Ebook The Case for Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development in the Denver Region
The passage of the “FasTracks” ballot measure by metro Denver voters in 2004 signaled the start of a new era of transportation, growth and development in the area. FasTracks has terrific potential to deliver on its promises of reduced congestion, livable neighborhoods and greater economic competitiveness, but its success is dependent on the kind of development that grows up around new and existing transit stations.
Well-planned “transit-oriented development” (TOD) can foster greater use of FasTracks light rail by encouraging housing, retail and office developments in the districts around transit stops. Incorporating affordable housing into TODs presents opportunities to meaningfully address the region’s growing affordability crisis by tackling housing and transportation costs simultaneously while expanding access to jobs, educational opportunities and prosperity for the many households living in the Denver region.
By offering truly affordable housing, a stable and reliable base of transit riders, broader access to opportunity and protection from displacement, mixed income TOD holds the potential to address the problems of worsening congestion, rising unaffordability and the growing gap between lower income and wealthier residents in the region.
This study reviews the demand for housing near transit; explores the benefits of mixed-income, transit-oriented neighborhoods; analyzes the barriers to creating such communities; offers an array of tools for overcoming those barriers; and applies those tools in the context of four planned transit station areas in metro Denver.
Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Joining Forces: The Benefits of Mixed-Income, Transit-Oriented Neighborhoods
- Benefit 1: Truly Affordable Housing
Benefit 2: Stabilizing “High-Percentage” Riders
Benefit 3: Broadening Access to Opportunity
Benefit 4: Alleviating Gentrification Pressures Near Transit Stations
Benefit 5: Increasing Employers’ Access to Metro Workforce
Current Barriers to Mixed-Income TOD
Tools for Generating Mixed-Income Housing in Denver TODs
Next Steps
Appendix 1 – Case Study Analyses of Four Transit Station Areas
Appendix 2 – The Combined Burden of Housing and Transportation Costs
Appendix 3 – Interviewees
Appendix 4 – Acronyms Used in this Report
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PDF Ebook The Case for Mixed-Income Transit-Oriented Development in the Denver Region
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