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

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

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?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

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?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

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.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Downtown Los Angeles skyline viewed from a distance with freeway and trees in foreground.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods

A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

April 3 - USC Dornsife

Aerial view of Claifornia aqueduct with green orchard on one side.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy

California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

April 3 - Turlock Journal

Close-up of older woman's hands resting on white modern heating radiator mounted on wall indoors.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program

The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.

April 3 - The New York Times