Today’s infrastructure projects are asked to do so much more than connect people and resources. They’re expected to fulfill community aspirations— creating jobs, battling legacy redlining, combating climate change, and now… driving housing construction. Transit-oriented development (TOD) represents the powerful intersection between infrastructure and real estate, offering cities a pathway to leverage infrastructure projects for more sustainable, affordable housing. 

This month’s issue takes a look at TOD from a couple angles:

1. Financing TOD: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s TOD financing opportunity is supposed to move TOD projects forward, but only one project is leveraging this tool. Why?

2. TOD’s Urban Influence: Dr. Andrew Sonta’s latest research explores the interface of urban design and community cohesion. In the Building Better Cities inaugural podcast, we discuss how TOD projects contribute to stronger neighborhoods. 

Let’s keep building better cities,

Founder and CEO, Building Better Cities

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation introduced new guidance allowing infrastructure dollars to support real estate projects. With a housing shortage looming, this bold move could help the U.S. meet the demand for 4.5 million homes. Despite strong support at all levels of government, only one TOD project has secured DOT’s TIFIA financing so far. To unlock its full potential, we need targeted policy changes. And, for this tool to have the most impact, developers need to anticipate such changes and establish the right structures to seize the opportunity.

Why aren’t more TOD projects leveraging this funding?

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