The city distributed a monthly $150 transportation subsidy to 1,000 low-income Angelenos. It dramatically improved their lives.
Los Angeles residents who were awarded a $150 monthly transportation stipend say the program helped them improve their mobility, making a major impact on their lives during the one-year pilot program.
“The Mobility Wallet Program gave 1,000 residents in South L.A., all of which are considered low-income and describe themselves as persons of color, a $150 monthly stipend on a pre-paid debit card to pay for transportation services,” explains Travis Schlepp for KTLA.
Ultimately, during the duration of the one-year pilot program, participants experienced an increase in quality of life due to reduced stress, deeper connections with their closest friends and families, and a sense of independence they previously hadn’t enjoyed. Their mental health improved, and evidence suggests their physical health was positively impacted as well.
The cards were valid on local public transit as well as Amtrak, Greyhound, ride-hailing apps, and bike and scooter rentals. Program participants say the subsidy saved them money they were able to use for other essentials. Women who received the cards said they felt safer since they were able to take Lyft or Uber rides at night. “Now that the program has concluded, the stress of those financial burdens has returned, researchers found.”
A second phase of the program will distribute cards to 2,000 participants in the South LA pilot zone and throughout Los Angeles County.
FULL STORY: Hundreds of L.A. residents were given monthly stipends for transportation. Here’s what happened
The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?
In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
UCLA Will Build California’s First EV Charging Roadway
The ¾-mile segment will allow electric shuttles and buses to charge while driving.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Seattle Safe Parking Site to Close, Relocate
A nonprofit leases lots during permitting stages to erect tiny homes and RV safe parking sites for unhoused residents. But the model means constant uncertainty and displacement.
LA ‘Mobility Wallet’ Increased Quality of Life for Participants
The city distributed a monthly $150 transportation subsidy to 1,000 low-income Angelenos. It dramatically improved their lives.
Texas, California Rail Projects Seek Out Private Funding
In the wake of Trump’s cuts to high-speed rail projects, rail authorities are looking to private-public partnerships to supplement their budgets.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions