Affordable housing near job centers can improve jobs-housing access.

"Jobs-housing access" refers to the ability of residents of the region to access jobs within a reasonable travel time. Imbalances between job and housing locations diminishes quality of life by burdening the region's infrastructure and natural environment, creating economic stress for employers and residents, exacerbating social inequities across the region, and creating longer commute times and distances. This measure is closely related to the "travel time" and "congestion" outcomes. 

This analysis estimates the number of jobs that the "average" resident of the region can access within a certain travel time, defined as 45 minutes by auto or 75 minutes by transit. This was done by measuring the number of jobs accessible from every zone in the region within these travel times and then creating a weighted average. Click on the thumbnail map for an illustration of how access to jobs varies across the region. Jobs-housing access can be improved by job creation in places with few jobs, new housing development in jobs-rich communities, or Transportation improvements that connect these areas.

Currently, the "average" resident of the region can access 866,000 jobs by auto within 45 minutes (15% of all jobs) and 1.2 million jobs by transit within 75 minutes (21% of all jobs). In 2040, due to rising congestion and increasingly dispersed employment and housing, this number is expected to fall. In 2040, if current trends continue, the "average" resident will be able to access 837,000 jobs by auto (12% of all jobs) and 1.3 million jobs by transit (18%). Please note that while the absolute number of jobs accessible by transit rose, the share of total regional jobs fell.

Access to jobs by auto

The impacts of each scenario on jobs-housing access by auto are described below, estimating the increase in jobs that the "average" regional resident can access by auto within 45 minutes compared to the current trend (with an increase considered to be an improvement). The base figure is 840,000. 

Change from current trend
Reinvest	Improves greatly
Preserve	Improves slightly
Innovate	Improves greatly**
Change in jobs-housing access
Reinvest	+52% (435,000 more jobs)
Preserve	+1% (10,000 more jobs)
Innovate	+54% (450,000 more jobs)
What strategies in this scenario caused this change?
Reinvest	Substantial increases in arterial and expressway capacity, as well as other Transportation infrastructure improvements, improved travel speed and allowed residents to travel further to find work. Also, a denser development pattern brought destinations closer together.
Preserve	Low-capital transportation strategies were applied; most of these prioritized other travel modes over autos, with limited improvement to auto conditions.
Innovate	The improvements noted for this scenario assume that drivers are willing to pay for the additional cost of congestion pricing, one of a number of technology and pricing transportation strategies in this scenario. Congestion pricing allows a higher speed of travel but has a financial cost. Drivers who are not willing to pay the additional cost would actually see declines in job access from the current trend.

** See note concerning congestion pricing.

 

Access to jobs by transit

The impacts of each scenario on jobs-housing access by transit are described below, estimating the increase in jobs that the "average" regional resident can access by transit within 75 minutes compared to the current trend (with an increase considered to be an improvement). The base figure is 1,268,000.

Change from current trend
Reinvest	Improves
Preserve	Improves slightly
Innovate	Improves
Change in jobs-housing access
Reinvest	+12% (156,000 more jobs)
Preserve	+3% (41,000 more jobs)
Innovate	+15% (189,000 more jobs)
What strategies in this scenario caused this change?
Reinvest	The scenario led to a better balance of jobs and housing through the redevelopment of former brownfield sites, the use of transit oriented development, and the application of inclusionary zoning within redevelopment projects. Also, transit-specific capital improvements increased the speed of transit trips.
Preserve	Transit service extensions to currently unserved areas and other transit operational improvements were applied.
Innovate	Travel conditions were improved using technology and pricing transportation strategies. As noted above, some of these improvements involved pricing, and these gains hinge on willingness of pay a financial cost.

 

Other information on jobs-housing access is contained in the Jobs-Housing Balance Snapshot, which further describes and analyzes this issue.