Let’s House People, Not Cars

Parking mandates require a specific number of parking spaces for new developments — perpetuating the cycle of car dependency.

The data is clear: More parking leads to more driving, less transit use, and less walking.

Each parking spot is about 200 square feet. New York studio apartments range from around 400 to 600 square feet. A studio apartment occupies the same space as two parking spaces.

What’s a better use of space: car storage or a home?

Parking mandates impede affordable housing development, increase construction costs and rents, and disproportionately burden low-income households with costs.

In clearer terms: Parking mandates increase rent by $142 a month.

The average cost to develop parking is $1,000 per space or $5000 per car annually, totaling more than a trillion dollars. Parking is often the biggest cost of driving a car. For every dollar a person spends on their car, someone else spends a dollar on parking for its use.

Parking lots greatly contribute to the urban heat island effect. Not all streets are created equal: NYC has less than one tree per resident. Neighborhoods with the least tree canopy coverage are more likely to be in lower-income communities of color, according to Spatial Equity NYC.

This fall, NYC Planning took the first steps to end parking mandates for new housing. The proposal is now under review.

Let’s get it done!