The housing affordability rule of thumb is that you should not pay more that 30% of your income in rent or mortgage payment. Yet that ratio doesn't include the transportation costs that vary by community. What would it be if it was included?
The current 30% yardstick fails to include transportation costs, including costs of vehicle ownership, insurance and operation. What if a new ratio was developed to include the costs of mobility that varies among communities - and went further than just measuring commuting distances?
The Center for Neighborhood Technology had done just that through research, dubbed "H+T Affordability Index"that shows that "the combined cost of housing and transportation shouldn't exceed 45 percent of your income." (Click on the map to see the H+T Index where you live).
Their "study was based on demographic, economic and transportation data from 337 U.S. metropolitan areas. The concept is helping shape new federal and state policies to encourage development of more compact communities that aren't so far-flung and promote less driving."
"Length of commutes is not the dominant factor. Each neighborhood has a unique fingerprint of such costs. It's determined by the length of commutes and trips to run errands...The more spread out a neighborhood, the more people depend on cars, often needing more than one. The availability of mass transit is large factor."
Thanks to Metropolitan Transportation Commission
FULL STORY: Can you afford to live in your house?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

NYC Congestion Pricing Continues to Show Positive Results
While the Trump administration attempts to revoke the program’s federal approval, congestion pricing continues to reduce traffic, speed up bus travel times, and improve air quality in Manhattan.

Grassroots Dutch Movement Replaces Pavement With Green Space
Neighbors engage in a practice known as “tegelwippen,” picking up paving stones and replacing them with permeable surfaces, often with the support of local governments.

Seattle Builds Subway-Sized Tunnel — for Stormwater
The $700 million ‘stormwater subway’ is designed to handle overflows during storms, which contain toxic runoff from roadways and vehicles.
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 Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
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