Equipping Communities to Achieve Equitable Transit-Oriented Development

Author(s): Matthew Soursourian, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

Though transit-oriented development (TOD) is uniquely positioned to benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities, most TOD projects do not focus on the interests of LMI communities and in some cases have dramatically disrupted low-income neighborhoods. However, there are several tools and strategies that can help mitigate the potential negative impacts of TOD and maximize benefits for LMI communities. This article examines Denver’s TOD fund, Oakland CA’s Fruitvale Village, and Longfellow Station in Minneapolis, MN, highlighting the equity provisions built into each model.