Against steep odds, Bridgeport just scored a major win for parking reform. They defeated a push to reinstate costly parking mandates by a single vote. This victory preserves the city’s 2021 reforms, which have already unlocked stalled housing projects and revitalized vacant lots. But the fight wasn’t easy: Facing backlash over one parking-free development, opponents nearly rolled back progress until a coalition of developers, housing advocates, and transit riders rallied to defend the policy. Here’s how they did it, and why it matters far beyond Connecticut.