Jonathan Desmarais’ Post

Just finished this book. My favourite insight was the #Valley of #Parking #Mandates i.e. the reason for the 'missing middle' housing. When #propertydevelopers look at the #returnoninvestment for low density #housing (#suburban #sprawl), it's relatively cheap to install parking with a concrete slab and a shed (the garage) which they recoup with the house sale. For #highdensity housing and #highrisebuildings, developers create a lot of parking underneath which costs a lot which they recoup with the high number of apartment sales. For #medium #density housing, it's less financially viable to build housing which mandates parking because car parking infrastructure is too expensive for the financial return on the sale of the properties. Mayor Peter Flannery

Veteran Housing Corp agrees! All local, state, and federal government agencies need to rethink and update every parking code, rule and regulation relating to parking requirements for multifamily affordable housing so that it encourages the use of public transportation and promotes transit friendly developments! #affordablehousing #parkinginnovation #parking #parkingsolutions #zoning #transit #publictransportation #bicycles #regulations

Outdated parking mandates have become barriers to progress in many cities, including Haltom City. These regulations, which require a minimum number of parking spaces based on property type, often hinder redevelopment and limit housing options. 'The constraint is completely artificial. It's just based on some number that someone put in a book 40 or 50 years ago,' said Tony Jordan of the Parking Reform Network. While cities like Austin, Taylor, Bandera, and Bastrop have taken steps to reduce or eliminate parking minimums, Haltom City remains an ideal candidate for such reform. The Haltom United Business Alliance (#huba) has advocated for creating an overlay district where parking minimums are eliminated, enabling business-friendly policies. Ron Sturgeon, founder of HUBA and the 'Make Haltom City Thrive Again' initiative, experienced firsthand how parking mandates can stifle redevelopment. His plans to convert a derelict skating rink into a new salon and spa were halted due to insufficient parking, despite an agreement to share an underutilized church lot. The American Planning Association has recognized the benefits of parking reform, stating it 'helps boost small businesses, promote housing development, and put people over parking.' As Haltom City seeks revitalization, especially in its southern and central areas, embracing parking reform could be a crucial step towards attracting new businesses and fostering economic growth. #parkingreform #smallbusiness #revitalization #haltomcity Parking Reform Network

Spectacular overview of Washington State Parking Minimums by Sightline Institute and Catie Gould. Parking minimums are a tax on people who don't drive or drive less than others which include the very young, very old, and people with disabilities. Some takeaways: *Selah, WA requires twice as many parking spots for a mosques as for churches - and they are using language from the Traffic Engineering Handbook *Spokane has the most housing, business, and walkability friendly parking policies (no minimums on business or residential) *Each required parking spot increases rent by $200 - Looking at you Mt. Vernon! (They require 4 spots per single detached unit, double the state average) Why am I posting about this as a public health professional? Equity, walkability, and housing affordability are all social determinants of health which heavily influence health outcomes. Note: the decisions about parking minimums are made at the planning commission and city council levels in most cases. https://lnkd.in/gqJrfn3j

Every community has at least one (and likely many). You know, that vast empty parking lot that is filled entirely maybe once a year (hello, Black Friday), and on a daily basis is only a small percentage of the way full. America has a parking problem. And no, it's not that there isn't enough (sorry to burst your bubble, suburbanites visiting your local downtown). It's that we have too much of it. In fact, it is estimated that the United States has over 2 billion parking spaces. That's enough to cover the entire state of Connecticut. And what makes this number even more absurd is that it is estimated that there are around 286 million cars in America. That's seven spots for every car. All of this begs the question...why do we devote so much space to parking our vehicles? Isn't there something better we could be doing with all of this space? It's no secret that there is an affordable housing crisis in America right now. What if we just used some of this space to build more affordable housing? The problem in many cases lies in the fact that the majority of our country's developers and builders are restricted by what is known as parking mandates. These mandates force builders to supply a certain number of parking spaces for different types of uses, and oftentimes, it doesn't even make sense. In some cases, a tiny studio apartment is required to have two parking spaces. Multiple that by a few million, and it all adds up. Many cities across the county have eliminated parking mandates, either within a certain proximity to public transit, or entirely, and in almost all of these cases, it has been widely beneficial for these communities. But, just recently, Minnesota is looking to become the first state in the nation to eliminate parking mandates statewide, in their historic "People over Parking Act of 2023" legislation. To read it, go to: https://lnkd.in/ebnq2b3j So, all of this makes you wonder...what would our communities look like if we built for people instead of parking? Want to learn more about this topic? Here are a few resources, I encourage you to check out: --The High Cost of Free Parking, by Donald Shoup --Strong Towns: https://lnkd.in/eK45rnYR -Parking Reform Network

How Parking Reform Is Helping Transform American Cities

All over the country, cities are getting rid of off-street parking requirements. How would that work in the Charleston region (and South Carolina for that matter)? What would it mean for development patterns, transit, property value, mobility and other characteristics of the built environment?

Would you believe we have 6 parking spots for every 1 person in the United States? Yup, 2 billion spaces for 350 million people. If every single American used a parking space, only 16% of them would be used. That excess of parking might also be the reason we have a shortage of #affordablehousing. I heard from a few experts on the matter, and they say we can make better use of spaces that are otherwise dedicated to #parking. What do you think? #realestate #cars #environment

Let’s face it, parking can be a headache in many cities, but especially in Detroit. As a city that doesn’t have an effective public transportation system, many of us have to utilize metered parking, parking lots, and structures to get around town for work, school, and other ventures. Oftentimes, the enforcement of parking can be mystifying and frustrating for citizens as well. Is parking an issue that affects your daily commute? If you’re looking for a basic guide to parking in the city of Detroit, we’ve got a guide for you below. https://lnkd.in/eQ2iUn-J #parking #cityofdetroit #detroit