There is a growing recognition globally that young people are under-represented or excluded from planning processes, and that this exclusion could have lasting impacts on their development as citizens and their interaction with the built environment. This article focuses on the extent to which youth participation is institutionalized in local government planning efforts in the United States and what explains this institutionalization. Consequently, what are the barriers and local attitudes towards youth participation? The primary data collection for this study is through an online survey that was sent to the census of California local governments. Results show that institutionalization of youth participation in local governance, through local prioritization of youth participation and emphasis of such participation in master plans, is low. Multiple linear regression is used to isolate the factors affecting institutionalization. Anticipated benefits are many, and barriers are primarily capacity related.