New research quantifies the effect of parking reforms implemented by the city of Buffalo in 2017.

"One of the most promising trends in urban planning is the push from a growing number of U.S. cities to reduce minimum parking requirements for new developments," writes Eric Jaffe.
Proof of the promise of parking reform can now be found in Buffalo. Because large-scale efforts to reduce parking minimums are still relatively few, Buffalo's status as an early adopted of parking reforms make it one of the few locations that has been undertaking the experiment long enough to provide data for evaluation.
A new study of Buffalo, which cut parking requirements citywide in 2017, shows that many developers will indeed build less parking if given the chance. The work, set for publication in the Journal of the American Planning Association, finds that mixed-use developers, in particular, “readily took advantage of the newfound possibility to include less off-street parking.” The 14 mixed-use projects tracked by the study provided 53 percent less parking than previously required — with four projects building no parking at all.
Study authors Daniel Baldwin Hess and Jeffrey Rehler, urban planning researchers from SUNY-Buffalo, write that the data prove that cities of all kinds stand to benefit from relaxed parking requirements. "Conversion of excess off-street parking spaces to such 'higher uses' benefits not only municipalities such as Buffalo looking to introduce a denser (and more walkable) urban form but also highly urbanized areas where developable land is limited," write the duo.
FULL STORY: Buffalo ended parking requirements. What did developers do next?

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

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?

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California
Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.

Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.

Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.
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