Print this page

Parking facilities might possibly solve the housing crisis

Posted On Wednesday, 23 December 2020 13:36
Parking facilities might possibly solve the housing crisis

It’s expected that by 2050 more than two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. People prefer cities and municipalities because they can share resources, not to mention that they enjoy a sense of community. The demand for housing has increased over the past years, needless to say. There are more buyers and fewer sellers. At present, there is a great deal of pressure on local authorities to allocate sites for residential development. But what can officials do if there is no vacant land? Well, if we look hard enough, we’re bound to find sites with development potential. Parking spots, which take up more than enough space, represent a viable solution. 

Parking facilities can comfortably accommodate many homes  

Cities around the globe are making efforts to reduce the number of vehicles by changing travel behavior. To prevent an excessive use of private cars, cycling lanes have been inaugurated and carpooling has been encouraged, focusing on reducing congestion and car use alike. In some areas, car parks have decreased in importance, or at least they have become much more discrete. They’re big and, most importantly, not occupied. Whether they are buried in underground structures or built into skyscrapers, parking facilities are quite empty. It would be a shame not to put that space to good use. Most of these garages can be transformed into housing for people. 

Parking lots are sitting on valuable land. The good news is that most of them are in public ownership – in other words, they are under the control of local authorities. Local governments can enable more homes to be built and solve the housing dilemma by promoting sustainable transport solutions. The United States has more car parks than necessary and architects and city planners are just starting to realize the potential of this space, which can lead to a significant shift in housing situations in geographies worldwide. Instead of building plenty of housing for cars, cities could build actual homes. 

Reducing parking provision in urban environments doesn’t come without challenges. For instance, not all cities are able to reduce car traffic. They have minimum parking built into the zoning code, the outcome being that developers are forced to include parking in their properties. Not everyone is willing to consider alternative means of transport. Private cars have become popular during the global pandemic. Ford dealerships in Kansas City MO, in particular, are accelerating orders. Maybe in the years to come, the landscape will change. For the time being, however, there are some obstacles to overcome. It’s important to look forward and try to overcome life’s challenges to make a real difference in the world. 

Of course, we can’t do away with parking facilities entirely 

It’s unrealistic to completely remove parking facilities in the inner city. While reducing the infrastructure for cars can contribute towards decreasing congestion on the roads, we can’t get rid of parking spots for good. People with disabilities, such as the elderly, need accessible parking. They are better off in a world where they can get in the vehicle, park it somewhere, and walk a short distance to the final destination. Here’s another example. Numerous employees commute to work every day and they waste a tremendous amount of time searching for a parking spot, consuming countless barrels of gasoline and releasing some CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. They need a place where they can safely leave their cars. 

Eliminating parking facilities makes life harder for those who rely on transport for traveling short distances, such as therapy sessions or hospital visits. Cities vary in size, which translates into the fact that some people are forced to give up their vehicles and walk or cycle to work for a few hours. It’s unreasonable to ask people to give up their comfort. There is also the issue of emergencies. To be more exact, police officers, firefighters, and the rest can’t abandon their vehicles on the street. Eliminating car parks and repurposing them might be a hasty decision, to say the least. We need to work to solve the housing crisis and make everyone happy. 

So, is it really a good idea to eliminate more parking facilities? 

All in all, it’s necessary to come up with a middle-ground solution. Indeed, the world desperately needs houses and parking lots, which are more often than not unoccupied, can be transformed into permanent solutions for residents. The rise of autonomous vehicles will reduce the need for parking, as driverless cars don’t need too much space. Nevertheless, maintaining some parking spaces is necessary. Some people have difficulty walking and doing errands, while others aren’t keen on using alternative means of transport. It’s not possible to make parking spots extinct. Although the demand for housing has increased, not all city governments are on board with the latest trend in redevelopment. 

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries