New transit towns around the Bay Area's BART stations are attracting residents who value the convenience and savings of a walkable community and nearby transit.
"When DeeDee and Doug Ligibel saw the townhouse they now own in Hayward, DeeDee was taken by the old-fashioned brownstone look and the entryway's fragrant wisteria bloom.
Four years later, she's thrilled with something else: the luxury of living near a BART station, close by a downtown that includes a weekly farmers' market.
"I hardly ever drive," Ligibel said. "I love it, absolutely love it."
Ligibel is part of a small but growing slice of the Bay Area population that lives in a transit village, a term coined to describe high-density housing within easy walking distance of train and bus stops. Long touted by city planners as the cure for everything from sprawl to obesity, they're now being built across the region.
The trend is fueled by more than planning logic or consumer demand. Environmental considerations kick in as well, with the newest prod being concern over climate change. The state government has set a goal of reducing carbon levels to 1990 levels by 2020 - and many supporters say an essential tool is to emphasize compact growth patterns that make it easy for residents to leave their cars at home."
FULL STORY: Transit towns a step to cut carbon footprint
Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access
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Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows
The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
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Rethinking Computing: Researchers Tackle AI’s Energy Demands
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Amazon-Owned Robotaxis to Begin Testing in LA
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New York MTA Says No More Borrowing, Will Cut Costs Instead
The agency says it won’t take out any new loans to finance its planned improvements and is finding other ways to cut costs.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions