The developer of a proposed affordable housing argues that minimum parking requirements will reduce the number of units or pass costs to tenants, Austin regulators expressed are worried about local parking supplies and access to public transit.

The city of Austin's Board of Adjustments postponed making a decision on a parking variance for a North Central Austin affordable housing development until they can gather more information, reports Elizabeth Pagano. "[T]he project at 8300 N. Interstate 35 is an 'unusual' conversion of a hotel into multifamily affordable housing" that is "being converted under a restrictive covenant that requires at least half of the units be affordable to those earning 60 percent or below the median family income," making it less likely that residents will own cars at the same rate as more affluent households. "To keep the project affordable, [the developer] was asking for an 18 percent reduction – 44 spaces – from what the city code requires." Board members expressed discomfort with approving the variance, citing concerns about local access to public transportation and street parking. "You have some very strong neighborhood opposition and I don’t think there is any nearby on-street parking," said Board Member Brooke Bailey.
Growing evidence suggests that parking requirements, often based on outdated models that no longer reflect the reality of urban dwellers, stifle affordable housing development in areas that need it most and are usually higher than the actual needs of residents. Cities around the country have begun to reevaluate their parking requirements and create more exemptions for affordable housing developers.
FULL STORY: BoA postpones parking variance for want of a better hardship

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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?

LA’s Tree Emergency Goes Beyond Vandalism
After a vandal destroyed dozens of downtown LA trees, Mayor Karen Bass vowed to replace them. Days later, she slashed the city’s tree budget.

Sacramento Leads Nation With Bus-Mounted Bike Lane Enforcement Cameras
The city is the first to use its bus-mounted traffic enforcement system to cite drivers who park or drive in bike lanes.

Seattle Voters Approve Social Housing Referendum
Voters approved a corporate tax to fund the city’s housing authority despite an opposition campaign funded by Amazon and Microsoft.
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