Housing near jobs

The problem

The places with the strongest housing demand — commercial districts and transit corridors — are often the places where homes are hardest to build. Workers commute long distances from where housing is allowed to where the jobs are, driving traffic, emissions, and turnover.

Include

• By-right multifamily development

  Zoning that approves multifamily housing administratively when it meets objective standards — certainty for builders, lower financing costs.

  Example language: “…multifamily residential uses [on] all land contained in a commercial or business zoning district.” — Virginia HB 816

• Transit-oriented development zoning

  Permit greater density, height, and mixed-use housing within walking distance of transit hubs — maximizing the transit investment and cutting household transportation costs.

  Example language: “A housing development project… within [a] specified distance of [a] transit stop [shall] be [an] allowed use.” — California SB 79

• Streamlined approval

  Modernize development review to reduce delay and uncertainty — predictability is what lowers construction costs.

  Example language: “…housing development… [as a] use by right… [subject to] streamlined, ministerial review.” — California AB 2011

• Reduced or eliminated parking requirements

  Parking adds $35,000–$38,000 per unit — about 8% of total project cost. Ease or eliminate mandates near transit to encourage density and walkability.

  Example language: “…prohibit [a] minimum automobile parking requirement… located within one-half mile of public transit.” — California AB 2097

• Increased height and stories

  Greater height spreads fixed costs across more homes — often the difference in feasibility, especially for affordable housing on high-value land.

• Public-private partnerships

  Partnerships close funding gaps, unlock capital, and secure long-term affordability in high-demand areas — like Charlotte's $50M housing bond (2022).