Framework for Sustainable Transit Communities
Los Angeles, California Region
BAE worked with a team of consultants to prepare this report, which describes the key principles for creating Sustainable Transit Communities (STCs) around 50 light rail and subway stations that are built and/or in the City of Los Angeles. The sustainability principles set forth in the report will be incorporated into future planning efforts, as well as implemented by the City through public capital improvement programs. Additional improvements will be implemented by private developers as they rehabilitate existing buildings and development new projects.
To initiate the Study, BAE prepared a market overview for each of the 50 station areas within Los Angeles. Our work included assessing demographic trends, employment by industry, and unmet affordable housing needs based on the number of low-income households with an excessive cost burden. Using BAE’s market analysis, the Study team rated each station are for market potential, walkability, availability of development sites, and other criteria. This led to an identification of 10 station areas recommended for focused Mayor’s Office efforts in the next five years as it works to create STCs. While these station areas currently have many of the pieces of an STC in place, they also have significant opportunity sites for transit oriented development (TOD), and favorable market conditions for developing new housing, retail and job centers.