Austin Releases Equitable TOD Study

The document develops a framework for ensuring that the most vulnerable and low-income residents benefit from investments in public transit and new housing and amenities.

1 minute read

October 1, 2023, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


View of Austin, Texas skyline at dusk with Colorado River and bridge in foreground

Sean Pavone / Austin, Texas

Austin’s CapMetro has released a study on equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD), a concept that “strives to ensure that those who have the greatest need for transit enhancements are also able to benefit from the improvements.”

The study was funded through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Transit-Oriented Development Pilot Grant and creates a framework for guiding future development in the city based on six key goals.

The study assessed local challenges such as rising rents, pressures on small businesses, gaps in current transit service, and more.

In contrast with traditional TOD, ETOD focuses on ensuring that all residents benefit and low-income households are not displaced as areas become more dense and transit-accessible. “At the core of ETOD is the tenet that new transit

infrastructure should be accompanied by policies and strategies to mitigate displacement

of existing residents and create economic opportunity for all Austinites to thrive.”

See the source document for the full report.

Thursday, August 31, 2023 in CapMetro

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Entrance to subterranean Hollywood/Vine Metro station in Los Angeles, California surrounded by tall apartment buildings.

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access

A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

4 hours ago - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Yellow roadside sign with extreme heat warning: "Danger - Extreme Conditions! - STOP - Do not hike Jun-Sep - HEAT KILLS"

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills

Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

5 hours ago - Nevada Current

View of downtown Pittsburgh, PA with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units

Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.

6 hours ago - Axios