Researchers Flaunt the Benefits of Reduced Minimum Parking Requirements

Seattle is one of the U.S. cities shrinking minimum parking requirements to allow for denser, more affordable development near transit.

2 minute read

December 2, 2020, 11:00 AM PST

By Lee Flannery @leecflannery


Seattle

Rigucci / Shutterstock

An oversupply of parking in U.S. cities has grave unintended consequences, directly leading to "higher housing costs, inefficient land uses, and more vehicle ownership and driving. As such, oversupplying parking harms the environment, reduces housing affordability, and thwarts efforts to improve social equity," C.J. Gabbe, Gregory Pierce, and Gordon Clowers say. 

The writers explain a case study in Seattle, where after parking minimums were reduced in 2012, the city was seemingly able to increase housing development projects and encourage modes of transportation other than the automobile. The minimum requirement reduction, in line with the city's comprehensive plan, eliminated on-street parking for multifamily housing in dense urban areas, and dramatically decreased minimums for areas in close proximity to transit options. 

Gabbe, Pierce, and Clowers conducted research to determine if developers built less parking in the areas with reduced requirements. Studying 60,361 housing units between 2012 and 2017, the researchers found that developers did, in fact, build less parking when requirements were reduced. 

"About two-thirds of the projects we examined — mainly those in the downtown and its densest surrounding urban centers — were not required to provide any off-street parking. Most buildings in our sample provided less than one parking space per unit, and a sizable share, nearly 20%, provided no parking at all," the team writes. "Our results show that (1) minimum parking requirements often constrain developers, and (2) reducing those requirements leads to less parking, which presumably means cost savings for developers and lower housing prices for consumers."

When developers are forced to comply with excessive parking requirements, the researchers point out, they lose out on space and funds that could be used to build commercial or residential units. According to Gabbe, Pierce, and Clowers, less parking could mean more housing, and in turn, less incentive for automobile reliance.

Friday, November 20, 2020 in Transfers Magazine

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight