Building apartments near public transit helps housing crisis

Building apartments near public transit is a key strategy to combat the housing crisis by increasing housing supply, reducing car dependence, and revitalizing neighborhoods. This approach leverages existing transportation infrastructure to provide convenient and often affordable housing options, as exemplified by Quantavia Smith's studio apartment in Los Angeles, which provides her with essential access to public transit for her job search. Transit-oriented development is being actively pursued in major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Boston. These initiatives often involve partnerships between transit agencies and developers, streamlined permitting, and policies encouraging higher density housing. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority aims to build 10,000 housing units near transit by 2031, while Washington D.C. has seen substantial housing development near transit hubs through partnerships, including with Amazon. States across the country are enacting legislation to facilitate these developments by reforming restrictive zoning laws that historically limited multi-family housing. California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington have passed laws allowing for increased housing density near transit lines and on transit agency land. Massachusetts has mandated that many communities create zoning districts for multi-family housing, with state funding to support these efforts and potential funding cuts for non-compliance. Despite these efforts, challenges persist, including local resistance, funding issues, rising construction costs, and regulatory hurdles, which have led to more housing being built far from transit than near it. However, successful projects, like the Santa Monica and Vermont Apartments in Los Angeles, which includes units for form... download the app to read more