The Los Angeles Parking Problem

Published in

Terrakan Blog

3 min readOct 15, 2018

Original Blog by Jesamine D. via The Code Solution

When people think of California, they often think sunshine, beaches, movie stars and of course, the famous Los Angeles traffic. No matter how great the sunshine and breeze may feel, no one likes getting stuck on the freeway during that morning / evening rush hour. What’s worse than that? Coming home only to spend 30 minutes to an hour on finding parking. So, why is this Los Angeles parking problem still present?

Population

A study of a 15-block area in downtown L.A. revealed that people “cruising” for scarce parking cumulatively drive an extra 3,600 miles per day. With almost 4 million Angelenos filling the city, it’s no wonder a daily commute consists of delays and traffic stops. With so many people coming into the city and getting around, catering to the large community will be difficult, especially since California’s roadways were designed back in the day — making it a mess for Angelenos now.

Environment

Apart from having too many people in Los Angeles, the environment itself is unable to accommodate our ever-growing needs. A great example would be the Google headquarters in Cupertino, California. Though the major tech company has over 14,000 employees, the city of Cupertino only allows 11,000 parking spots. This is just one of the many examples of Los Angeles development planning gone wrong. In addition, over 40% of the city is strictly reserved for parking, rather than the needed roadways. With many cars and individuals to cater to, what can the city do to relieve this issue?

Development

Let’s face it, attempting to control city developments was a clear mistake. Now even though much needed developments are missing, other options are still available — like automated parking systems, underground parking structures, low-income housing projects near metro areas, etc. Making room for structures like these will provide more room and ease for locals. Though this would be nice, executing an efficient way to build these brings forth another issue. Part of the development limitations are imposed as a single parking spot adds 12.5% to the price of a housing unit, while two spots add 25%. Additionally, with land costs at a premium, many developers need to add floors or dig underground just to add parking, which can get pricey. This Los Angeles parking problem makes housing less affordable, less favorable to build and contributes to the overall Los Angeles housing crisis.

Solution

For those who are wondering what can be done, a solution may take some time. For developers who are interested in learning more about building autonomous parking structures, contact the Automated Parking Solution for assistance. For any other information regarding building or planning your development, contact The Code Solution — a premiere architecture, coding and planning firm in Los Angeles.