If California is to effectively accommodate another 20 million people over the next 50 years, solutions must be found to increase the supply of housing within existing urban areas, especially places accessible to jobs. This strategy, referred to as urban “infill” development, can take advantage of existing streets and transit systems and reduce the strain on transportation systems that occurs when sprawl development and jobs/housing imbalances drive the need for long commutes and “reverse commutes” not traditionally served by transit.
This study estimates the potential infill housing capacity in the state’s urban areas. It is a cooperative effort by UC Berkeley, the California Department of Business, Transportation and Housing, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Funding is provided by Caltrans via the State Planning and Research Program. The study includes the following components:
- Development of an inventory of potential infill sites, including currently vacant (“infill”) parcels, as well as sites that are occupied but potentially appropriate for redevelopment (“refill”).
- Based on local criteria and current development densities, an estimation of the potential housing capacity of these sites, as well as the jobs-creation possibilities of selected sites.
- Provision of this information on a site-by-site basis via the “California Digital Conservation Atlas” GIS website.
- An assessment of the potential market demand for infill development, both present and future.
- A final report describing the study’s methodology and summarizing its major findings.
Principal Investigators:
John Landis, Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, UC Berkeley
Heather Hood, Director of Community Partnerships, IURD
Funding Information:
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Start Date: 3/2/06
