Suggested Citation:
Barbour, Elisa, Lev Gordon-Feierabend, Francois Kaeppelin (2026)

Brief: Overcoming Barriers to Transit-Oriented Development: Considering State, Regional, and Local Roles

. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Brief UCD-ITS-RR-26-15

Abstract:

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a strategy that promotes building housing, shops, offices, and other destinations near public transit stations. TOD is compact and walkable, supports public transit use, reduces car dependency, and can help lower greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the number of miles people drive. California has adopted many policies in recent years– at the state, regional, and local levels– to encourage TOD as part of its broader climate and housing goals. At the same time, the state faces a housing affordability crisis. In the past seven years, state lawmakers have passed more than 100 bills aimed at increasing housing production, particularly in areas near public transit.