Business owners in downtown Santa Monica have filed a lawsuit opposing the city's planned replacement of a parking structure with housing, despite city studies showing that the city's downtown parking supply far exceeds demand.
According to multiple studies commissioned by the city, Santa Monica owns far too many downtown parking spots, reports Aaron Gordon. With more people using ride-hailing apps and the recently opened Expo Line train, the beach city has roughly 2,000 excess parking spaces at any given time, even during peak hours.
Now, the city wants to convert one of its 13 downtown parking garages into affordable housing, a plan that housing advocates praise for its promise to build up to 150 housing units in the city's dense and transit-accessible downtown, replacing unnecessary parking with much-needed housing in one of the country's most expensive metropolitan areas.
Meanwhile, some business owners are protesting the proposal, arguing that the parking structure remains necessary to accommodate downtown residents, shoppers, and workers in spite of the city's studies. Gordon describes the opposition group's concerns about reduced sales tax and parking revenue, but reminds readers that "Many people enjoy downtown Santa Monica and it continues to be a popular upscale commercial and leisure destination." Urban growth experts, writes Gordon, say "the construction of mixed-use areas with both housing and stores that serve the needs of the people who live there" is key to promoting healthy economic development in downtown areas like the area surrounding Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade.
FULL STORY: Who Is Trying to ‘Save Parking Structure 3’ From Becoming Affordable Housing?
Santa Monica Garage-to-Affordable-Housing Conversion To Receive $2 Million
The city has been awarded $2 million in federal funding to support the conversion of a downtown parking structure into an affordable housing project.
L.A. Reimagines Parking for New Uses
In famously car-centric Los Angeles, developers and city officials are changing the way they view parking space, opting instead to allocate the space to more effective uses.
What Will Los Angeles Will Do Next On Housing & Water? Look To Their Neighbors
The cities of Santa Monica, Culver CIty, West Hollywood, and Malibu are championing stormwater infrastructure, new public transit, affordable housing, and action on homelessness prevention.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)