ES135Assignment2
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This document contains a summary of two articles and citations for four sources related to urban planning and transportation issues. The main article summarized is by Donald Shoup discussing how minimum parking requirements imposed by cities actually hurt the poor. Shoup argues that by requiring free parking, cities subsidize car ownership which increases various social costs while raising costs for those who cannot afford a car. The cost of building the required parking spaces can exceed the net worth of many low-income households. The document also briefly summarizes an article about collaboration between LA Metro and the California High Speed Rail project to coordinate transportation and community development investments.
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ES135Assignment2
- 2. Table of Contents Analysis: “How parking requirements hurt the poor,” by Donald Shoup, from The Washington Post “LA Metro & CAHSRA Collaborate on Aligning Community and Transportation Investment,” by David Abel, from The Planning Report Articles Citations Abel, David, “LA Metro & CAHSRA Collaborate on Aligning Community and Transportation Investment,” The Planning Report. February 25, 2016. March 7, 2016. http:// www.planningreport.com/2016/02/25/la-metro-cahsra-collaborate-aligning-community-and- transportation-investment Fulton, William and Shigley, Paul. Guide to California Planning. (Point Arena, CA: Solano Press Books, 2005) 297-305, 29-47 Shoup, Donald, “How parking requirements hurt the poor,” The Washington Post. March 3, 2016. March 7, 2016. washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/03/03/how-parking-requirements- hurt-the-poor/ Wack, Paul, "New Urbanism/Smart Growth, Oh My!" (lecture, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, February 23, 2016).
- 3. Donald Shoup’s How parking requirements hurt the poor tackles the policy of parking requirements in zoning laws. This policy of requiring parking space for new development is a byproduct of sprawl heavy development that has dominated American urban planning for all of the twentieth century. The movement of the population from cities and into the suburbs, peaking around the late twentieth century, brought millions of cars into the road. Lack of funding for public transportation, which characterized mobility in America’s largest cities, made the suburbs reliant on cars. The perennial features of suburban sprawl: low-density, single-use zones, lack of open- space, poor accessibility to transit and pedestrians, leapfrog development, and commercial strips are all effects of prioritizing cars as a form of transport. (Fulton, 297-305) This type of sprawl development is not just sustainable in terms of how we use our land, but as Shoup suggests, is also not equitable. Shoup argues that requiring development to have free parking would subsidize the cost of owning a car, therefore placing public monies into policy that increases traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and pollute the air and water. The cost of paying for free parking would raise the cost for everyone else. An example that Shoup uses is the cost of groceries, “People who are too poor to own a car pay more for their groceries to ensure that richer people can park free when they drive to the store.” The very act of building parking infrastructure is costly, too. In his research, Shoup states that the average construction cost for a single parking space in a structure is “$24,000 per space for aboveground parking and $34,000 per space for underground parking.” (Shoup) Parking requirements do not only promote an unsustainable policy, but also does nothing to solve the inequality of wealth in the U.S. Shout argues that this policy affects those who are low income, especially minorities, and that these funds would be better spent improving conditions for those people. The suburban phenomenon developed with a limitless growth of urbanized areas, supported by the accessibility of the automobile. Combined with American attitudes towards the private ownership of land, along with market forces and industry, the strength of the construction and real estate industries, these conditions allowed for the explosion of sprawl in the US. Leapfrog development ensued, caused by the growth of roads and cars that allowed for the economies of agglomeration that allowed businesses and residents to scatter widely. Huge arterial roads facilitated long commutes from the suburbs into the city, resulting in the development of commercial strips. These commercial strips were designed for cars, as they are defined by low- lying and sprawled offices that are serrated by acres of parking with little landscaping, and pedestrian accessibility. This type of development encourages the use of automobile, even for short distances, and made neighborhoods less safe by removing ‘eyes on the street’. Due to massive loss of land due to sprawl, open space suffered as a result. Major civic spaces, such as parks, open spaces, and plazas that are characteristics of old urban cores, like those in Europe, are lacking. Investment is sucked out of the core of the cities and are spread thinly across sprawl.(Wack) Shoup’s argument aligns with the ideals of New Urbanism. This form of development emphasizes transit-oriented development, a denser environment, and mixed-use environments that make neighborhoods thrive. Prioritizing transit and other sustainable methods of transport not only encourages density, but also help us live more sustainable lives. Shoup’s message is simple: simple planning policies such as removing subsidies for parking will benefit everybody. While the planning profession cannot solve the complex problem of inequality, stopping the subsidy of parking will make our cities more equitable by design.
- 4. In “LA Metro & CAHSRA Collaborate on Aligning Community and Transportation Investment”, the effects of a focus on building-out on transit lines was discussed. Positive impacts for the communities the lines touches were emphasized. In the twentieth and early 21st century, the Los Angeles metropolitan region has been the subject of an epidemic of the limitless city, with its urban sprawl reaching hundreds of miles across, and taking in agricultural land in its path. Today, Los Angeles is rapidly urbanizing, with its urban core growing denser, and transit lines creeping into its suburbs. Additionally, California as a whole is urbanizing.. Population growth, however, is centered around the Central Valley, which is one of the poorest regions in the nation. The California High Speed Rail Project is designed to link the Central Valley to its metropolis within a matter of minutes. As this article summates, transit can have a positive impact on these communities that were left behind by sprawl. Transit has the power to not just make communities more sustainable, but increase accessibility to highly desired urban cores and the economic opportunities within. (Fulton, 297-305) Phil Washington, CEO of the Los Angeles Metro, states that Los Angels is currently in a stage of a transit renaissance. There are five on going projects that are to link the metropolitan region to provide an alternative commute to the region’s famously congested freeways. One of the lines that Washington stated, the Crenshaw Line, is a line meant to serve the underrepresented minorities of the county. Growing concerns about the negative effects of gentrification has made the Metro cautious about making moves in communities. Washington states that community input and pilot programs to gauge demand and pushback will be implemented. Among one of these programs is a parking program, where the Metro would lease existing parking spaces, instead of creating a costly structure. Consistent to David Shoup’s argument about the high cost of parking, especially in impoverished neighborhoods, the Metro is fully aware of the costs and community impacts involved. (Shoup) The Metro intends to develop their projects to reflect the make-up of the existing community, instead of trying to reshape it. Furthermore, Washington reflects the readers to reflect on the meaning of transit-oriented development. He argues that there should be a wider focus on community development, not just on the construction of transit lines. One of the pilot programs that they are launching is to turn purchased land from the construction path into mixed- income housing. To the Metro, the communities that the transit line was intended to serve comes first, its development and neighborhood improvements should not displace those who it intended to serve. Jeff Morales, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, states that transit should be part of our regional and statewide planning. Morales argues that despite strong economic and population growth in California, the 8th richest country in the world if it were independent, the Central Valley lags behind. If it were its own state, the Central Valley would be the 13th most populous, but also the among the poorest. Morales argues that this is largely because the region has been left behind by transportation. The rapid growth in California’s cities has lead to astronomical property values which has pushed many out of their hometowns. Growth can be supplemented in the Central Valley, and commutes would be realistic; “Fresno, a city of half a million people and a county of a million people, will now be connected to San Jose and the Silicon Valley in 40 minutes.” states Morales. (Abel) The only interstate that runs through the region is Interstate 5, and it completely bypasses its major cities. It is essentially a drive-over region, used to grow the state’s agriculture, and house the masses of its arrived immigrants and emigrants. (Fulton, 29-47) The development of high speed rail would connect the flow of people, ideas, and commerce to the region. The transit-oriented development that is starting to shape California’s growth comes at a great time of need. As its cities grow in wealth and recognition, many are being pushed out. Meanwhile, a region of the richest state is being left behind. Transit would not only make our communities sustainable, but also provide equity by leveling access to mobility.
- 5. In Theory | Opinion How parking requirements hurt the poor ByBy Donald ShoupDonald Shoup March 3March 3 Each week,Each week, In TheoryIn Theory takes on a big idea in the news and explores it from a range oftakes on a big idea in the news and explores it from a range of perspectives. This week, we’re talking about car-free cities. Need a primer?perspectives. This week, we’re talking about car-free cities. Need a primer? Catch up hereCatch up here.. Donald Shoup is a professor in the department of urban planning in the Luskin School of Public Affairs atDonald Shoup is a professor in the department of urban planning in the Luskin School of Public Affairs at University of California, Los Angeles.University of California, Los Angeles. For most of the past century, all our cities have been built to suit the car. Other than historical anomalies likeFor most of the past century, all our cities have been built to suit the car. Other than historical anomalies like Venice, it remains unlikely that we will see any carless cities soon. Nevertheless, speculating about carless citiesVenice, it remains unlikely that we will see any carless cities soon. Nevertheless, speculating about carless cities can help to show the benefits of having fewer cars and parking spaces.can help to show the benefits of having fewer cars and parking spaces. Because cities with fewer cars will need fewer parking spaces, city planners can abandon their most expensiveBecause cities with fewer cars will need fewer parking spaces, city planners can abandon their most expensive zoning regulation:zoning regulation: off-street parking requirementsoff-street parking requirements. Requiring all new buildings to provide ample off-street. Requiring all new buildings to provide ample off-street parking spreads the city over a larger area, reduces density and makes cars the default way to travel. Parkingparking spreads the city over a larger area, reduces density and makes cars the default way to travel. Parking requirements also undermine public transit and make life harder for people who are too poor to own a car.requirements also undermine public transit and make life harder for people who are too poor to own a car. I argue in “I argue in “The High Cost of Free ParkingThe High Cost of Free Parking”” that minimum parking requirements subsidize cars, increase trafficthat minimum parking requirements subsidize cars, increase traffic congestion and carbon emissions, pollute the air and water, encourage sprawl, raise housing costs, exclude poorcongestion and carbon emissions, pollute the air and water, encourage sprawl, raise housing costs, exclude poor people, degrade urban design, reduce walkability and damage the economy. To my knowledge, no city plannerpeople, degrade urban design, reduce walkability and damage the economy. To my knowledge, no city planner has argued that parking requirements do not have these harmful effects. Instead, a flood of recent research hashas argued that parking requirements do not have these harmful effects. Instead, a flood of recent research has shown that parking requirements have these effects and more. We are poisoning our cities with too muchshown that parking requirements have these effects and more. We are poisoning our cities with too much parking.parking. Parking requirements reduce the cost of owning a car but raise the cost of everything else. For example, parkingParking requirements reduce the cost of owning a car but raise the cost of everything else. For example, parking requirements raise the price of food at a grocery store for everyone regardless of how one travels. People who arerequirements raise the price of food at a grocery store for everyone regardless of how one travels. People who are too poor to own a car pay more for their groceries to ensure that richer people can park free when they drive totoo poor to own a car pay more for their groceries to ensure that richer people can park free when they drive to the store.the store. Cities require parking for every building without considering how the required spaces place a heavy burden onCities require parking for every building without considering how the required spaces place a heavy burden on the poor. A single parking space, in fact, can cost far more to build than the net worth of many Americanthe poor. A single parking space, in fact, can cost far more to build than the net worth of many American households. Inhouseholds. In recent researchrecent research, I estimated that the average construction cost (excluding land cost) for parking, I estimated that the average construction cost (excluding land cost) for parking
- 6. structures in 12 American cities in 2012 was $24,000 per space for aboveground parking and $34,000 per spacestructures in 12 American cities in 2012 was $24,000 per space for aboveground parking and $34,000 per space for underground parking. By comparison, the median net worth (the value of assets minus debts) was $7,700 forfor underground parking. By comparison, the median net worth (the value of assets minus debts) was $7,700 for Hispanic households and $6,300 for black households in the United States, based on data from the U.S. CensusHispanic households and $6,300 for black households in the United States, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2011.Bureau, in 2011. One required space in a parking structure therefore costs at least three times the net worth of more than half ofOne required space in a parking structure therefore costs at least three times the net worth of more than half of all Hispanic and black households in the country. Nevertheless, cities require several parking spaces perall Hispanic and black households in the country. Nevertheless, cities require several parking spaces per household by imposing parking requirements at home, work, stores, restaurants, churches, schools andhousehold by imposing parking requirements at home, work, stores, restaurants, churches, schools and everywhere else.everywhere else. Many families have a negative net worth because their debts exceed their assets: 18 percent of all households, 29Many families have a negative net worth because their debts exceed their assets: 18 percent of all households, 29 percent of Hispanic households and 34 percent of black households had zero or negative net worth in 2011. Thepercent of Hispanic households and 34 percent of black households had zero or negative net worth in 2011. The only way these indebted people can use the required parking spaces is to rent or buy a car, which they often mustonly way these indebted people can use the required parking spaces is to rent or buy a car, which they often must finance at a high, subprime interest rate. In a misguided attempt to provide free parking for everyone, cities havefinance at a high, subprime interest rate. In a misguided attempt to provide free parking for everyone, cities have created a serious economic injustice by forcing developers to build parking spaces that many people can ill afford.created a serious economic injustice by forcing developers to build parking spaces that many people can ill afford. City planners cannot do much to counter the inequality of wealth in the United States, but they can help toCity planners cannot do much to counter the inequality of wealth in the United States, but they can help to reform parking requirements that place heavy burdens on minorities and the poor. Removing minimum parkingreform parking requirements that place heavy burdens on minorities and the poor. Removing minimum parking requirements may be the cheapest and simplest way to achieve a more just society, and will produce a cascade ofrequirements may be the cheapest and simplest way to achieve a more just society, and will produce a cascade of benefits for cities, the economy and the environment. Best of all, cities don’t need to wait until cars disappearbenefits for cities, the economy and the environment. Best of all, cities don’t need to wait until cars disappear before they remove their unwise parking requirements. They can remove their parking requirements now.before they remove their unwise parking requirements. They can remove their parking requirements now. Explore these other perspectives:Explore these other perspectives: J.H. Crawford: The car century was a mistake. It’s time to move on.J.H. Crawford: The car century was a mistake. It’s time to move on. Randal O’Toole: Transit is dead. Let’s prepare for the next mobility revolution.Randal O’Toole: Transit is dead. Let’s prepare for the next mobility revolution. Shivani Radhakrishnan: How jaywalking became a crimeShivani Radhakrishnan: How jaywalking became a crime Jarrett Walker: Why cars and cities are a bad matchJarrett Walker: Why cars and cities are a bad match Aaron Renn: Self-driving cars will change more than just traffic. Here’s why.Aaron Renn: Self-driving cars will change more than just traffic. Here’s why.
- 7. (/) Subscribe: (/newsletter) (http://twitter.com/PlanningReport) (http://www.facebook.com/planningreport) (/rss.xml) Login (/user) | Signup (/subscribe) SEARCH Tags: ULI-LA (/tags/uli-la) Phillip Washington (/tags/phillip-washington) Jeff Morales (/tags/jeff-morales) david abel (/tags/david-abel) TOC (/tags/toc) High-Speed Rail (/tags/high-speed-rail) Metro (/tags/metro) Phil Washington Home (/) (/forward?path=node/15276) 0 Tweet February 25, 2016 - From the February, 2016 (/issue/february-2016) issue LA Metro & CAHSRA Collaborate onLA Metro & CAHSRA Collaborate on Aligning Community andAligning Community and Transportation InvestmentTransportation Investment At the “Transit Oriented Los Angeles 2015” conference hosted by Urban Land Institute-LA in December, TPR Publisher David Abel moderated a discussion between California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Jeff Morales and Metro CEO Phil Washington. Washington and Morales both emphasized their focus on the positive impacts transit build-out can produce for the communities it touches, if approached with care—and the steps they are taking to meet local needs and incorporate community feedback into plans that are expected to yield a transformative impact on the Southern California region as well as the entire state. They also discussed both the agency and authority’s efforts to protect and bolster local business as rail construction occurs. David Abel: Could each of you begin with a progress report on what’s being done at Metro and High-Speed Rail? Phil Washington: I’ll start with the transit projects we’re implementing in LA County. We have five under construction right now. Two of those projects will open in the spring of next year. We’ve set an opening date of March 5, 2016 for the Gold Line Foothill Extension. We are pretty confident that we will exceed the ridership projections on that particular line. (/subscribe) MOST POPULAR LA City Public Works Commissioners: Collaboration Among Departments Generates ‘One Water’ Innovation (/2015/06/09/la-city-public- works-commissioners- collaboration-among- departments-generates-one- water) June 9, 2015 9:30 AM PDT Which Way LA’s Warren Olney Explores the LA Riots, 20 Years Later (/2012/05/01/which-way-la-s- warren-olney-explores-la- riots-20-years-later) May 1, 2012 11:44 AM PDT ULI-LA’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2016: Historic Urban Transformation of LA’s Downtown (/2016/02/25/uli-la- s-emerging-trends-real-estate- 2016-historic-urban- transformation-la-s- downtown) February 25, 2016 1:06 PM PST Stewart: Neighborhood Integrity Initiative Is LA's Response to Unplanned Density and Insider Deals
- 8. “As we spend money,we’re injecting it right back into the local economy and showing progress, economic development, and opportunity.”— Jeff Morales “People dismiss the Central Valley, but if it were a state, it would be the 13th largest in terms of population. It would also be the poorest state in the country. One of the big reasons is that it’s disconnected.” -Jeff Morales We anticipate opening the Expo Line to Santa Monica in the spring of next year as well. Regarding the other three projects: We are nearing 50 percent completion on the Crenshaw Line. We’re very early on in construction of the Regional Connector, probably about 15-20 percent. We’re also early on in construction of the Purple Line Section 1 going west, and we are moving on Section 2, which is an additional two and a half miles. We’re doing lots and lots of transit projects and tons of highway projects—too many of them for me to mention. We are working with Jeff and High-Speed Rail on Union Station and how to accommodate both our growth and also high-speed rail coming through. The projects that I’ve mentioned that are in progress are all Measure R projects. Now, our Board has not decided whether to put a potential measure on the ballot for November of next year. We have the authority to go on the ballot with bill AB 767 signed by our governor a month or so ago. We have begun the process in anticipation of going on the ballot. We’ve put together some evaluation criteria. Before we started evaluating some 2300 projects, worth about $275 billion, that the Council of Governments have submitted to us, we wanted to have evaluation criteria upfront. Our Board just approved those performance metrics, centered around five things: mobility, accessibility, economy, state of good repair, and safety. In the first quarter of next year, we will begin modeling and sequencing projects. Who thinks I won’t get any feedback from anybody on that? We’re also going to start working on the other half of the pie—the local return, operations, and calls for projects. Our Board will need to make a decision in the June-July timeframe about whether to put this on the ballot for November 2016. David Abel: Jeff, we’ve just heard about intra-community transportation. Give us your progress report on inter-community transportation. (/2016/02/16/stewart- neighborhood-integrity- initiative-las-response- unplanned-density-and- insider) February 16, 2016 10:54 AM PST VX2016 LA River Plenary Featured: Mayor, Gehry Partners, Edmiston, Romero (/2016/02/25/vx2016-la-river- plenary-featured-mayor- gehry-partners-edmiston- romero) February 25, 2016 1:19 PM PST RELATED ARTICLES ULI-Los Angeles: Gail Goldberg’s New City Planning Platform (/2011/10/06/uli-los- angeles-gail-goldberg-s-new- city-planning-platform) October 6, 2011 ULI-LA: Los Angeles Developers Weigh in on PwC’s Emerging Real Estate Trends Report (/2014/12/18/uli- la-los-angeles-developers- weigh-pwc-s-emerging-real- estate-trends-report) December 18, 2014 ULI-LA’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2016: Historic Urban Transformation of LA’s Downtown (/2016/02/25/uli-la- s-emerging-trends-real-estate- 2016-historic-urban- transformation-la-s- downtown) February 25, 2016 Can LA’s Streets Be Great? LA Deputy Mayor Rick Cole Opines (/2014/03/07/can-la-s- streets-be-great-la-deputy- mayor-rick-cole-opines) March 7, 2014 OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE
- 9. Jeff Morales: We at the California High-Speed Rail Authority are making great progress as well, contrary to some reports. We are in fact building a system. We’re going to build it, and it’s going to help transform California cities. I always say that we have to think about not what LA is today but what it’s going to be. When you think about all the projects Phil just talked about, California as a whole—and certainly this region—is going to look a lot different in 10 or 20 years than it does today and than it has in the past. High-speed rail will be part of that. You would think we’re doing something that no one’s ever done before, when you look at the controversy, but actually we’re competing against countries like Morocco to build high-speed rail. Every other major country has developed a system, and they do it because it makes sense—because it can connect a country and connect economies. Our system will connect California in a way that it never has been before. Today, we’re at least three different states within one. We’ve got a strong Southern California economy here and a strong Bay Area economy. In the middle, and left out of all of that, is the Central Valley. People dismiss the Central Valley, but if it were a state, it would be the 13th largest in terms of population. It would also be the poorest state in the country—which is pretty remarkable when you think about California and agriculture. One of the big reasons is that it’s disconnected. Previous investments bypassed the Central Valley. When the 5 was built, it didn’t go through it; it went past it. This system will, for the first time, connect it. Fresno, a city of half a million people and a county of a million people, will now be connected to San Jose and the Silicon Valley in 40 minutes instead of a four-and-a-half-hour car ride. Down here in Palmdale, some 60,000 people a day drive down the hill or take Metrolink. It’s about a two-hour train ride. It’ll be 15 minutes on high-speed rail. That’s going to be revolutionary in terms of tying together cities and economies. I’m excited to partner with Phil, because his background in Denver plays right into what we need to do here: making sure as we build this system that it ties in with what’s being done locally and regionally, promoting local development and urban mobility along with interregional and cross-state mobility. We’re transitioning away from looking at high-speed rail as something to get people from San Francisco to LA and instead, seeing it as tying together the state and reinforcing what’s happening in our cities. David Abel: Jeff, I don’t believe there is anyone in the audience today from Fresno. Given that, how would you present the progress report to an audience in Los Angeles, and give them a sense of urgency and importance? Jeff Morales: One of the scary things about Fresno is that, in growing, it’s consumed 50,000 acres of farmland by sprawling outwards over the last few decades. We’re looking to reorient that growth back toward downtowns. One of the things we’re doing is promoting local benefit as construction happens. We have a 30-percent small-business goal. A small business, almost by definition, is going to be a local business. That means work is happening right in the community. We also have targeted hiring programs to make sure our workers are Issue: February 2016 (/issue/february-2016) VX2016: Three Regional Developers - Three Cutting- Edge Approaches to Sustainable Development (/2016/02/16/vx2016-three- regional-developers-three- cutting-edge-approaches- sustainable-development) Stewart: Neighborhood Integrity Initiative Is LA's Response to Unplanned Density and Insider Deals (/2016/02/16/stewart- neighborhood-integrity- initiative-las-response- unplanned-density-and- insider) LA City's Built Environment Has a New Steward Who Believes in the Necessity of a Shared Development Vision (/2016/02/16/la-citys-built- environment-has-new- steward-who-believes- necessity-shared- development) ULI-LA’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2016: Historic Urban Transformation of LA’s Downtown (/2016/02/25/uli-la- s-emerging-trends-real-estate- 2016-historic-urban- transformation-la-s- downtown) VX2016 LA River Plenary Featured: Mayor, Gehry Partners, Edmiston, Romero (/2016/02/25/vx2016-la-river- plenary-featured-mayor- gehry-partners-edmiston- romero) How TOD Transforms Regions: Leinberger & Tregoning Opine (/2016/02/25/how-tod- transforms-regions- leinberger-tregoning-opine) Australia’s Millenium Drought
- 10. coming from the local economy. As we spend money, we’re injecting it right back into the local economy and showing progress, economic development, and opportunity. Longer-term, it’s about jobs. It’s about the opportunity to actually be tied together as an economy. Advertisement There was a study about a year ago about the Northeast Corridor. From Washington to Boston, it’s one contiguous economy tied together by the rail system of the Northeast Corridor. Because of it, mid-size cities like Newark, Baltimore, and Wilmington, can have thriving economies. They’re tied to Philadelphia, Washington, and New York. We don’t have that here in California. That’s what our system is going to do—replicate what’s on the East Coast. It’s going to create a stronger economy and stronger cities. David Abel: Phil, what’s in it for the communities served by Metro during construction? How do you work with them constructively? Phil Washington: I don’t think there’s any argument that transportation build-out is an investment. It’s an investment in terms of job creation, long-term care, and maintenance. I think the job is communicating to communities that the payoff is beneficial. Construction may last four or five years but we’re building systems that will last the next 100 years. Systems in the northeast have been around over that long. The other big piece is about “transit-oriented communities.” This idea says that we are looking beyond and taking a more holistic view. It’s not just transit-oriented development, which is a subset of transit-oriented communities. David Abel: Could you share about the Business Interruption Fund? People in this audience have investments on the streets, and are impacted by a four- or five-year construction period. Talk a little bit about that challenge. Phil Washington: The Metro Board instituted a Business Interruption Fund to compensate businesses that are adjacent to and impacted by construction. We recognize that there are going to be impacts of construction. We are very proud of the fund. Just this week, we are awarding a Business Interruption Fund award for the first business in Little Tokyo. I’ll also mention the Business Solutions Center that we started on the Crenshaw Line to help small businesses understand how to do work with us. This is all community-focused. David Abel: Jeff, talk about that same disruption and how agencies like yours ought to address it. May Teach California How to Prepare and Respond to El Niño (/2016/02/25/australia-s- millenium-drought-may-teach- california-how-prepare-and- respond-el-ni-o) LA City Councilmember Ryu’s Top Priority: Constituent Engagement to Build Public Trust (/2016/02/25/la-city- councilmember-ryu-s-top- priority-constituent- engagement-build-public- trust)
- 11. Jeff Morales: There’s no question that when you build anything, you create a disruption. We’re doing something on a scale that, if not fully unprecedented, certainly hasn’t been done in a very long time: buying a dedicated right-of-way up and down the state. Starting in the Central Valley, where we’ve started construction, we’ve made commitments to avoid businesses, relocate them, or mitigate the impacts. We’ve worked closely with cities to do that. I’m very pleased that in Fresno, which is where we’re starting, we’ve been able to keep 98 percent of all the impacted businesses right there, and get them in better situations by working with them. It’s a really important aspect of the program, because you can get off on the wrong foot very quickly by disrupting communities without them seeing the benefits. David Abel: Phil, let’s return to your explanation of transit-oriented communities. Phil Washington: We want to look at the community within a radius of two miles of our transportation investment. Working with the community to develop our asset is very, very important, instead of coming in, plopping it down, and saying, “we don’t care what you all are doing around us.” We will work with property owners in the community and other public agency property owners in the vicinity of our transportation asset to make that area very vibrant, very conducive, and very fitting for the community. We have initiated a pilot program for transit-oriented communities where we selected eight or nine sites around the county. Instead of putting in a ton of parking, maybe we’ll work with the community to lease parking around the area. Maybe our station can be developed to look more like the community. We also want to ask: What does our transportation asset do for the community? If you have an underground station, can affordable or mixed-income housing be built there? The idea that we are not just the T in TOD. There is a clash now, I believe, between transit traditionalists and folks like me. We’re not just transit. We have to be concerned about what goes on around our station. We know that the lower the income, the more those folks ride transit. We also know that there’s gentrification going on in our major cities around the country, where we put in transportation assets and then people are displaced or there’s demographic shifts. So we build the asset, and the very folks that we build it for are displaced away from it. We want to limit that. The Metro Board has been great in saying that property we own, for the most part, will be used for affordable housing. I think that is the way to go. Displacement and gentrification around our transportation asset does have a bottom-line impact on us. As those transit-dependent folks are displaced further and further away from the transportation asset, then I have to put a bus out there to address it.
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