As garage operators find their businesses increasingly unsustainable, some are looking to affordable housing as the logical next incarnation of their buildings.

"A rapidly declining demand for parking space in the heart of America’s cities" could be an opportunity to repurpose parking garages into affordable housing, writes Wes Guckert.
Reduced numbers of workers commuting into Central Business Districts combined with "the increased emphasis the Biden administration – and many cities around the country – have placed on climate action and the need to limit automobile use" have led to a "nearly impossible" situation for garage operators, who now find their traditional business model unsustainable.
"Some operators have been fortunate enough to own lots or garages that sit on prime parcels of center-city land. For them, selling their property might represent a viable option, although with demand for office and adjacent retail space declining, this is not as profitable a solution as it was prior to COVID-19." But some operators found creative ways to generate revenue: during the pandemic, "[s]ome garages were transformed into outside dining areas or makeshift drive-in movie theaters, while others were used to house pop-up warehouses, storage units and parking for Amazon delivery fleets."
Another useful conversion: affordable housing. "[E]nterprising operators are now lobbying planning and zoning boards in cities around the country to relax restrictions so that they can retrofit their under-used garages to provide affordable living space for families." Some projects have already become reality. "[T]he success of units such as a derelict 500-car garage in Wichita, Kansas, that was recently converted into 44 one-bedroom apartments demonstrates that such conversions are not only possible, but can play an important role in addressing this country’s longstanding problems with affordable housing and homelessness. "
FULL STORY: Giving new life to deserted parking garages

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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