setting the stage: parking policy as Los Angeles matures and the regional transit system is built

Regional Context Regional Context

Robin Blair (METRO) Robin Blair is something that is essential to the FTA funding Jay Kim (LADOT) Jay Kim is the security, liability, and insurance issues, there a Planning Director at Metro and the process and to the criteria we are using. So Acting Assistant General Manager could be maximum flexibility in dealing with Parking Policy Modal Lead for the far, the city of Los Angeles and the surround- for the newly re-organized Office of parking.” 2011 Call for Projects. Parking Management, Planning and ing cities have adopted fairly aggressive land Regulations with the Department of use policies which favor transit use.” Transportation. He has over 20 years of transportation planning and engi- neering experience from both private • “Currently the renaissance of rail raises and public sectors. the issue of land use, which is the most considered factor for the Federal Trans- • “Because we impose parking require- portation Agency (FTA) in evaluating any The five criteria of FTA’s ments on a project-by-project basis and In the U.S. we have built new funding. In this context, the discus- evaluation for fund- parking spaces are not designed to be three spaces per each sion of parking around transit becomes “ publically shared, we over-provide park- “ important.” ing are the existing land ing. Parking spaces should be shared.” car. In downtown in par- • “Places like MacArthur Park have well use, the containment of • Regarding shared parking, “every build- ticular, we have dedi- survived and people gravitated to these ing will probably need to have some por- areas where they could get around the sprawl, transit supporting tion of the parking dedicated for their use; cated 81% of the land for city without using automobiles. On the but there is huge opportunity still for part other hand, however, parking require- corridor policies which of that building to have that pool be avail- parking that translates ments have actually hindered the revital- able for public use.” ization or utilization of these old areas.” are directly tied to park- into 170 parking lots with • “Parking problems should be approached • “Transit agencies regard the encourage- ing and parking form, the as a district problem. The ‘just perfect’ only a few parks.” ment of transit as the right policy. It would parking supply cannot be obtained based probably be better that the land uses near supporting zones near on the notion of supplying the average transit do not demand too much parking.” transit including parking parking rate. However, if we can create • “The biggest encouragement to reduce the framework under which the assets parking is to create an environment requirements and form, of the private sector could be made into where there is alternative parking. This is and the track records of the public pool, and if we can address

01 I setting the stage performance.” setting the stage I 02 Regional Context Site Context

Hasan Ikhrata (SCAG) Hasan Ikh- • “The urban form we will have in the future Stefanos Polyzoides (Moule and Illustration: Del Mar Station Transit Village Pasadena, California rata is the Executive Director of the will be based not only on people’s preference Polyzoides Architects) Stefanos Southern California Association of for housing, but also factors such as energy Polyzoides is a principal of Architec- Governments (SCAG). Prior to joining ture firm Moule & Polyzoides. His costs. The future—though not everywhere— SCAG, Mr. Ikhrata worked for the Los professional experience spans insti- Angeles County Metropolitan Trans- will be multi-family, small lots, near transit, tutional and civic buildings, historic portation Authority (MTA) where he and walkable communities.” rehabilitation, commercial projects, developed a comprehensive Trans- housing, campus planning, and urban portation Demand Management pro- design. gram for the MTA. • TOD parking recommendations: • “The nation has experienced a great “Neighborhood and District-wide parking change since the 1960s. In 1960, al- In Southern Califor- measures (1/4-mile radius); station park- The actual space re- most half the households were house- nia, the demands for ing (street and structure) managed as a holds with children. Today that number is “ quirements for parking Park-Once system; high-quality public “ around 28% and is expected to fall down. single-family homes on space throughout, particularly connect- Single-person households grew from are so extreme and the ing parking and station; project parking 13% to 34%. The housing, transporta- large lots is going to de- ratio maxima, low to begin with and mon- tion, and health care needs in the future access requirements for cline significantly by itored over time for use on a shared park- are probably not going to be similar to ing basis; area-wide reduction of parking parking are so extreme what we had in the past.” about 1 million units; the ratios over time based on development that they end up domi- • “Recent national surveys consistently demand for multi-fam- thresholds and triggers; in lieu support revealed the preference of a significant of shuttles to adjacent neighborhoods nating the architectural portion of people for attached (38%- ily, small lots will go up, and districts; free parking for businesses 39%) and small lot housing with ameni- under 2,000 sf; obligatory decoupling of projects, as they emerge ties including easy access to transit. But, about 0.65 million units.” units and parking for sales and rentals; people’s actual preference may be very bicycle stations located adjacent to each from the various zoning different. This makes it very hard for the station, and; reduction in street and ga- requirements for various region to plan for the future.” rage parking dimensions.” municipalities.”

03 I setting the stage setting the stage I 04 Illustration: MDA Johnson Favaro Architecture & Urban Design academic perspectives on minimum parking: congestion Typical Commerical Lot 7,500 sq. ft. and the cost of housing, goods, & services

Site Context The True Cost of Parking

Gwynne Pugh (Gwynne Pugh Donald Shoup, Ph.D. (UCLA) Pro- land use ‘needs’ simply by measuring such Urban Studio) Gwynne Pugh is a fessor Donald Shoup has served as variables as the number of fuel nozzles at a member of the City of Santa Monica Director of the Institute of Transporta- “By-Right” Retail Building gas station, nuns in a convent, or reposing Planning Commission, an urban de- tion Studies and Chair of the Depart- 3,125 sq. ft. (improvements) rooms in a funeral parlor.” signer, and a consultant. He has over 12 stalls (4 per 1,000 sq. ft.) ment of Urban Planning at UCLA. 20 years of architectural and design Donald Shoup has extensively stud- experience. ied parking as a key link between transportation and land use. • “Each parking stall is about 350 square feet, if it’s reasonably and efficiently • “Los Angeles is following the rest of the For a concert hall in parked, incorporating the drive way, cir- world in reforming its parking require- culation and particularly ramps. A two- ments, it’s not leading. The minimum downtown, L.A. re- bedroom unit in an affordable workforce parking requirements are the real barrier “ housing project would be 850 square feet. “By-Right” Restaurant Building to density in this city. It isn’t the FAR; it quires, at a minimum, 15 1,665 sq. ft. (improvements) However, its parking requirement would 16 stalls (10 per 1,000 sq. ft.) isn’t the dwelling units per acre; it is the be 2-2.5 parking stalls, which equals to minimum parking requirements.” times more parking than 850 square feet. We are not building • “Off-street parking requirements resem- San Francisco allows as housing; we are building parking.” ble the pseudoscience of phrenology. • “The not-shared parking, which cannot Phrenologists believed that separate the maximum. We built be leased out and it cannot have other parts of the brain were responsible for the Disney Hall garage uses, contributes to part of the parking such characteristics as benevolence, problems.” friendship, integrity, neatness, and self- seven years before we ishness, and the external features of the Parking drives what skull predicted these behaviours. This had the money to build you can actually do on sounds alarmingly similar to the notion the Disney Hall. San Fran- “ that, without knowing anything about lots, rather than what the the cost of parking spaces or the price cisco built Louise David charged for using them, planners can activity we really want to predict how many parking spaces every Hall without any parking have happen.” at all.” 05 I setting the stage academic perspectives I 06 The residential parking requirement is go- “ing to reduce the overall quality of hous- ing and the variety of housing available. Re- Impact of Residential Parking moving the minimum parking requirements in turn will give you both more housing and Mike Manville (UCLA) Mike Manville is a postdoctoral scholar at the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA. He has conducted research into transportation more variety of housing.” policy and local public finance with a focus on how parking requirements influence both travel behavior and urban form.

• With residential minimum parking require- spent on parking. For people who do two parking spaces for each unit, rather than ments, housing has to be accompanied We fight the problem of drive, this minimum parking requirement more affordable units. The parking require- by a specific amount of parking spaces. congestion by making functions as a subsidy. For people who ment changes the amount of housing and the Usually these parking spaces have to be “ don’t drive, this minimum parking require- type of housing.” on the same site. “When local govern- it hard to build housing— ment is a penalty. This situation results in • “The provision of off-site parking could be ment requires the developer to provide by forcing every hous- less housing and more expensive hous- one solution to the parking problem: existing parking on-site with every unit, two things ing for consumers.” buildings and existing parking may be used happen: the cost of housing goes up, and ing unit to make room for • The number of required parking spaces more efficiently, and unbundling parking from the cost of driving goes down. Cities end may lead developers to build fewer hous- rents would be easier. Unbundling is impor- up with more expensive housing and less cars. This is both counter- ing units than originally intended or per- tant because it lowers the price of housing.” expensive driving, resulting in less hous- mitted. “The zoning code just says one ing, more driving, and more congestion.” productive and circular. has to provide X amount housing, no • “Most cities prefer to have more hous- It doesn’t solve the con- matter the cost. Parking can be extraor- ing, more affordable housing, less driv- dinarily pricy. The marginal cost of an ing, and less congestion. Residential gestion problem and it additional parking space can be two or minimum parking requirements actively three times the original price. Confronted undermine that goal. Off-street parking makes housing prices with the cost of that one space, develop- requirements take the cost that should be boom.” ers may prefer not to build those housing paid by drivers, which is the cost of park- units. Cumulatively, the city loses a lot of ing, and it adds it to the cost of property housing, and the price goes up. Also, the development. The money people spend composition of housing supply changes. on housing is converted into the money Developers tend to build bigger units with

07 I academic perspectives academic perspectives I 08 local examples & expertise: critical analysis

Affordable Housing Affordable Housing

Helmi Hisserich (LAHD) Helmi His- Shashi Hanuman (Public Counsel Law Lisa Payne (SCANPH) Lisa Payne • “Since January 2010 in a really down market, serich is the Assistant General Man- Center) Shashi Hanuman is the Directing is the Policy Director for the Southern we had 180 affordable units built in market ager at the Los Angeles Housing De- Attorney of Public Counsel’s Community California Association of Nonprofit rate developments, using the density bonus partment. Prior to joining LAHD, Ms. Development Project (CDP), which is ded- Housing. SCANPH creates afford- parking incentive. If reducing parking further, Hisserich has served as the Deputy icated to building strong foundations for able housing opportunities for low- Mayor of Housing and Economic De- healthy, vibrant communities in Los Ange- income people by expanding the we should keep some affordable require- velopment Policy for the City of Los les. Shashi’s work in CDP includes provid- knowledge, capacity, and influence of ments, and even ask for more.” Angeles and as a Regional Adminis- ing counsel to nonprofit community-based the nonprofit development sector. trator with the CRA/LA. organizations that advocate for strategies to preserve and produce affordable hous- • “According to the RHNA numbers, during • “Around the TOD areas, within the TOD ing. the last Housing Element period (1998 areas and within 0.5 mile each of these -2005), the city of Los Angeles was sup- • “Between 2001 and 2007, 20,000 affordable transit stops, there are approximately posed to build 17,990 homes affordable homes were built, while 13,000 RSO units 112,000 RSO units that are about 18% to very low-income households, about were lost, and 13,000 is actually an under- Transit planners fre- of our entire housing stock. It’s ready for $40,000 dollars per household. The City estimation. This cycle we have the same the taking. 55% to 70% of renters in the built only about 4,043 homes, or 21%; quently speak of the trends. The need is about 40,000 affordable “ TOD areas right now are already rent and 218% of housing for above-moder- homes. The last housing annual report from burdened.” ate income households in terms of mar- need for transit-oriented 2009 says that so far we have only built about • “Reducing parking could decrease the ket rate.” 500 affordable units, and 180 units were built development to support cost of development. However, it under- with density bonus.” • “In 2007, nearly 50% of workers in Los mines the current density bonus incen- Angeles made under $25,000 dollars a ridership, but what transit • “RSO units have lower parking requirements. tives for the provision of affordable hous- year; over 75% made under $50,000 dol- Current condo parking requirements are stations need is transit- ing—we are going to create tremendous lars a year. What’s being planned around higher. Reduction of parking permits addi- amount of gentrification pressure.” transit stops right now are mainly apart- tional units to be built, which makes feasible oriented neighbors who ments for single people and couples conversions and demolitions. It is not a bad making over $80,000 dollars per year. will regularly use this sta- In the 10 years after the policy, but which can have unintended conse- This is a gap that will not be filled just by quences. Reduce parking but do it by ensur- tion. I would say they opening of the Red Line reducing parking or just by building more “ ing that people of low income can live near density.” in Hollywood, land values transit.” need both.” went up 562% and rents local examples & expertise I 10 quadrupled.” The ARO is the only, single, piece “of legislation in this country to create 14,000 units of housing from 1999 to 2007.” Adaptive Reuse Process Issues & Parking Credits

Hamid Behdad (Central City De- Bruce Silberman (Allied Parking) Bruce Mott Smith (Civic Enterprises) 12,003 multifamily units built in L.A. in 595 velopment Group) Hamid Behdad Silberman is the President and CEO of Al- Mott Smith is a Principle for Civic En- projects. 92% were in projects of 50 units or is the Co-President of the Central lied Parking. He has served as the prima- terprises. His work has focused ex- less. These projects are relatively marginal City Development Group. During his ry consultant for construction and develop- panding the application of joint-ven- profit wise. 69% were in projects of 10 units 18 years of civil service, Mr. Behdad ment for numerous clients over his 40 plus tures, mixed-use, and public-private served three consecutive Mayoral years in the parking business. real estate development models. or less. Our current parking codes make this Administrations for the City of Los kind of small-scale, workforce development Angeles. Mr. Behdad brings an ex- impossible.” • “Historically, Los Angeles has had citywide • “Overwhelmingly it is ‘moms-and-pops’ ceptional breadth of knowledge and • “This current dysfunctional system benefits expertise of real estate development, centralized parking. Back in the 1950s, the that own the properties in L.A.’s com- construction, land use, entitlements, parking commission was formed, which pur- mercial districts. Mostly, they are working land assemblers and speculators, communi- real estate law, civil and structural chased parking lots in various areas to have families with one or two small parcels. An ty benefits advocates, lobbyists and lawyers, engineering. centralized parking for future development. ordinance passed in 1990 by imposing city council members and extortionists; while In the 1980s, the off-street parking provisions different requirements on different uses ‘mom-and-pop’ landowners, small business- • “Whatever parking exists in any perspec- changed and the parking facility stopped get- created the problem for change of use es, working families, small workforce and re- tive of adaptive reuse project, let’s main- ting built. The off-street parking is what al- and made entire neighborhoods non- tail developers and community stakeholders tain that; do not reduce it, but do not ask lowed for the parking garages which could conforming. Discretionary actions have get hurt.” for additional because these buildings serve as the transitioning. Centralized park- become the norm for changes of use in simply cannot provide. But for the devel- ing does work.” these areas. They can cost businesses opers, if they feel the need for the market, • “There are properties that are available for $50,000-100,000 dollars and more than they will do it. Let’s trust the free market, a year just for these paper approvals. A let it decide rather than regulating it.” centralized parking, and there is adequate parking. The City has some 1,500 covenants lot of small business and non-profits that • Because of parking provisions of the within the garages that we own in downtown tried to operate in L.A.’s commercial dis- Because our rules don’t adaptive reuse ordinance, “we created L.A. that are useable for adaptive reuse and tricts failed because there is no good way work for normal parcels 14,000 housing units. It is the financing for housing.” to comply with our parking rules at this “ structures and certain specific plans that scale in L.A.” -- assembly, exceptions made 7.5%-10% of those units afford- • “Most infill developers in Los Angeles are able.” not professional developers—they are and ‘creatures of the code’ ‘moms-and-pops’. In 2006, there were have become the norm.”

11 I local examples & expertise local examples & expertise I 12 Process Issues & Parking Credits

Michael Tharp (Eagle Rock Neigh- parcels large enough to build the surface borhood Council) Michael Tharp parking that is necessary by code.” moved to Eagle Rock in 1988. He was president of The Eagle Rock • “The proposed parking program wasn’t to Association known as TERA, a rent out parking spaces; it was to rent out dues paying residents’ association parking credit for those spaces and consider with over 600 members, from 2005 them all as one area, to allow business to tap through 2007. He currently sits on into that pool based on their use and pay for the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Coun- the use of the credit for the spaces, rather cil Planning and Land Use Commit- tee and on the Colorado Boulevard than go through the variance procedure. We Specific Plan Design Review Board. started to get the small businesses the type He was President of TERA when the we wanted.” Eagle Rock Pilot Parking Program was implemented. If you can’t park in • “Back in 1988, when I moved to Eagle front of the business, Rock, Colorado Boulevard was a fading “ boulevard. We tried to come up with a that’s okay because you parking program that would incentivize the boulevard. At that time, a lot of busi- can park somewhere nesses complained that the variance pro- cedures were too expensive and there nearby. And if you walk was no guarantee of success. Resident groups were saying that we were de- two or three blocks, that stroying our historical buildings in order creates a more viable to build parking lots for commercial uses; Image: http://blog.andrewsable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/banksy-parking1.jpg we weren’t allowing small business en- street life. Other busi- By Banksy, at 9th & Broadway, Los Angeles trepreneurs coming in but instead en- couraging only national chains to come nesses benefit from that in because they could afford to assemble as well.”

13 I local examples & expertise