policy brief

COVID-19 has Significantly Impacted the Mobility and Activities of the Senior Population in Contra Costa County

Abstract

Meeting the mobility needs of an aging population is one of the most substantial challenges facing California in the coming decades. The number of residents age 60 and above will grow to 13.9 million by 2050, representing over 25% of the state population. Meanwhile, the number of residents age 85 and above is expected to increase by over 70% between 2010 and 2030. In 2018, the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) at UC Berkeley conducted a survey on transportation mobility issues among older adults in Contra Costa County in California. Results indicated, among other findings, that a majority of seniors are car dependent, that some older adults miss important activities due to mobility limitations, and that most older adults want to “age in place.” A follow-up survey of 302 Contra Costa County seniors ages 60 and above was conducted in June 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic changed life for all residents. The follow-up survey assessed the mobility needs and changes during the Shelter-in-Place order as well as how COVID-19 was impacting other areas of their lives, such as their economic situation, views of government regulatory efforts, feelings of social isolation, and work/employment status. This brief presents findings from the follow-up survey.

policy brief

Understanding the Causes and Consequences of Local Growth Control

Abstract

In California, there has been a growing concern about rising housing cost burdens. Declining housing affordability, particularly in job-rich areas, can lead to lengthy commutes and pose significant challenges to achieving sustainable transportation and development patterns. It may also cause disproportionate impacts on vulnerable population groups by pushing members of these group to areas where jobs and other amenities are limited. Although no single factor can fully explain the rise of this critical issue, local growth control measures (e.g., growth moratoriums, density restrictions, and public facilities requirements) and other strict land use regulations have been criticized for constraining the housing supply and adding to jobs-housing imbalances. It is important to understand what motivates local growth control actions, as well as how these controls may affect land use, housing, and transportation.

research report

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mobility Needs of an Aging Population in Contra Costa County

Abstract

In 2018, SafeTREC conducted a survey on transportation mobility issues among older adults in California. A follow-up survey planned for 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic changed life for all residents, was redesigned to assess mobility needs and changes during the Shelter-in-Place order and focused on COVID-19 impacts. Results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent Shelter-in-Place orders have had a major impact on senior mobility. Communications for many were restricted to phone, email, texts, social media, and video chats. Among those with a medical problem, just over 60% called a doctor or nurse line or went to a doctor’s office, while 11.2% went to an emergency room, and 8.6% did nothing. A total of 8% of respondents said they had run out of food or other important items during the Shelter-in-Place order. Rates of exercise outside the home dropped 20% between January and June 2020, and while over 60% sought outside entertainment in January 2020, by June 2020, nearly 70% accessed their entertainment online at home. Almost 80% of working respondents feared spreading or contracting COVID-19 because of their work or related transportation. Almost 20% felt a lack of companionship or closeness sometimes or often. Over 30% were worried about their current or long-term finances. A total of 84.5% strongly agreed or agreed that the Shelter-in-Place order was necessary. None of the respondents to the follow-up survey were diagnosed with COVID-19, and 88.2% were not concerned about the risk of exposure from any member of their household.

research report

Carbon Neutrality Study 1:Driving California’s Transportation Emissions to Zero

Abstract

The purpose of this study overall is to explore the policy pathways to achieve a zero-carbon transportation system in California by 2045. The purpose of this synthesis report is to describe the existing state of knowledge and policy related to energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector, especially in California. It is an interim product of the larger study, which will use this report as the baseline and policy context sections. The report comprises four sections. Section 1 provides an overview of the major components of transportation systems and how those components interact. Section 2 explores key underlying concepts in transportation, including equity, health, employment, and environmental justice (EJ). Section 3 discusses California’s current transportation-policy landscape. Section 4 analyzes projected social, environmental, and economic outcomes of transportation under a “business as usual (BAU)” scenario—i.e., a scenario with no significant transportation-policy changes.

research report

The Causes and Consequences of Local Growth Control: A Transportation Perspective

Abstract

In California, there has been a growing concern about housing unaffordability and its negative consequences, but it has remained unclear how transportation is related to this issue. This report synthesizes the literature on the causes and consequences of local growth control which has been viewed as one of the most significant barriers to expanding housing supply and thus managing travel demand more effectively. Emphasis is on what insights can be gained from the literature and what further research is needed to better understand how transportation influences and is influenced by growth control actions.

research report

Summary of Interviews with California Metropolitan Planning Organizations About Senate Bill 375 and the Sustainable Communities Strategies

Publication Date

October 1, 2020

Author(s)

Clay Kerchof, Jazmin Amini, Laurel Matthews, Matthew Thompson

Abstract

In July and August of 2020, a research team of four graduate students from UC Berkeley’s Department of City and Regional Planning conducted interviews with directors and other high-level staff representing several of California’s metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to gather information on the achievements and challenges associated with the implementation of SB 375. Key takeaways from this effort include: 1) MPOs are not requesting additional authorities or oversight of local land use decisions; 2) MPOs use funding as “carrots” to incentivize local plans to align with regional goals, and many MPOs desire more discretionary funding and priority-specific funding; 3) some MPOs want to focus on greenhouse gas (GHG) strategies, such as telecommuting, active transportation, and technological advancement, in order to meet their greenhouse gas emission targets; 4) MPOs want the State to develop policies in ways that acknowledge distinct planning nuances and economic and geographic contexts across regions; 5) the process of developing and submitting regional plans to the State for review is staff-intensive and technically complex for MPOs, which takes away from the agencies’ capacity to focus on implementation and other work; 6) Senate Bill 375 has empowered MPOs to consider more deeply the relationship between land use and transportation; and 7) as a result of Senate Bill 375, there is now increased communication and engagement between the MPO and a broader set of stakeholders

presentation

Bridging Transport Researchers Online Conference

policy brief

Residential Parking Supply Has a Stronger Influence on Household Travel Choices Relative to a Neighborhood’s Walkability and Access to Transit

Abstract

A large volume of research suggests that neighborhood attributes such as public transportation access, residential density, and walkability can have important impacts on people’s travel, carbon footprint, and employment opportunities. More often than not, however, the research conducted on this topic is subject to “self-selection bias.” For example, people who prefer to walk and ride transit are likely to move to neighborhoods that support these choices,while those who prefer to drive instead move to places with nearby highway access and ample parking. To overcome these biases, a research team at the University of California, Santa Cruz surveyed successful applicants to San Francisco’s affordable housing lotteries about their transportation choices and employment. In San Francisco, nearly all new housing developments with ten or more residential units must provide affordable housing units at below-market rates. The units are normally allocated to qualifying households through city-run lotteries. The chances of winning a lottery are small — less than two percent — and so, not surprisingly, households are not selective about which lotteries they enter. Analysis of lottery application data shows that applicants do not appear to enter any particular lottery based on where they would end up living, or if the residence has ample parking, or based onthe neighborhood’s walkability or transit accessibility.

research report

How the Built Environment Affects Car Ownership and Travel: Evidence from San Francisco Housing Lotteries

Abstract

Credibly identifying how the built environment shapes behavior is empirically challenging because people select residential locations based on differing constraints and preferences for site amenities. The study overcomes these research barriers by leveraging San Francisco’s affordable housing lotteries, which randomly allow specific households to move to specific residences. Using administrative data, the research team demonstrates that lottery-winning households’ baseline preferences are uncorrelated with their allotted residential features such as public transportation accessibility, parking availability, and bicycle infrastructure—meaning that neighborhood attributes and a building’s parking supply are effectively assigned at random. Surveying the households, the team finds that these attributes significantly affect transportation mode choices. Most notably, the research paper shows that essentially random variation in on-site parking availability greatly changes households’ car ownership decisions and driving frequency, with substitution away from public transit. In contrast, the research team finds that parking availability does not affect employment or job mobility. Overall, the evidence from the study robustly supports that local features of the built environment are important determinants of transportation behavior.