Honoring Donald Shoup’s Legacy
A Legendary Urban Planner, Professor and Parking Guru
Professor Emeritus Donald Shoup, a legendary figure in urban planning, passed away on February 6, 2025 at age 86 after a brief illness. He profoundly shaped how scholars and policymakers understand parking’s role in urban life. His landmark 2005 book, “The High Cost of Free Parking”, challenged cities to rethink parking policies that promote driving and distort space. Through his research, leadership, and advocacy, Shoup inspired a global movement—embodied by the “Shoupistas”—to build more equitable and walkable cities.
About the UCLA Center for Parking Policy
Housed within the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, the new Center—established summer 2025 with support from Arnold Ventures—will help cities turn research into action. It prepares plain English toolkits, policy briefs, case studies, and short courses to support municipal and state reform efforts, effectively carrying forward Donald's legacy in practice.
How Can You Help
We invite you to make a tribute gift in Donald’s memory to support the Center’s launch and long‑term mission:
- Immediate goal: Raise $100,000 by June 30, 2026, to establish an endowment that will help sustain the Center in perpetuity.
- Longer‑term vision: Grow that endowment over the coming years so Don’s research—and its global impact—continues to thrive.
Generous gifts of all sizes can help foster educational experiences, attract top-tier talent and advance practical policy change in cities across the country. Your philanthropic investment of any size is a contribution to the UCLA community, the city of Los Angeles and beyond.
Save the Date | A Celebration of Life
In addition to your gift, please join the Department of Urban Planning and UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies on Friday, October 3, 2025 as we celebrate and remember the life and work of Donald Shoup, a distinguished professor, trailblazing advocate for parking reform, gifted teacher, and friend to generations of UCLA students, faculty and staff.
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Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.