Spurring Private-Sector Development Along Transit Corridors (Research Brief)

To encourage a balance of living-wage jobs and mixed-income housing near transit, the researchers recommend that policymakers focus on making site-selection decisions for developers and employers less challenging by:

• Fostering communication and collaboration between the public sector and groups in the private sector that already have shown an interest in transit-accessible locations. These groups include multifamily residential developers, redevelopment specialists, large corporations, startups and other small, innovative employers, and employers of low-wage workers.
• Promoting vibrant, walkable neighborhoods through flexible design and regulatory reform such as form-based codes in station areas (regulating only appearance and externalities rather than uses), high-enough densities, and maximum parking requirements.
• Promoting diverse affordable-housing options by helping affordable-housing specialists pursue cost-effective designs that reduce parking ratios and increase density by raising height restrictions.
• Promoting diverse transit options--including high- frequency bus routes and high-quality rail--and accelerating system development.