Transportation Needs of Disadvantaged Populations: Where, When, and How? FEBRUARY 2013 FTA Report No. 0030 Federal Transit Administration PREPARED BY Fang Zhao Thomas Gustafson Center for Special Needs of Special Populations (TRANSPO) Florida International University COVER PHOTO Courtesy of iStockphoto. DISCLAIMER This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the objective of this report. Transportation Needs of Disadvantaged Populations: Where, When, and How? FEBRUARY 2013 FTA Report No. 0030 PREPARED BY Fang Zhao Thomas Gustafson Center for Special Needs of Special Populations (TRANSPO) Florida International University SPONSORED BY Federal Transit Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 AVAILABLE ONLINE http://www.fta.dot.gov/research i FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION i Metric Conversion Table Metric Conversion Table SYMBOL WHEN YOU KNOW MULTIPLY BY TO FIND SYMBOL LENGTH in inches 25.4 millimeters mm ft feet 0.305 meters m yd yards 0.914 meters m mi miles 1.61 kilometers km VOLUME fl oz fluid ounces 29.57 milliliters mL gal gallons 3.785 liters L 3 3 ft cubic feet 0.028 cubic meters m 3 3 yd cubic yards 0.765 cubic meters m 3 NOTE: volumes greater than 1000 L shall be shown in m MASS oz ounces 28.35 grams g lb pounds 0.454 kilograms kg megagrams T short tons (2000 lb) 0.907 Mg (or "t") (or "metric ton") TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) o 5 (F-32)/9 o F Fahrenheit Celsius C or (F-32)/1.8 FEDERALFEDERAL TRANSIT TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION ii ii REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruc­ tions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED February 2013 Final Report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Transportation Needs of Disadvantaged Populations: Where, When, and How? FL-04-7104 6. AUTHOR(S) Fang Zhao and Thomas Gustafson 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESSE(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER Center for Special Needs of Special Populations (TRANSPO) Florida International University FTA Report No. 0030 10555 W. Flagler Street, EC 3680, Miami, FL 33174 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT U.S. Department of Transportation NUMBER Federal Transit Administration East Building FTA Report No. 0030 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES http://www.fta.dot.gov/research 12A. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12B. DISTRIBUTION CODE Available from: National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA 22161. Phone 703.605.6000, Fax 703.605.6900, email [[email protected]] TRI-20 13. ABSTRACT Transportation needs of disadvantaged populations (persons with disabilities, older adults, and the poor) are explored, and a methodology to address transit markets is examined to determine where, when, and how to provide for basic mobility needs assuming pedestrian and transit-accessible community development. Interrelated and innovative strategies are suggested that weave together suggestions for both the disadvantaged and those who would support a growing economy. Consequently, pathways for the whole population are envisioned. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES Low-income workers, job accessibility, transit, advanced transit-oriented development 91 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF THIS PAGE OF ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Executive Summary 3 Section 1: Introduction 5 Section 2: Literature Review 5 Low-Income Working Families 8 Availability of Affordable Housing 13 Transportation Needs for Low-Income Working Families 13 Average Costs of Transportation 14 Understanding Auto vs. Transit Mode 15 Housing and Transportation Issues 17 Overcoming Barriers 19 Factors Affecting Transit Use 20 Transit-Oriented Developments 21 TODs and Affordability 22 Impact of TODs on Transit Ridership 24 Density and Transit Use 24 Transit-Supportive Density 25 Mixed Land Use 25 Quality of Transit 26 TOD Design 27 Parking 28 Cooperation of All Involved Parties 29 Summary 32 Section 3: Miami-Dade County Case Study 32 Public and Low-Cost Housing Availability and Locations 39 Employment 47 Transportation Needs of Low-Income Workers 64 Transit Services 71 Summary 72 Section 4: Conclusions and Recommendations 74 References 79 Appendix A: Employment Classifications FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION iv LIST OF FIGURES 16 Figure 2-1: Housing Cost as a Percentage of Income 16 Figure 2-2: Housing and Transportation Cost as a Percentage of Income, Miami-Dade County 33 Figure 3-1: Locations of Public Housing, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade County 34 Figure 3-2: Locations of Subsidized Rental Units, Miami-Dade County 35 Figure 3-3: Distribution of Affordable Owner-Occupied Housing Units for Annual Household Income of $20,000 or Less, Miami-Dade County 36 Figure 3-4: Distribution of Affordable Renter-Occupied Housing Units for Annual Household Income of $20,000 or Less, Miami-Dade County 37 Figure 3-5: Distribution of Affordable Owner-Occupied Housing Units for Annual Household Income of $35,000 or Less, Miami-Dade County 38 Figure 3-6: Distribution of Affordable Renter-Occupied Housing Units for Annual Household Income of $35,000 or Less, Miami-Dade County 39 Figure 3-7: Median Household Income by Age of Householder, Miami-Dade County 40 Figure 3-8 : Income Distribution of Workers with Retail Trade Jobs, Miami-Dade County 40 Figure 3-9 : Income Distribution of Workers with Service Jobs, Miami-Dade County 41 Figure 3-10: Income Distribution of Workers with Industrial Jobs, Miami-Dade County 41 Figure 3-11: Income Distribution of Workers with Government Jobs, Miami-Dade County 41 Figure 3-12: Income Distribution of Workers with Commercial Jobs, Miami-Dade County 42 Figure 3-13: Income Distribution of Workers with Professional Jobs, Miami-Dade County 44 Figure 3-14: Employment Distribution of Retail and Service Jobs, Miami-Dade County 45 Figure 3-15: Ratio of Retail and Service Jobs to Low-Income Workers with 30 Minutes of Travel Time (Annual Household Income Less than $30,000), Miami-Dade County 46 Figure 3-16: Ratio of Retail and Service Jobs to Low-Income Workers with 30 Minutes of Travel Time (Annual Household Income Less than $40,000), Miami-Dade County 48 Figure 3-17: Distribution of Workers with Annual Household Income Less than $15,000 at Place of Residence, Miami-Dade County 49 Figure 3-18: Distribution of Workers with Annual Household Income Less than $15,000 at Place of Work, Miami-Dade County 50 Figure 3-19: Distribution of Workers with Annual Household Income Less than $30,000 at Place of Residence, Miami-Dade County FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION v 51 Figure 3-20: Distribution of Workers with Annual Household Income Less than $30,000 at Place of Work, Miami-Dade County 52 Figure 3-21: Distribution of Workers with Annual Household Income Less than $40,000 at Place of Residence, Miami-Dade County 53 Figure 3-22: Distribution of Workers with Annual Household Income Less than $40,000 at Place of Work, Miami-Dade County 55 Figure 3-23: Distribution of Households without Vehicles in Owner-Occupied Housing Units, Miami-Dade County 56 Figure 3-24: Distribution of Households without Vehicles in Renter-Occupied Housing Units, Miami-Dade County 57 Figure 3-25: Average Number of Vehicles per Owner-Occupied Housing Units, Miami-Dade County 58 Figure 3-26: Average Number of Vehicles per Renter-Occupied Housing Units, Miami-Dade County 59 Figure 3-27: Average Travel Time for Workers with Annual Earnings of Less than $10,000, Miami-Dade County 60 Figure 3-28: Average Travel Time for Workers with Annual Earnings of $10,000–$20,000, Miami-Dade County 61 Figure 3-29: Average Travel Time for Workers with Annual Earnings of $20,000–$30,000, Miami-Dade County 62 Figure 3-30: Average Travel Time for Workers with Annual Earnings of $30,000–$40,000, Miami-Dade County 64 Figure 3-31: Work Trip Zonal Interchanges for Low-Income Workers, Miami-Dade County 65 Figure 3-32: Transit Routes and Stops in Miami-Dade County 66 Figure 3-33: Low-Income Worker Origins & Destinations, Miami-Dade County LIST OF TABLES 5 Table 2-1: 2006 HHS Poverty Guidelines 9 Table 2-2: Projected Affordable Housing Needs for Renters, 2008–2030 9 Table 2-3: Projected Affordable Housing Needs for Owners, 2008–2030 10 Table 2-4: Income Limits Adjusted by Family Size for Fiscal Year 2006 28 Table 2-5: Planning and Development Challenges of TODs 39 Table