Home and car ownership are unaffordable to many—and that's inherent in their cost structure. Would it be better for policy to accept this and build around it rather than merely trying to change it?
Affordability is an important but generally overlooked or undervalued planning goal.
One National Household Travel Survey asked respondents to prioritize transportation problems. The “Price of Travel” ranked the most important of six transport issues considered, indicating that affordability is an important concern to transport system users. Yet, transportation agencies and practitioners have no performance indicator for affordability. Instead, performance indicators (such as roadway level of service) and funding formula prioritize speed over other goals and therefore faster modes, such as automobiles and air travel, over slower but more affordable, inclusive and resource-efficient modes such as walking, bicycling and public transport.
Jeremy Mattson (2012), "Travel Behavior and Mobility of Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Evidence from the National Household Travel Survey," Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (www.ugpti.org); at www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP258.pdf.
Thanks for your excellent analysis, Greg!
Affordability is an important but generally overlooked or undervalued planning goal.
One National Household Travel Survey asked respondents to prioritize transportation problems. The “Price of Travel” ranked the most important of six transport issues considered, indicating that affordability is an important concern to transport system users. Yet, transportation agencies and practitioners have no performance indicator for affordability. Instead, performance indicators (such as roadway level of service) and funding formula prioritize speed over other goals and therefore faster modes, such as automobiles and air travel, over slower but more affordable, inclusive and resource-efficient modes such as walking, bicycling and public transport.
Jeremy Mattson (2012), "Travel Behavior and Mobility of Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Evidence from the National Household Travel Survey," Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (www.ugpti.org); at www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP258.pdf.
Great points, thanks Todd! I'm all in favor of better (and more) KPIs.
Related: this very good podcast from last week proposing a government program to provide lower cost mezzanine construction loans to jumpstart more affordable housing: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odd-lots/id1056200096?i=1000662609844
Thanks! Love Odd Lots; that episode is in my queue. Looking forward to it.