How Parking Explains Everything

Relying too heavily on memory can lead to unexpected and frustrating situations. Amy Kundian's experience of losing her car in a parking garage in Washington, D.C., serves as a reminder of this. Despite her efforts to remember where she had parked, she was unable to find her car and spent hours searching for it. The incident left her feeling helpless and embarrassed. However, the story took a positive turn when Amy posted about her ordeal on Facebook, and online sleuths helped her locate her car. The incident, which The Washington Post referred to as a "rite of passage" in DC, highlights the importance of keeping records or using technology to help remember important details. Whether it's taking a photo of your parked car or jotting down the garage name and level, taking a few extra minutes to document your parking spot can save you from a potential headache.

Parking, a seemingly mundane aspect of daily life, plays a significant role in shaping our cities. As evidenced by numerous stories of lost cars and the ubiquity of parking garages, parking is the largest single land use in many American cities. This fact has far-reaching consequences, impacting our time, money, and housing. Henry Grabar argues that if we were designing society from scratch, we might not prioritize car storage as we do today. Parking elicits strong emotions, from neighborhood disputes to comedic portrayals on shows like Seinfeld. Ultimately, the way we handle parking is worth reconsidering, as it significantly influences the places we live.

Parking is a significant contributor to the housing crisis in the US. By requiring a large amount of parking for every building, we've ended up with an excess of parking spaces and a shortage of housing. For instance, if the Empire State Building had been built to modern parking requirements, its surface parking lot would have required 12 whole city blocks. This not only takes up valuable space but is also expensive to build. Additionally, parking minimums are in place for all building types, while housing often has maximums. This design choice has led to a surplus of parking and a housing shortage.

Parking concerns have significantly impacted the development of American architecture, particularly in relation to affordable housing projects. This was illustrated in the case of an affordable housing project in Solana Beach, California, which was delayed for over a decade due to local objections about parking, despite the developer's plans to rebuild and expand parking facilities. This incident highlights how parking has become a contentious issue in American politics, often serving as a disguised excuse for opposition to projects based on race and class. The discussion underscores the need to acknowledge and address the underlying motivations behind parking-related objections to housing development.

The Solana Beach project, an affordable housing initiative, failed to materialize due to the significant cost of providing parking and a lawsuit over lost parking spaces. This issue is not unique to Solana Beach, as parking requirements often hinder the creation of new, affordable housing in suburbs and city neighborhoods across America. The cost of parking adds approximately $360,000 to each new housing unit, making it a significant financial burden for affordable housing projects. The lack of progress on this project left tenants without the housing they were promised by the city. A world with better parking would look different, with less emphasis on cars and more emphasis on walkable communities. By reducing the amount of parking required and creating spaces behind stores or in central locations, we can create environments where people can live closer together and rely less on their cars. This virtuous cycle of reduced parking and increased walkability leads to a more sustainable urban environment and a better overall quality of life for residents. Ultimately, the goal is not to eliminate cars but to create a balance that allows for more options and reduces the reliance on cars for everyday needs.

Despite half of all trips in big US metro areas being under 3 miles, our environment makes it unsafe, unpleasant, and difficult to travel without a car. Defenders argue that getting rid of parking in neighborhoods before improving walking infrastructure would punish those who can't afford not to drive. However, free parking in expensive walkable neighborhoods seems like a poor compromise. The issue is that building new neighborhoods with ample parking is made impossible due to the requirement to provide thousands of spaces, making such neighborhoods rare and expensive. The focus should be on creating more neighborhoods like these, rather than relying on parking as a consolation prize. The scarcity of such neighborhoods contributes to their high cost. As Henry Grebar explains in his book "Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World," the focus should be on addressing the root cause of the issue: the obligation to provide excessive parking spaces.

Staying informed about financial news and global events is crucial for investors, and there are podcasts like "Washington Wise" from Charles Schwab and "Up First" from NPR that can help you do just that. In the current economic climate, with inflation affecting various aspects of life, it's essential to keep an eye on your finances. Mint Mobile offers a solution with premium wireless plans starting at just $15 a month. As for the news, particularly during election seasons, it's important to separate the meaningful news from the noise. Podcasts like "Up First" can help you do that by providing three key stories every day in just 15 minutes. So, whether you're at the gas pump or the grocery store, or trying to make sense of the news, these resources can help you stay informed and make informed decisions.