Sweeping Parking Reform Approved in Oakland

The City Council of Oakland, California has approved a far-reaching reduction of parking requirements.

1 minute read

September 21, 2016, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


cafe

A typical day in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, California. | cdrin / Shutterstock

"For the first time in over half a century, the City Council voted Tuesday to approve sweeping reductions to its parking requirements, which advocates say will make it less expensive to develop housing, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life for residents," according to an article by Erin Baldassari.

"The changes reduce the amount of parking required for residential and commercial buildings throughout the city, with the largest reductions concentrated in areas closest to major transit hubs, such as downtown Oakland or at BART stations," adds Baldassari. "In those areas, the new regulations reduce the required parking to zero and instead set a cap on the maximum amount of parking allowed."

Baldassari provides additional details of the approved ordinance in the article, along with soundbites from organizations voicing their support for the policy. Jeff Levin, the policy director for the East Bay Housing Organization, is even cited for his view that the new minimums don't go far enough.

In relation to making housing more affordable in the city, Baldassari also notes that $100 million of a $600 million bond proposal on the November ballot would go toward preserving affordable housing.

[This article was updated with the correct spelling of the author's name.]

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 in East Bay Times

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

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

July 6 - Parking Reform Network

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.

July 6 - 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.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine