It’s nice to imagine that somewhere in the world, a group of concerned neighbours might get together to protest a new parking lot, on the grounds that the extra parking space could be used for affordable housing.
It probably will never happen. Almost exactly the opposite occurrence is more common in city hearings dominated by NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) issues. Angry neighbours complain that new space to shelter people will encroach on the space for car shelter. All in hopes of killing the idea that the neighbourhood might soon be burdened with human beings. Read more about such typical parking pleas at a San Jose public hearing in SAN JOSÉ Spotlight: San Jose Affordable Housing Project Draws Concern Over Limited Parking
As for the for need for all that parking? Walking, bicycling, and public transiting are slowly eroding the world of the automobile. But America is still a land quite bonkers for more parking space. Read more in MOTHERBOARD: In Some US Cities, There Are Over Ten Times More Parking Spaces Than Households
