Sustainability Reporting, will provide: 1) fifteen recommended sustainability indicators; 2) a sustainability report, including seven years of analysis on the 15 indicators; and 3) an implementation plan and data collection system that will streamline future reporting efforts.

Elizabeth, with assistance from Graduate Student Researcher Eric Yurkovich, will complete the report in June and present it to the Metro Board of Directors to assist them in measuring the agency's environmental performance and comparing the cost effectiveness of various resource management projects.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Graduate Student Grant (GRG) Recipients announced!

The Lewis Center supports graduate education with small grants for capstone research projects. We are pleased to announce this year's recipients of the Graduate Student Grants:

Stephen Brumbaugh, Department of Urban Planning,
"Approaches to Congestion in Public Transit Advocacy"

Mark Conolly, Department of Public Policy
Dustin Maghamfar, Department of Public Policy
Nisha Mehling, Department of Public Policy
Julie Munjack, Department of Public Policy
Kyle Slocum, Department of Public Policy
"Reducing the Environmental Impact of the Production Cycle of Print Media"

Zoe Elizabeth, Department of Urban Planning
"Indicating Progress: A proposal for sustainability indicators for Los Angeles Metro"

Christopher Gladora, Department of Urban Planning
"A Right to the City: Building a Los Angeles Tenant Union."

Lisa Han, Department of Public Policy
Vivian Hsu, Department of Public Policy
Derek Ishikawa, Department of Public Policy and School of Law
"Fostering Connections: Transitioning Aged Out Foster Care Youth"

Jamillah Jordan, Department of Urban Planning
"Improving Fresh Food Retail in South Los Angeles"

John Petrilla, Department of Public Policy
Kenji Sato, Department of Public Policy
Andy Sywak, Department of Public Policy
"Clearing the Air: Analysis of the Port of Long Beach's Clean Trucks Program"

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Dr. Allison Yoh joins Lewis Center as the new Associate Director

The Lewis Center welcomes Dr. Allison Yoh as the new Associate Director for External Affairs. Allison is a long-time member of the UCLA School of Public Affairs family, having received her master's and doctoral degrees from the Department of Urban Planning. While at UCLA, Allison has evaluated the costs of implementing bus rapid transit, provided Caltrans with policy recommendations on the use of interoperability standards for new transit fare collection technologies, and published journal articles and reports on how transit agencies increased ridership. Allison served as a member of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors for two years as a mayoral appointee. In her new role at the Lewis Center, Allison will work with public agencies, organizations, and stakeholders to communicate the Center's research and foster ongoing efforts to bridge research and practice.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Grad student Mike Sandler and Lewis Center Director J.R. DeShazo calculate cost of climate policy

Upcoming climate change legislation that adds costs to coal and natural gas could also raise household electricity costs. To understand the magnitude of such financial costs on households, Urban Planning graduate student Mike Sandler and Lewis Center Director J.R. DeShazo estimated that a tax or price increase of $15 per ton of carbon dioxide from burning coal would increase average annual household electricity bills by 15 percent. Households in coal-rich states could see increases of 65-105 percent in annual electricity bills, while those in low-coal-burning states could increase by one percent or less. DeShazo and Sandler warn that absent other policies to help states and households cope with short-term price increases, rising electricity prices will most significantly hurt states with higher poverty rates, as these states are likely to experience a larger increase of costs as a share of median income. Although carbon pricing policies may help push the economy toward energy efficiency, job creation, and sustainability, states should consider assistance measures such as revenue recycling to mitigate the short-term costs to consumers - especially to those residing in coal-dependent states. You can read the full findings here.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Randall Lewis and Highlights from the 2008 Lake Arrowhead Symposium

Scholars, policymakers, and practitioners met in October for the annual Lake Arrowhead Symposium on the Transportation, Land Use, and Environment Connection. The event focused on "The Future of Cities and Travel," and sought solutions for meeting long-term needs in light of current economic, political, and fiscal uncertainties. Randall Lewis of the Lewis Group of Companies and Advisory Board Member for the UCLA School of Public Affairs shared his observations as a private developer. He urged that compact, dense, and mixed-use development is no longer an alternative lifestyle choice, but a necessity in light of the worst levels of traffic congestion seen in decades. The Lewis Group has been developing housing with amenities such as gym facilities, home offices, and telecommunications centers to reduce residents' transportation costs. Lewis called for more flexible transit systems, and innovative development efforts that will provide multiple benefits in housing, environment, and transportation.

Following Lewis's call, speakers from a variety of industry groups spoke about new solutions, lessons learned, and emerging questions. John German, Manager of Environmental and Energy Analyses for American Honda Motor Company, reported strategies for producing fleets with mixed fuel efficiency targets to better respond to consumer demand and the current instability of fuel prices. Dario Hidalgo, Senior Transport Engineer at EMBARQ, a nonprofit institution that develops sustainable transportation, discussed the high benefits and relatively low costs of implementing flexible bus rapid transit systems around the globe. Political demand for these projects has been driven as much by resource constraints as the demand from riders for flexible services.

Conference proceedings will be available online in early 2009, through the Institute of Transportation Studies website: http://www.its.ucla.edu/events/.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

John Mathews joins the Lewis Center as the new Operations Manager

The Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies welcomes John Mathews as the Center's new Operations Manager. John was recently hired in September 2008 in part because of his strong office management background, which showed him to be skilled in event planning, graphic design, space management, budgetary tracking, and general knowledge of the campus's interdepartmental structure and functions. John also brings with him a vast array of knowledge and experience in the areas of concentration that are important to the Lewis Center: Labor issues, through the Labor Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) Program; environmental issues, through the Institute of the Environment (IOE) and the Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE) Program; transportation issues, through the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS); and housing issues, through the Department of Urban Planning. We welcome John and the wealth of expertise and experience that he brings to this position - not only in his field of administrative support, but also in dealing with issues important to Southern California in general.

John also works as a freelance writer in the entertainment industry and has been known to put on comedy shows both in Hollywood and online. You can check out his personal website at futurejohn.com, although technically, it's not supposed to be finished until 2145.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Research Position Available: Evaluating Local Responses to Housing Foreclosures

The Lewis Center is seeking applications from researchers for a study on local government responses to housing foreclosures in Southern California. The research will include a survey of various housing and housing-related agencies to evaluate existing policy and programmatic responses to the housing crisis. The goal is to assess deficiencies in existing responses, and to identify and offer policy recommendations for additional capacity, including the ability of local government to act as a conduit for future federal funding initiatives.

Graduate student researchers or postdoctoral fellows are invited and encouraged to apply. Salary and pay rate are dependent on qualifications, as set by university guidelines. For graduate students, fee remission is available with 25 percent time employment; and for postdoctoral fellows, health and other employment benefits will be provided.

For more information about the project and application process, please contact John Mathews at mathewsj@ucla.edu or at 310-206-0573.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Doug Houston, Margaret Krudysz, Arthur Winer researches diesel truck emissions and public health in southern California

In a Lewis Center sponsored research project, authors Doug Houston and Margaret Krudysz, and principal investigator Arthur Winer of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, evaluated the impacts of heavy duty diesel truck (HDDT) traffic on residents of areas near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Container traffic at these ports has tripled in the last 15 years resulting in massive port-related (HDDT) traffic on surface streets in the port-adjacent low-income and minority communities of Wilmington and western Long Beach. With funding from the University of California Transportation Center, the authors found that HDDTs often reached 400-600 vehicles per hour for several hours, immediately upwind of 'sensitive' land uses such as schools, open-field parks and residences. Given the documented health and environmental consequences of HDDT emissions, these findings raise serious public health and environmental justice concerns for inhabitants in these port-adjacent communities. The authors identify conflicting land uses where exposure to such high levels of port-related HDDT emissions could potentially impact residents using roadway-adjacent schools, recreation facilities, and housing complexes. The authors also call for more study on the effectiveness of barriers such as sound walls or landscape buffers in mediating near-roadway pollution, and a more complete investigation of the health effects and environmental justice implications of this research.

Their findings are included in a paper to be published in the Journal of the Transportation Research Board. A copy of the research paper is available here.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Evelyn Blumenberg reports findings regarding transportation options for immigrants

California is in the midst of a demographic transformation. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, nearly 30 percent of the California population is now foreign-born, and demographic forecasts suggest that California will continue to become increasingly diverse, racially and ethnically.

Evelyn Blumenberg of UCLA - in collaboration with Susan Handy of UC Davis, and Caroline Rodier and Susan Shaheen of Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH) of UC Berkeley -recently completed a study that provided the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and other transportation agencies throughout the state with recommendations on improving transportation systems for a diverse population. Specifically, the authors find that immigrants predominantly travel by automobile but rely more heavily on transportation alternatives (public transit and carpooling) than U.S.-born adults. Immigrants also rapidly assimilate to auto use within years of arriving in California, suggesting that transit agencies may face ridership declines with projected slowing of immigration to California. The authors find that immigrants show similar transit needs as U.S. born populations, and suggest that if transit agencies improve services to meet the needs of current riders, such changes will improve transit services for all populations. Immigrants want better quality transit - more frequent service and shorter travel times, and such services are most cost-effective in higher density neighborhoods. And, outside of central city areas, automobiles provide superior access to jobs and services, suggesting that car travel should be more attainable for immigrants in such environments.

In light of new environmental and clean energy policies, such as the California Global Warming Solutions Act (Assembly Bill (AB) 32), transit improvements deserve particular attention. Because immigrants are more than twice as likely to use transit as U.S.-born persons, we may see greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from transit service improvements that target immigrant communities. A full report of findings can be found here.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Dr. Rui Wang joins UCLA as Assistant Professor of Urban Planning

The Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies welcomes Dr. Rui Wang, recently hired as Assistant Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA.

Professor Wang received his Ph.D. in Public Policy from Harvard University, where his dissertation won the prestigious annual Taubman Urban Prize from the Harvard Kennedy School. In particular, Professor Wang's work focuses on transportation, environmental quality, and the growth of Chinese cities; and is particularly relevant in light of China's increasing economic and urban growth, which presents environmental and transportation challenges of global importance. Professor Wang also has studied the role of infrastructure investment in development and the impact of economic growth on the environment. Recently, he started two new research projects. One is on the voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction behavior of U.S. cities, with a more detailed analysis on cities in California. The other is a joint project with Professor Matt Kahn and another scholar in China on the "greenness" of Chinese cities.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Hot off the Press-Jobs and Economic Development in Minority Communities

Over the past four decades, the forces of economic restructuring, globalization, and suburbanization, coupled with changes in social policies have dimmed hopes for revitalizing minority neighborhoods in the U.S. Community economic development offers a possible way to improve economic and employment opportunities in minority communities. In this authoritative collection of original essays, contributors evaluate current programs and their prospects for future success.

More >>

Friday, June 23, 2006

Press Release: Ratings of So Cal Local Government Lukewarm

The 2006 survey found that a majority of Southern California residents have some degree of confidence in local government, although they have less confidence in local government’s ability to solve the problems that most affect them. Whites have more confidence than other ethnic groups do. Regionally, Inland empire residents have lost considerable confidence in local government since last year. Overall, ratings of local government performance vary by issue area, but most residents rate performance as neither adequate nor inadequate but somewhere in the middle. However there is greater polarization in opinion on government performance in 2006 than we found in 2005.

What is the SCS?

The 2006 Southern California Survey (SCS) is supported by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and is designed to gather the views and opinions of Southern California residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed with input from the campus and community organizations. including the UCLA Anderson School, the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), the Southern California Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and Heal the Bay. Several UCLA faculty provided valuable input: Professors J.R. DeShazo, Ed Leamer, Linwood Pendleton, Chris Thornberg and Arthur Winer.

The 2006 Survey gathered basic demographic data and covered four topical areas:

1. Major Issues Facing the Region
2. Efficacy of Local Government
3. Globalization
4. Environment

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Friday, June 23, 2006

Press Release: Policy Brief- The Economic Development Potential of the Green Sector

This brief contains policy recommendations on establishing a regional economic development and job creation initiative to grow the Green sector into a significant export base. The long-term goals are to capture internal and external economies of scale, agglomeration benefits, and a cutting edge market identity to develop a region as a leader for meeting the growing demand for Green jobs and services. This effort requires a rounded and balanced economic ecology that includes strengthening and increasing the number of Green vendors, suppliers and related supply chains. This is a desirable goal because the Green market is projected to grow substantially both domestically and globally over the next decade.

Proceed to Policy Briefs download page >>

Monday, June 5, 2006

2006 GIS Contest Award Winners

The Lewis Center would like to thank everyone who entered the 2006 Lewis Center GIS Contest. The contest was started three years ago to promote the use of spatial analysis and geographic techniques to study Southern California planning and policy issues and has been growing steadily ever since. This year, we had an overwhelming response, and in fact, there were more entries this year than all previous years combined. Winners were chosen based on research organization and methods as well as the use of GIS to produce descriptive and analytical insight regarding the policy question.

This year's winners are:

1st place: Lori Ring (Social Welfare) - Understanding Environmental Characteristics Pertaining to Infant Abandonments and Surrenders in Los Angeles County

2nd place (tied): Adrian Leung (Urban Planning) - Geographical Barriers - New Bicycle Lanes in the Northern Los Angeles Basin

2nd place (tied): Andrea Osgood, Sandra O'Flaherty, and Lara Regus (Urban Planning) - Is Los Angeles more crowded than New York? Using GIS to compare population density in Los Angeles & New York

Honorable Mention: Veronica Saldana (Urban Planning) - Colonias in the Imperial County: Underserved and Unacknowledged Communities

*Final projects will be posted online at the end of June.

GIS Reports/Posters

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Lewis Center Hosts Successful Symposium to Inaugurate New Minor

On Friday, May 12th, the Lewis Center hosted a successful symposium to inaugurate the new undergraduate urban and regional studies minor to begin fall 2006. About 50 students, faculty, counselors, and departmental administrators were in attendance. The event was organized by Professors Paul Ong and Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris and included top scholars
working on urban and regional issues.

Faculty from off-campus who also direct or chair undergraduate urban studies minors at their respective departments also participated in a pre-symposium dinner on Thursday, Math 11th, to exchange ideas about each of their programs. The lively discussion revolved around how each program started, how each is currently run, strengths and weaknesses, and visions for the future. Those attending the dinner or symposium included faculty from UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, Stanford University and USC

The new undergraduate minor will be under the direction Professor Brian D. Taylor, a faculty member in the Department of Urban Planning and Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies. Sherry Dodge will be the undergraduate counselor. For additional information about the minor, please contact Sherry Dodge at 310/206-4613 OR dodge@spa.ucla.edu .

Daily Bruin article - http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=37166

Friday, March 17, 2006

Center Mourns Passing of Goldy Lewis

Story by Stan Paul

Goldy Lewis, longtime supporter of the Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, died March 14. She was 84.

Lewis and her late husband Ralph Lewis founded Lewis Homes in the 1950s and in the following decades built thousands of homes throughout Southern California. The Lewis Center was established in 1988 with a $5 million endowment from the couple. Ralph Lewis passed away in 2001.

“One of my greatest pleasures was the opportunity to meet Goldy Lewis,” said Paul Ong, current director of the Lewis Center. “She was warm and gracious, and her support of the Lewis Center has enabled UCLA to tackle many of Southern California’s pressing problems as well as train a new generation who would make her proud. She will be missed.”

The Lewis Center was established to promote the study, understanding and solution of regional policy issues, with special reference to Southern California, including problems of the environment, urban design, housing, community and neighborhood dynamics, transportation and economic development. It is a focus of interdisciplinary activities, involving numerous faculty members and graduate students from many schools and departments at UCLA. It also fosters links with researchers at other California universities and research institutes on issues of relevance to regional policy.

Monday, July 11, 2005

Press Release 12: Ratings of So Cal Local Government Lukewarm

A 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies found that a majority of Southern California residents have some degree of confidence in their local government, although they have less confidence in local government’s ability to solve the problems that most affect them. Whites and Latinos have more confidence than other ethnic groups and Los Angeles County residents have less confidence in local government than residents of other areas of Southern California. Ratings of local government performance vary by issue area, but overall residents seem to rate performance as neither adequate nor inadequate but somewhere in the middle.

More details on Southern California residents’ confidence in their local government can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 15.

What is the SCS?

The Southern California Survey gathers information on the views and opinions of residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed by the Lewis Center with input from the campus and community organizations. The 2005 survey gathered basic demographic data and covered seven topical areas, and was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at California State University Fullerton in English and Spanish during the months of January and February 2005 using random digit dialing. For the sample of 1,544 in Southern California, the margin of error is +/- 2.6%. Technical information on the survey can be found at http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu.

Other SCS Fact Sheets

Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, Terrorism, Congestion, Transit, Hybrid Cars, Housing, and Major Problems facing Southern California.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Monday, July 11, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Press Release 11: Transportation, Economy, and Crime Top Los Angeles County Residents’ Concerns About the Region

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, Los Angeles County residents mention transportation, the economy, crime, education, and housing as the most important problems in the region. Transportation was by far the most cited concern, both overall and across demographic groups. Respondents who cited these top problems were more likely than others to indicate that local officials’ performance in improving the problem was inadequate.

More details on Los Angeles County residents’ perceptions of the most important regional problems can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 14.

What is the SCS?

Other SCS Fact Sheets

Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, Terrorism, Congestion, Transit, Hybrid Cars, and Housing. Next week the Lewis Center will release the final SCS Fact Sheet. Issue no. 15. will look at perceptions of Southern California local government.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, June 30, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Press Release 10: Southern California's Housing Affordability Problem

Southern California’s Housing Affordability Problem

Over the last five years, the housing market in Southern California has remained very dynamic with a significant number of households changing residence, but high and rapidly increasing housing prices have created barriers to home ownership. A 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies found that nearly two-fifths of the residents in this region have encountered difficulties in finding affordable housing while actively looking for housing. Moreover, a majority of the residents do not believe that local government is doing enough to provide affordable housing.

More details on Southern California’s housing affordability problem can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 13 .

What is the SCS?

The Southern California Survey gathers information on the views and opinions of residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed by the Lewis Center with input from campus and community organizations. The 2005 survey gathered basic demographic data and covered seven topical areas, and was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at California State University Fullerton in English and Spanish during the months of January and February 2005 using random digit dialing. For the sample of 1,544 in Southern California, the margin of error is +/- 2.6%. Technical information on the survey can be found at http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu.

Other SCS Fact Sheets

Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, Hybrid Cars, Terrorism, Traffic Congestion, Public Transit, and Major Problems in Southern California. Over the next few weeks, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to Government Efficacy and other critical issues. Issue no. 14 will focus on respondents’ perceptions of the major problems in Los Angeles County.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Tuesday, June 21, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Thursday, June 9, 2005

Press Release 9: Transportation, Economy, and Education Top So Cal Problems

Transportation, Economy, and Education Top So Cal Problems

Southern California is in many ways an attractive place to live, with weather, quality of life, and amenities being the biggest draws. However, a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies found that despite these positive features, residents still do have some serious concerns. Residents indicated that transportation, the economy, education, crime, and housing were the most important problems in the region. Transportation was, by far, the most cited concern, both overall and across demographic groups.

More details on Southern California residents’ top concerns can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 12.

What is the SCS?

The Southern California Survey gathers information on the views and opinions of residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed by the Lewis Center with input from campus and community organizations. The 2005 survey gathered basic demographic data and covered seven topical areas, and was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at California State University Fullerton in English and Spanish during the months of January and February 2005 using random digit dialing. For the sample of 1,544 in Southern California, the margin of error is +/- 2.6%. Technical information on the survey can be found at http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu.

Other SCS Fact Sheets

Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, Hybrid Cars, Terrorism, Traffic Congestion, and Public Transit. Over the next two months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to Government Efficacy and other critical issues. Issue no. 13 will focus on Housing in the region.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, June 15, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Thursday, June 2, 2005

Press Release 8: Barriers to Transit Use

Barriers to Transit Use

A 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies found that, in general, public transit is underutilized. Ridership on public transportation accounts for only a very small fraction of all trips, with utilization varying systematically with economic and demographic characteristics. People do not use mass transit more often because it offers only limited service and geographic coverage. Overcoming these barriers will be challenging.

More details on low public transit ridership can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 11.

What is the SCS?

The Southern California Survey gathers information on the views and opinions of residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed by the Lewis Center with input from campus and community organizations. The 2005 survey gathered basic demographic data and covered seven topical areas, and was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at California State University Fullerton in English and Spanish during the months of January and February 2005 using random digit dialing. For the sample of 1,544 in Southern California, the margin of error is +/- 2.6%. Technical information on the survey can be found at http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu.

Other SCS Fact Sheets

Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, Hybrid Cars, Terrorism, and Traffic Congestion. Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to Housing, Government Efficacy, and other critical issues. Issue no. 12 will focus on Major Problems in the region.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, June 9, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Press Release 7: Perceptions of Congestion Not Universal

Perceptions of Congestion Not Universal

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, Southern California residents perceive traffic congestion as one of the most pressing daily inconveniences. Delays on freeways and streets impose a cost on residents in terms of lost time, higher fuel bills, and greater air pollution. The problem is not unique to this region, but Southern California has more than its share. Key findings from the survey are that a majority frequently encounter delays while driving. The perception of the problem varies with economic and demographic characteristics, and most find government action wanting in terms of improving transportation.

More details on the public’s perceptions of traffic congestion can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 10.

What is the SCS?

The Southern California Survey gathers information on the views and opinions of residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed by the Lewis Center with input from campus and community organizations. The 2005 survey gathered basic demographic data and covered seven topical areas, and was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at California State University Fullerton in English and Spanish during the months of January and February 2005 using random digit dialing. For the sample of 1,544 in Southern California, the margin of error is +/- 2.6%. Technical information on the survey can be found at http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu.

Other SCS Fact Sheets

Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, Hybrid Cars, and Terrorism. Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to Housing, Government Efficacy, and other critical issues. Issue no. 11 will focus on Transit in the region.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, June 2, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Friday, May 20, 2005

Press Release 6: Terrorism Concern High in Southern California

Terrorism Concern High in Southern California

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, Southern Californians are more concerned about the likelihood of a terrorist attack than are Americans in general. A majority of Southern California residents believe it is likely that there will be at least one act of terrorism in the region in the next two years. Certain groups do appear to be more worried about the prospect of an attack than others. Overall, residents are fairly satisfied with their local officials’ preparedness for a terrorist attack.

More details on the public’s perceptions of the risk of terrorism and terrorism preparedness can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 9.

What is the SCS?
The Southern California Survey gathers information on the views and opinions of residents on critical public policy issues in this region. The survey was developed by the Lewis Center with input from the campus and community organizations. The 2005 survey gathered basic demographic data and covered seven topical areas, and was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at California State University Fullerton in English and Spanish during the months of January and February 2005 using random digit dialing. For the sample of 1,544 in Southern California, the margin of error is +/- 2.6%. Technical information on the survey can be found at http://lewis.spa.ucla.edu.

Other SCS Fact Sheets
Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, Earthquakes, and Hybrid Cars. Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to Transportation, Housing, Government Efficacy, and other critical issues. Issue no. 10 will focus on Traffic Congestion in the region.

Information is embargoed until Thursday, May 26, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Press Release 5: So Cal Residents Expect Major Quake in Next Five Years

So Cal Residents Expect Major Quake in Next Five Years

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, over three quarters of Southern California residents think it is likely that we will have a major earthquake in the next five years. This level of concern cuts across demographic groups. However, most Southern California residents have confidence in their local government’s ability to respond quickly and effectively in the aftermath of a major earthquake. More details on the public’s perceptions of earthquake risk and earthquake preparedness can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 8.

Other SCS Fact Sheets
Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the Economy, Community Engagement, Trust, Smart Growth, the Poor, Museum Attendance, and Hybrid Cars. Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to Terrorism, Transportation, Housing, and other critical issues. Issue no. 9 will focus on concerns about Terrorism in the region.

Information is embargoed until Thursday, May 19, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Monday, May 9, 2005

Press Release 4: SCS Fact Sheet - Museum Attendance Shifts

Museum Attendance Shifts

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, there has been a major shift in art and cultural museum attendance in recent years. The survey found that 48% of Southern California residents attended a museum in the last year, similar to the figure in 1984. However, there were significant changes in attendance among different groups. The proportion of Latinos and low-income residents who attended a museum dropped in the past 20 years, while the proportion of older residents attending museums rose. More details on the public’s opinion on attendance at art and cultural museums can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 7.

Other SCS Fact Sheets
Previous issues of the SCS Fact Sheet have covered topics on the economy, community engagement, trust, smart growth, the poor, and hybrid cars. Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to terrorism, traffic congestion, transit usage, housing, government performance, and other critical issues. Issue no. 8 will focus on earthquake concerns. Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu.

Information is embargoed until Thursday, May 12, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Monday, May 2, 2005

Press Release 3: SCS Fact Sheet - Local Gov. and the Poor; Hybrid Cars

Residents Say Local Government Does Not Do Enough for the Poor;
High Interest in Hybrid Cars

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, a majority of Southern California residents believe that local governments are not doing enough for the poor. The majority of those who believe government is not doing enough also state that local government is doing an inadequate job in the areas of education and housing. This opinion is held by most demographic groups.

The survey also found that a significant minority of residents are willing to pay more for a hybrid car, which combines gasoline and electric motors to increase fuel mileage and reduce air pollution. Willingness to pay more varies by income and ethnicity. Commuters and those with environmental concerns were also more likely to pay the additional cost for a hybrid car. More details on the public’s opinion on hybrid cars and local government’s efforts on behalf of the poor can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 5 and SCS Fact Sheet no. 6.

Still to Come….
Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to transportation, housing, earthquakes, terrorism, poverty, and other critical issues. Issue no. 7 will focus on art and cultural museum attendance.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, May 5, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Press Release 2: SCS Fact Sheet - Local Residents Less Trusting ; Smart Growth

Residents Less Trusting Than Rest of Nation;
Opposition To Mixed-Use and Dense Development is Strong

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, only a minority of Southern Californians are generally trusting of other people. Only 39 percent of Southern California residents stated that they generally trust others, which is a lower percentage than other surveys have found for the nation as a whole. The Southern California Survey (SCS) finds that trust is related to community engagement and confidence in local government, and that it varies by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

The Southern California Survey also found resistance to key components of Smart Growth, which uses dense housing development and more mixed-use development to alleviate traffic, housing and pollution problems. The Survey finds that Southern Californians are fairly split when asked if they would support a multi-unit apartment development two blocks from their home, but those who are opposed feel more strongly than those who would support it. A significant majority also stated that they would be opposed to a large commercial retail development close to home. Most importantly, a sizeable majority of homeowners, higher income households, voters, and established residents oppose these projects.

More details on the public’s opinion on Trust and Development opposition can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 3 and SCS Fact Sheet no. 4.

What is the SCS?

Still to Come….

Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to transportation, housing, earthquakes, terrorism, poverty, and other critical issues. Issue no. 5 will focus on hybrid vehicles and Issue no. 6 will focus on opinions about whether local government has done enough to help the poor.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, April 28, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Monday, April 25, 2005

GIS Awards Contest

The Lewis Center is once again sponsoring a GIS contest for students in the School of Public Affairs.

Details

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Press Release 1: SCS Fact Sheet - Regional Economy; Community Engagement

Residents Give Regional Economy a Mixed Review;
Majority Are Engaged in Their Community

According to a 2005 survey sponsored by the UCLA Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, many Southern California residents are pessimistic about the current state of the regional economy. A majority of those with an opinion stated that Southern California is economically in “Bad Times.” Assessments vary by demographic and economic groups. Minorities and lower income residents are more pessimistic. There is also good news. Overall most believe that the region's economy is healthier than the rest of the nation and that it will get better or at least stay the same in the future.

The Southern California Survey (SCS) also finds that a majority of residents are engaged in their community. Most residents have been involved in at least one of three activities (contacting an elected official, participating in neighborhood meetings, and volunteering), with a quarter of residents showing a high level of participation. Those with higher education and income are much more engaged than others. Whites are also more engaged than other ethnic groups, although differences decrease significantly after adjusting for socioeconomic status.

More details on the public’s opinion on the economy and the level of community engagement can be found in SCS Fact Sheet no. 1 and SCS Fact Sheet no. 2.

What is the SCS?

Still to Come….

Over the next three months, the Lewis Center will release additional issues of the SCS Fact Sheet covering topics related to transportation, housing, earthquakes, terrorism, poverty, and other critical issues. Issue no. 3 will focus on whether residents are trusting, and Issue no. 4 will focus on support and opposition to urban development.

Contact information: 310.206.0573, 310.206.4417, or lewisctr@spa.ucla.edu

Information is embargoed until Thursday, April 21, 2005.

Proceed to 2005 Southern California Public Opinion Survey (SCS) Site >>

Friday, November 12, 2004

Thesis Research Grants for Graduate Students

The Lewis Center is again allocating approximately 6 awards of around $2,500 each to support thesis research costs for data, software, certain travel, and undergraduate research assistance. Priority will be given for research focused on regional issues in Southern California. Access to a computer and space at the Lewis Center will also be available.

Forms and detailed information >>

Deadline: November 29, 2004 by 5PM.

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Museum Usage Report Released

Arts and Cultural Institutions in Los Angeles: Patterns of Utilization - Arts and cultural institutions enrich the communities of the Los Angeles region through art exhibits, cultural activities, and educational programs. Many museums have adopted outreach strategies and developed programs that respond to and embrace regional growth and increasing diversity, but substantial challenges remain to their efforts to reach all groups and communities.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Japanese American National Museum, the Skirball Cultural Center, and the Museum of Tolerance participated in this study because of their commitment to serve the region’s diverse communities. This report contributes to this effort by providing a geographic perspective on neighborhood-level usage patterns and by suggesting ways the arts and cultural community can continue to diversify its base of support and visitation.

Friday, September 3, 2004

Release of The State of Southern California's Housing Report

The State of Southern California's Housing- This report contains the findings from an analysis of Southern California’s housing sector, which has experienced an acute affordability crisis in recent years. High housing costs have kept homeownership rates low in comparison to the rest of the nation and created a heavy financial burden on both renters and owners. This report analyzes both the long-term housing trends in the region and the more recent short-term housing cycles, as well as the effect of housing prices on migration and the effect of public policy on housing. High housing costs are driven by high land costs, which are associated with the region’s enormous size and the high cost of commuting and transport within the region. Over the long term, high population growth, soaring home prices, and stagnant income growth have all contributed to the housing crunch. In the short term continued population growth, increasing personal income, and declining interest rates, combined with limited levels of housing production, have led to an extremely tight housing market and tremendous price appreciation. However various factors indicate that the current level of price appreciation is not sustainable in the long run. Migration data indicate that those who leave California are more likely to become homeowners, and many do move away for better housing opportunities. Despite the disadvantage in housing affordability, people continue to move to the region for the other advantages it offers. Finally, local barriers to housing development impact both the distribution of affordable housing and the overall supply of housing in the region. More effective policies are needed to help increase the supply of affordable housing and provide for a more balanced distribution of affordable housing throughout the region.

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Caregiver Training Initiative... Report Posted

Caregiver Training Initiative: Final Process and Outcome Evaluation Report - A final report prepared for the CA Employment Development Department.
AIAN Adults in LA - This brief presents findings on the factors that determine educational, employment, and housing outcomes for AIAN adults in the Los Angeles area.

Thursday, May 13, 2004

1st GIS Contest Winners

GIS Contest Winners Announced! Congratulations to Timothy Papandreou, an Urban Planning Master’s Candidate 2004. His project Westside Transportation Access Needs Assessment - Short and Long Term Improvements received first place. His report is available online and will be showcased in early June at the Lewis Center. Thank you to all who submitted.

Tuesday, April 6, 2004

Mapping Community Health: Using GIS in Health

This all-day event is designed to demonstrate how the characteristics of neighborhoods contribute to the health of communities and specific populations and features a presentation by Nancy Krieger. For complete information and how to RSVP, see the main events page

Monday, March 8, 2004

Announcing the Lewis Center GIS Contest

The Lewis Center is sponsoring a GIS contest for SPPSR graduate students to promote the use of spatial analysis and geographic techniques to study Southern Califonia planning and policy issues. Submit by April 16th! Click here for details

Thursday, December 4, 2003

Trajectory of Poor Neighborhoods Report

UCLA’s Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, in conjunction with the Brookings Institution’s Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, has released a report titled, "The Trajectory of Poor Neighborhoods in Southern California, 1970-2000". The report, by Lewis Center Director Paul Ong and Shannon McConville (MPP ’99), details the shifting concentration of poor neighborhoods in the Los Angeles region.