How Defining a “Major Transit Stop” Can Influence Housing

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What qualifies as a “major transit stop”? Researchers at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies are examining how varying definitions of the term can influence housing development across California.

Research program manager at the Institute of Transportation Studies Jacob Wasserman shared with KCRW that he defines a “major transit stop” as “a train stop, a ferry terminal, a bus rapid transit station, or where two bus routes that come every twenty minutes or better intersect. While the state maintains its own definition, Wasserman noted that cities and regional planning agencies often interpret the term differently.

The study finds that these inconsistencies can have significant implications for where housing is built. For instance, policies like SB 79, signed into law by Gavin Newsom, aim to encourage development near transit. However, the report suggests that such legislation may also create unintended incentives for some cities to limit transit expansion in order to avoid triggering additional housing requirements.

Moving forward, Wasserman suggests exploring alternative methods to determine where housing should be established, such as locations that do not rely as much on transit.

Introducing Greater Shade to LA in Preparation For Upcoming World Cup

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As Los Angeles prepares to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, city officials and planners are grappling with a growing concern: extreme heat.

Temperatures have risen to the 90s this March, and according to an article by LAist that cited data from the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, there is only 21% shade cover at noon in urban areas of L.A. County compared to the national average of 27%. 

With the World Cup arriving this summer, concerns about the minimal shade and high temperatures have led the city to make preparations to ensure the incoming flood of fans will be able to handle the heat. Plans are being made to set up pop-up hydration stations and shade structures with the hopes that testing these temporary changes this summer will inform bigger projects to bring more shade to the city for the Olympics in 2028. 

Unlike previous Olympic preparations, which focused heavily on tree planting, current planning emphasizes a more flexible mix of shade solutions. However, many details remain unresolved, and a comprehensive heat mitigation plan for the 2028 Games is not expected until 2027, leaving open questions about how prepared Los Angeles will ultimately be.

Mullin on the Creation of a Resilience District in the Palisades

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The Palisades Fire that swept through Southern California last January destroyed numerous homes and exposed significant gaps in preparedness and response—gaps that, if addressed, might have mitigated some of the damage.

City officials have proposed creating a resilience district in the Palisades, using a portion of local property tax revenue to fund stronger disaster preparedness and rebuilding efforts. The initiative would finance disaster-hardened construction, underground power lines, water storage, slope stabilization, and improved evacuation planning. Proponents see it as a potential model for climate-ready rebuilding.

However, the plan faces skepticism. Some City Council members question why the Palisades—one of Los Angeles’ better-resourced neighborhoods—should be prioritized over communities with fewer resources.

Professor of public policy Megan Mullin shared with the New York Times that “The perception is that the Palisades has the resources to move forward with its rebuild, making it a harder sell that such a ‘very high-value neighborhood’ should be able to hold onto any gains in its property taxes.” Residents, meanwhile, express concern that delays in creating a resilience district could leave them vulnerable when the next disaster strikes.

Ensuring Rebuilding Efforts Preserve Altadena’s Historically Black Identity

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As Altadena continues to recover from the Eaton Fire that swept through the community in January 2025, residents and local leaders are grappling with how rebuilding efforts may affect the area’s historically Black identity.

A recent discussion hosted by ULI Los Angeles and SoCal NOMA (the National Organization of Minority Architects) highlighted the importance of ensuring reconstruction does not displace long-term residents.

Researchfrom UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute and Center for Neighborhood Knowledge underscores the stakes: decades-long trends show Altadena’s Black population has declined by nearly 30%, and rebuilding initiatives risk perpetuating racial and economic disparities.

Urban Land further cited Paul Ong’s analysis, stating “Black homeowners in Altadena are less likely to own their homes free and clear, and that they face higher housing cost burdens.”

The findings signal an urgent need for architects, planners, and real estate professionals to center equity in redevelopment strategies. By incorporating the insights of UCLA researchers and partnering with organizations like NOMA, stakeholders can support rebuilding that preserves Altadena’s cultural heritage while promoting inclusive growth.

Pierce on the Necessity of Water Filters

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Rising uncertainty over the quality and safety of tap water in the United States has sparked debates over whether or not a filter is necessary. 

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates more than 90 contaminants and requires treatment measures such as disinfection, helping ensure that the vast majority of Americans have access to safe drinking water.

In a recent coverage by ABCNews, Gregory Pierce, director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab, urged consumers to approach filtration decisions with caution.

While testing options — including Consumer Confidence Reports, home kits and consultations with local utilities — can help identify potential issues, Pierce emphasized that widespread concern is often unwarranted.

“Unless you’re experiencing health impacts, you’ve got a notice from your water system or there’s a credible media source saying your water is unsafe, you shouldn’t feel the need to get a filter” and that it “shouldn’t be considered necessary to have a water filter in 90-plus percent of the United States.”

Manville Weighs In as New York Considers Paid Parking to Help Close Major Budget Gap

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As New York City confronts a $7 billion budget gap under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, policymakers are increasingly considering long-overlooked revenue sources, including charging for curbside parking. With roughly 97% of the city’s 3 million parking spaces unmetered, experts estimate the city may be foregoing up to $2 billion annually. While proposals such as residential permits and expanded metering face political resistance, particularly concerns about regressive impacts, urban policy experts argue that pricing parking is both economically rational and widely adopted in other major cities.

Urban planning professor at UCLA Michael Manville emphasized the fiscal and policy potential of such reforms to CNBC in a recent article. “Can you finance the whole city off it? No, of course not, but you could make a sizable amount of money,” he said. Framing the issue as a basic matter of supply and demand, Manville added, “If you offer New York City land at the price of zero, then you’re going to have a shortage of it because the price is well below its value.”

Manville on Implementing Congestion Pricing at LAX’s Horseshoe

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The notorious “horseshoe” at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a source of great aggravation for many airport-goers. The U-shaped road’s five lanes are almost always congested, and conditions have only worsened over time despite numerous efforts to address the issue. 

A novel approach, however, could almost guarantee a traffic reduction. Congestion pricing, or charging drivers to enter traffic-heavy areas, has been previously proven to ease traffic, and if implemented at LAX, could encourage drivers to stay away from the horseshoe. UCLA professor of urban planning Michael Manville shared with Golden State that LAX is a “natural place” to showcase the effectiveness of this strategy, and that although commuters may question why they now have to pay for something that was originally free, “congestion is its own deterrent to using the road, because it charges a big cost in time.” While a formal proposal has yet to be submitted, successfully implementing this strategy could bring traffic innovation to not only LAX, but southern California as a whole.

MIT Mobility Forum Reflects on Donald Shoup’s Influence on Parking Policy

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A recent episode of the MIT Mobility Forum examined the legacy of pioneering parking scholar Donald Shoup and the lasting influence of his ideas on urban planning and transportation policy. The discussion coincided with the release of “The Shoup Doctrine,” a collection of essays edited by Daniel Baldwin Hess, a former student of Shoup. The volume features contributions from dozens of planners, economists, and practitioners reflecting on how Shoup’s work reshaped thinking about parking and its broader impacts on cities.

For decades, many cities required large amounts of parking and treated curb space as a public good that should remain free. Shoup’s research challenged that assumption, arguing that parking is a scarce and valuable resource that should be priced and managed more thoughtfully. His work sparked a global movement among self-proclaimed “Shoupistas” who promoted reforms such as eliminating minimum parking requirements and better pricing curb space.

During the panel, Brian D. Taylor, professor of urban planning and public policy at the UCLA, recalled Shoup’s deep commitment to the issue. Taylor recounted Shoup telling him he would not move on from studying parking “until people got it right.” As Taylor summarized Shoup’s central insight: “Who pays for expensive free parking? Everyone but the drivers.”

To learn more about Donald Shoup’s legacy or support the parking reform initiatives he was passionate about, visit the new UCLA Center for Parking Policy, which carries forward his work by advancing research, education, and policy discussions on parking and urban mobility.

Taylor on Chicago Transit Overhaul Amid Funding Boost

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Chicago’s public transportation system, long criticized for delays that force commuters to plan extra time, is entering a period of historic investment. Illinois legislators have allocated roughly $1.2 billion per year to support the city’s aging transit infrastructure, with the goal of enhancing safety, service quality, and system coordination. The funding targets improvements across a network that has served the city for over 130 years, though officials caution that success is not guaranteed, especially amid broader economic uncertainty.

A central focus of the overhaul is service frequency, a critical factor for the city’s workforce. Many residents rely on timely and predictable transit to maintain employment, making reliability a top priority. As Brian Taylor, professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA, shared with Crain’s Chicago Business, “Frequency is freedom,” underscoring the importance of consistent transit service as the city undertakes this major infrastructure effort.

Wasserman on the Purple Line Extension

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The D Line (Los Angeles Metro) subway extension is set to bring rail service from Koreatown, Los Angeles to Beverly Hills, California, with the next segment scheduled to open to the public on May 8. However, the full project remains years from completion, with construction delays likely pushing the final timeline to 2028. The extended timeline has left many riders wondering why the project continues to face setbacks.

Jacob Wasserman, research program manager at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, shared with The LA Local that these delays are not surprising in the context of L.A.’s transit projects. “Unfortunately, it’s pretty common for transportation projects to run over budget and behind schedule… Agencies don’t have the expertise in house to make projects happen on time in part because they don’t do it often enough,” he stated. Wasserman notes, however, that this process may be expedited due to the impending arrival of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.