New California law eliminates parking mandates near transit
LOS ANGELES - In an effort to create more affordable housing in the state, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill eliminating the mandates for housing and commercial developments near public transportation.
Effective Jan. 1, 2023, cities in California can no longer impose minimum parking requirements on new developments within a half-mile of public transit. The bill would not prevent property owners from building parking but rather limit mandates on minimums.
The law - AB-2097 - was introduced by Assembly Member Laura Friedman with the goal of creating more opportunities for housing by lowering the cost of building parking spaces.
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The bill aims to address California’s housing crisis by removing costly parking mandates in transit-rich areas. According to California YIMBY, parking requirements can add $40,000 or more per parking spot to a project, which drives up the cost of development and increases rents by hundreds of dollars per month for tenants.
More than a dozen cities across the U.S. have taken similar steps with abolishing parking mandates.
The governor also signed AB-2011 and SB-6, which together will allow for more affordable housing to be built in underused commercial areas typically reserved for retail, office and parking.