99% Invisible Paved Paradise
22 snips
May 17, 2023 
Henry Grabar, author of "Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World", reveals the tangled web of parking policies and urban planning impacting cities, especially Los Angeles. He discusses how car-centric design hampers affordable housing and how parking minimums have fueled a housing crisis. The conversation also dives into the effects of an infamous parking meter deal in Chicago and the challenges cities face in balancing parking and housing. Grabar's insights blend humor with critical observations of America's parking crisis, making urban planning surprisingly engaging.
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LA's Car Boom
- Los Angeles in the 1920s saw its population double and a surge in car ownership.
- Southern California became the first place globally with mass car ownership, leading to challenges in urban planning.
Parking Minimums Introduced
- The shift to car culture in LA necessitated changes like highways and parking infrastructure.
- Curbside parking became scarce, prompting city planners to introduce parking minimums in 1931.
Bungalow Court Struggle
- Parking minimums negatively impacted existing housing like bungalow courts, which lacked space for parking.
- Developers needed to buy adjacent lots for parking, hindering construction.
