As more cities eliminate or reduce their minimum parking requirements, the impact on housing supply is coming into focus.
Evidence from cities that have reduced or eliminated parking requirements shows that the changes have led to new housing construction — the expected outcome for many parking reform and housing advocates who say unnecessary parking minimums drive up the cost of housing, limit development on smaller lots, and induce sprawl.
According to an article by Martha C. White in The New York Times, “A 2022 study by the Regional Plan Association, a nonprofit group focused on the New York City area, found that more low-income housing was built in city neighborhoods where parking requirements were reduced.” In Seattle, 60 percent of new development after parking reform would not have been possible under the city’s old regulations.
Despite concerns about not having enough parking, the availability of parking is often about management rather than quantity. “Housing advocates, developers and urbanists harboring visions of less car-centric cityscapes say the rules have little to no bearing on actual demand for parking.” Moreover, removing parking minimums doesn’t prevent developers from building as much parking as they believe is needed.
FULL STORY: What Happens When There Are Fewer Spaces to Park?
Denver Could Eliminate Parking Requirements
The city could remove parking mandates citywide to reduce the cost of housing construction and ease permitting for new projects.
Dallas Considers Nixing Parking Requirements
According to one local official, Dallas projects routinely build 20 to 30 percent more parking than they need, driving up the cost of housing and leading to unsustainable land use patterns.
California Law Bars Parking Mandates Near Transit
Local governments are prohibited from requiring parking spaces at new developments where transit is readily available.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows
The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.
What Forest Service Cuts Mean for Cities
U.S. Forest Service employees work on projects that have impacts far beyond remote, rural wilderness areas.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
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