Remove Parking Mandates in Chicago
Chicago City Council
Parking mandates – policies that require businesses and housing developments to build parking spaces regardless of parking demand – are a costly and environmentally harmful policy that many cities are finally moving away from. Parking mandates have many harmful effects, including:
Increasing housing costs by decreasing the number of units that can be built on a lot, thus increasing per-unit construction costs
Stifling public transit ridership by reducing building density and walkability in commercial corridors, because parking spaces must be provided, regardless of demand
Reducing tax revenue for public services by requiring the construction of low-tax-revenue parking lots in space that could otherwise be turned into housing or small business storefronts
Many American cities have eliminated their
parking mandates in the last few years – cities from Austin, TX to
Minneapolis, MN have made this change. Chicago took an exciting step in
this direction in 2020 by passing the Equitable Transit-Oriented
Development plan, slashing parking mandates in half for transit-oriented
developments.
We hope 2024 is the year the city will complete this task and remove parking mandates across the entire city, freeing up space for housing and making Chicago a friendlier place for pedestrians, bikers, and transit riders.
Petition by
Sponsored by
To:
Chicago City Council
From:
[Your Name]
I am writing to express my support for the removal of parking mandates across Chicago. Parking mandates are an outdated policy for a city of our size and stature, and eliminating mandated parking would mark a big step in Chicago's commitment to housing affordability, neighborhood vibrancy, and climate goals.
Studies have consistently shown that removing parking mandates - and an overall reduction in parking spaces - leads to fewer traffic deaths, increased revenue for small businesses, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and an improved experience for low-carbon, sustainable transportation users. The elimination of parking mandates will also lower the cost of housing construction and lead to an increase in the number of homes that can be built in Chicago.
The removal of parking mandates will a boon for all Chicagoans - residents and business owners alike. No one should be required by law to build parking. The amount of parking built should be a choice, based on the anticipated demand for spaces. Several cities around the country have already removed their parking mandates, sparking a boom in housing and commercial development. It is time that Chicago followed suit. We need housing for people, not for cars.