Factually! with Adam Conover

Why Free Parking Is Ruining Your City with Henry Grabar

Sep 27, 2023

56:20

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Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World, joins Adam to discuss how parking impacts our cities and social lives. They explore the negative repercussions of excessive parking, including the trade-offs of expecting free parking everywhere and the impact on housing availability. They also discuss the negative impact of free parking on the shopping experience and propose solutions that encourage walking. The origins of parking requirements in American cities and the need to reduce car dependence and congestion are explored. The conflicting interests between home value and parking permits, as well as the importance of finding alternatives to car usage, are also discussed.

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Quick takeaways

Parking spaces have a significant impact on urban design, socialization, and city fabric.

The surplus of parking spaces in the US hinders walkability and affordable housing development.

Removing parking requirements and prioritizing alternative transportation can lead to more sustainable, walkable communities.

Deep dives

The Problem with the Primacy of Parking

The podcast episode discusses the negative impact of parking spaces on mental well-being, neighborhoods, cities, and the planet. The guest explains that parking is highly valued because driving is a necessity for most people, making parking the link between driving and other activities. However, the problem arises from the lack of careful consideration in distributing and pricing parking, resulting in excessive space consumption and limited walkability. The guest highlights the trade-offs we make by prioritizing ample parking, including the challenge of building walkable neighborhoods and the hindrance of housing development due to parking requirements and costs.

Introduction

2min

The Problem with Parking's Primacy

18min

The Impact of Free Parking on the Shopping Experience

4min

The Origins of Parking Requirements

4min

Addressing Parking Concerns and Exploring Potential Solutions

6min

The Conflict Between Home Value and Parking Value

2min

Reducing Dependence on Parking

20min

Book promotion and gratitude towards supporters

2min

Free and available parking is a cornerstone of American society, but is it also our undoing? The places where we stow our cars have more of an impact on the fundamental fabric of the urban landscape than the roads we drive on, affecting everything from how our cities are designed to how we socialize. Adam is joined by Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World, to discuss the seen and unseen ways that parking changes our lives. Find Henry's book at factuallypod.com/books

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