Why Parking Reform?
For climate action, housing affordability, and safer streets.
Whether your city needs abundant affordable housing, more bike lanes or transit improvements, parking policy and parking politics are always an obstacle.
The Parking Reform Network is here to support activists and professionals working in any discipline or policy area impacted by car parking.
What’s New?
Check out this excellent New York Times piece that uses a case study in Brooklyn to highlight how arbitrary parking mandates end up driving up the cost of housing.
“People just assume these numbers are right because they’re in the zoning code,” said Tony Jordan, who runs the Parking Reform Network, which advocates ending minimums. “No, they’re just made up.”
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Keep up with parking reform news, events, and the Parking Reform Network’s projects and activities. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow our socials.
“Assembling support for parking reform is like opening a combination lock: each small turn of the dial seems to achieve nothing, but when everything is in place the lock opens.”
– Donald Shoup
Our Theory of Change
Most people have never really thought about parking! Broad messaging campaigns educate the public about the high costs of excess parking and neutralize opposition.
City planners and a growing number of officials understand the need for parking reform, but they need public support to implement effective policy.
We provide reformers with training and resources to build a coalition of allies in fields of activism and business which benefit from parking reforms.
The local network is ready to act when opportunity arises. Increasingly, parking reforms are part of housing, climate, or transportation initiatives at the regional and state level.
A Network for Success
The parking reform movement is broad and shallow and the arc of progress is a long one. The Parking Reform Network connects you with the people and resources you need to stay motivated and effective.
Community
You can rub virtual elbows with Donald Shoup at a meetup or get advice from a seasoned organizer or consultant in our Slack. The network’s value is in the people.
Resources
Find inspiration in our map of parking reforms, evidence from our research database, and materials from our resource center. We’ve got you covered.
Support
Leverage the infrastructure, experience, and expertise of the Network to jumpstart your campaign and get your parking reforms over the finish line.
It’s More than the Minimums
A repeal of costly parking mandates is critical for building sustainable cities with abundant and affordable housing. But we cant achieve transportation, equity, and climate goals without better curbside policies and transportation demand management (TDM).
Performance-based on-street prices and flexible commuter benefits are essential strategies to reduce car trips. Cities must be convinced to spend parking revenues in ways that reduce car dependency, rather than on traffic inducing parking garages. The curb lane might be better used as a bus lane, bike lane, or streatery. Instead of spending tens of millions of dollars on park-and-ride garages, transit agencies should build housing.
These policies deserve a focus and coordination that no other organization has a mission to provide. The Parking Reform Network needs your support to fill this void in the advocacy ecosystem.
Recent Posts
Parking Reformer Spotlight: Spokane, WA City Councilor Zack Zappone
8 Ways that Parking Reform is Climate Action
The Diffusion of Parking Reform in the US: How and Why Now?
White House Elevates Parking Reform: Insights from Two Decades of Presidential Economic Reports
