BART Making Progress on Transit-Oriented Development

With almost 1,500 units completed since 2013, another almost 1,300 under construction and another 2,300 on the drawing board, new housing is fast springing up around BART stations across the region. Also known as transit-oriented development, this new housing represents a model that the Bay Area Council has been advocating for many years as a way to keep automobiles off the region’s congested roads. The emergence of more TOD projects in recent years and the promise of more to come is documented in a comprehensive story by the San Francisco Chronicle’s John King. The Council was instrumental in advocating for new BART policies that cleared the way for using agency land to build housing. BART’s overall goal is to create 18,000 new housing units by 2040. We also supported legislation last year authored by Assemblymember David Chiu that requires cities served by BART to update their zoning to allow for more housing near train stations. There’s much work to be done to win over more supporters to TOD housing, but King’s story demonstrates that continuing and persistent advocacy can bring about change. To engage in the Council’s housing policy work, please contact Senior Vice President Gwen Litvak.