Are Los Angelenos willing to give up their cars? (Los Angeles: transplants, 2013)

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by True Freedom

Yeah, it's simply the reality here. I'm definitely of the mindset that I'd like to reduce my impact on this earth. I've invested in solar hot water, I bike commute when I can, I compost, I took a slightly less desirable job because it gave me a local commute, I collect rainwater and have drought tolerant landscaping, have a hybrid and a fully electric vehicle, etc...

But, I have kids and a mother-in-law that lives with us... and it would be highly undesirable for us to live without a car. Because of the car, our kids are able to be a part of soccer, ballet, gymnastics, karate, art, music classes, private school, etc. Without the car, getting all the kids where they need to go would be impossible.. so we'd have to cut out alot of it.

There are people who believe that if we build high density housing everywhere, reduce parking (some newer condos in Santa Monica are being proposed with ZERO parking), crank up the cost of parking, etc... that people will live car-free in LA. That would be great if reality didn't get in the way.

I don't think that is very many people's goal (maybe some extreme urbanists). As stated before the goal is not eliminate car ownership - the goal is to cut down on vehicle trips and maybe see households go down to between 1-1.5 cars on average. The "they assume if you don't build it (parking) they (car-free residents) will come" argument is sort of a straw-man argument for progressive parking policy. That's too simplistic of a way to look at it.

Can you post links to the Santa Monica condos with no parking? I don't think I've heard of those.

[True Freedom]

Originally Posted by munchitup

Can you post links to the Santa Monica condos with no parking? I don't think I've heard of those.

Here's one:
56 Units and Absolutely No Parking at New SaMo Development - DevelopmentWatch - Curbed LA

I think it eventually got canned due to public outcry, rational thought, or banks refusing to fund such a venture... not sure the final outcome, tho

[nei]

Originally Posted by munchitup

I don't think that is very many people's goal (maybe some extreme urbanists). As stated before the goal is not eliminate car ownership - the goal is to cut down on vehicle trips and maybe see households go down to between 1-1.5 cars on average. The "they assume if you don't build it (parking) they (car-free residents) will come" argument is sort of a straw-man argument for progressive parking policy. That's too simplistic of a way to look at it.

Might some non-families become carless?

Can you post links to the Santa Monica condos with no parking? I don't think I've heard of those.

It doesn't sound extreme to me, don't older Boston apartment buildings often lack on-site parking?

[smokingGun]

car-less or 1-car can work for singles or young couples without children & familial responsibilities, but did any of you read the LA Times article in Dec featuring the daily ordeal of the Latino seamstress with 2 kids who were dependent on bus service? She literally spends hours every day commuting with her family to school, work & back home. She had to be out of her door by 5:30am with kids in tow! and they didn't come home until 15 hours later. It was heart-breaking but reflects the stark reality of how difficult it is to get around LA metro without wheels.

[True Freedom]

Originally Posted by nei

It doesn't sound extreme to me, don't older Boston apartment buildings often lack on-site parking?

There have been many things done in many places that a) haven't been good ideas in that context b) wouldn't be a good idea in this context.

If a development anywhere in LA does not have parking, there should be a mandate that all tenants must not have cars. The reality is that most of these tenants will own cars and will simply vulture about local streets and consume parking.. putting a greater strain on local parking.

I have friends who own a place in SF with no parking. They own a car and spend countless hours each month searching for parking. We could never visit them because there was no place for us to park.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by nei

Might some non-families become carless?

Yeah I meant 1-1.5 on average. So some households with no cars, a lot of households with one car, a few houses with 2+ cars.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by True Freedom

Here's one:
56 Units and Absolutely No Parking at New SaMo Development - DevelopmentWatch - Curbed LA

I think it eventually got canned due to public outcry, rational thought, or banks refusing to fund such a venture... not sure the final outcome, tho

You can't just make car ownership that much more expensive and a pain in the a*s. You have to pair that with more/better alternative transportation options. Reducing parking without increasing public transport options and efficiency is just plain stupid.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by skyway31

You can't just make car ownership that much more expensive and a pain in the a*s. You have to pair that with more/better alternative transportation options. Reducing parking without increasing public transport options and efficiency is just plain stupid.

There is a light rail line that is set to be up and running by the time that development is built. Los Angeles is increasing public transport options more rapidly than every other metro but DC.

[pwright1]

Los Angeles is nearly 500 square miles. DC is 61. Boston is 50. Philadelphia 135. I think thats one reasob people drive here. All in all though I live in LA and lived in DC and I don't see DC as this great car free, walkable city. Traffic is horrendous. Everyone that I know there owns a car. I don't know one family with kids that lives car free in DC. I know one single person car free and that is because his license is revoked. I too never lived car free in DC.

[munchitup]

In Boston I would say between 1/2 and 2/3 of the people I knew did not own a car (closer to 1/2). That is a better ratio than the people I know in Los Angeles (though my friends here are in very different life circumstances than those in Boston) but nothing like what people make East Coast cities out to be (car-free paradises). Living car-free is hard in just about any city and if I could have afforded to live in Boston with a car I would have. Walking 4.5 miles round-trip to Target sucked. (Though now that I reminisce about it I kind of miss the misery!)