Opinion: Opening Restrooms to Public Is Good for Business

For many people with chronic illnesses, access to public restrooms can be a critical medical issue. Incentivizing businesses to open their restrooms can fill a critical gap in U.S. cities.

2 minute read

October 9, 2022, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


"NO Public Restroom" sign on restaurant window

Wonderlane / No Public Restroom

In a piece for Bloomberg CityLab, Michael Osso and Marilyn G. Geller call for a new solution to the “great urban restroom shortage,” an issue Planetizen has highlighted before.

“Most of us have experienced the challenge of finding a public restroom, but for many, restroom access isn’t just a matter of convenience — it’s a serious medical issue,” the authors, respectively the president and CEO of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the Celiac Disease Foundation, argue. Since many U.S. cities lack adequate restroom facilities, Osso and Geller suggest that, in lieu of a targeted public investment in more public facilities, private businesses should open their restroom doors to the public, and governments should incentivize them to do so through direct payments or tax credits.

We expect the generosity of participating businesses to be fully paid back in the form of increased goodwill — and revenue, above and beyond any incentives. In fact, a recent Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation survey found that more than three-quarters of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients stated that they were more likely to patronize a business if they could find their restrooms on a restroom finder app.

The authors point out that similar incentives to encourage businesses to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines already exist, and restroom incentive programs are popular in Germany and the United Kingdom. Making more restrooms publicly available, they write, can benefit businesses and make cities easier to navigate for more people.

Wednesday, October 5, 2022 in Bloomberg CityLab

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

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

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 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

15 minutes ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

2 hours ago - InTransition Magazine

Row of older brick houses in Detroit with front porches and front lawns.

Detroit Says Problems With Property Tax Assessments are Fixed. Advocates Disagree.

With higher-valued properties under assessed and lower-valued properties over assessed, advocates say there's still a problem with Detroit's property tax system.

4 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine