San Jose Abolishes Parking Restrictions for New Projects

San Jose, CA has become the largest U.S. City to drop minimum parking requirements for new developments, making it easier and cheaper for new housing projects to be constructed. The easing of restrictions is becoming a new trend in cities that are moving away from “car-oriented” designs.

According to the Mercury News, San Jose’s parking requirements, which have been mostly unchanged for over 50 years, have been blamed for driving up housing costs, with parking spots costing $50,000 apiece to build. 

The new policy does not prevent developers from building parking lots, but instead allows them to better size them for their projects. It also does not remove any current parking plus developers will also be required to include bicycle parking at new restaurants. It’s a major change for a suburban city the size of San Jose, which has historically required plenty of on-site parking.