Should we scrap parking minimums even if street parking gets tighter?
Parking minimums force new apartment buildings to dedicate expensive space for cars, driving up rents more than anyone admits. In my city, a single underground parking spot adds roughly $30,000 to construction costs, which developers pass straight to tenants. Requiring two spots per unit in a transit-rich neighborhood makes zero sense when car-free households actually want cheaper housing without the parking. Should we scrap parking minimums even if it means street parking gets tighter for residents who do own cars?