Denver’s newest commuter rail line— the G Line—connects Union Station with the northwest suburbs of Arvada and Wheat Ridge. With 15 minute headways between 6 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., the line is expected to attract thousands of riders from the thousands of planned, under construction, or completed housing units along its path.
This month on Building Better Communities with Transit we’re joined by Bill Sirois, Senior Manager, Transit Oriented Communities with RTD in Denver. Bill chats about the success of the transit agency’s TOD program, the project to rehabilitate the historic Union Station (and the area surrounding it), and what comes next when the current period of transit expansion comes to a close.
A new residential development on one of the most transit-oriented, walkable corners of Southern California will have more parking than housing. Getting parking right is critical if transit-oriented developments are going to make the most of transit, reduce dependence on cars, and provide more attainable housing without having to bake the high cost of structured parking into every unit for sale or rent.
Across the United States, in large cities such as Seattle and Miami and in smaller metropolitan areas such as Hartford, Conn., and Fort Collins, Colo., new transit systems are being built to aid mobility, reduce congestion and spark economic activity. Future transit riders may find themselves stepping onto a new light rail car in Houston, … Continued
This paper describes and evaluates tools and strategies that are being used to create mixed-income and affordable housing near transit in regions around the U.S. The first half of the paper explains how these various strategies are being used and the limitations and successes of each, and the second half discusses best practices and provides … Continued
This guide was developed to ensure TOD planning processes result in neighborhoods that include households of all income levels. The guide “walks” users through a three-step analysis to determine the most effective strategies and tools. The first step involves collecting data on the community’s demographics and economic and physical conditions (an inventory of the housing … Continued
In the next five years as many as 160,000 renters in 20 metro areas could lose their affordable apartments near transit because the contracts on their privately-owned HUD-subsidized rental units are due to expire. The renewed popularity of urban living means that properties in walkable neighborhoods near transit have increased in value, and that property … Continued
This national study funded by the Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that location matters a great deal when it comes to reducing household costs. While families who live in auto-dependent neighborhoods spend an average of 25 percent of their household budget on transportation, families who live in … Continued
Increasing Affordability With Location Efficiency This report discusses how providing for a mix of incomes in walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods near transit improves the already considerable benefits of having mixed-income neighborhoods by significantly reducing transportation costs. Creating mixed-income TOD deepens the affordability of housing because families can get by with one less car or no cars … Continued
This report synthesizes the ideas and policy recommendations from a national convening of local, state, and federal stakeholders from across the country on innovative policy and practice at the housing, transportation, and schools (“H/T/E”) nexus.