Summary: This bill would make the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning permanent and convert it into a grant program. It would authorize $75 million per year for FY 2027–2031. It would clarify that TOD planning projects within new and existing fixed guideway systems, including bus rapid transit, qualify for funding. It would expand eligible activities to include predevelopment work, such as utility coordination, site evaluation, design, and outreach.
Background: California transit agencies and metropolitan planning organizations have successfully used this pilot program to advance new housing projects near high-frequency rail and bus lines, improving access to transit while helping address the state’s housing shortage. For example, in the East Bay, construction is underway on a 97-unit apartment project for lower-income seniors next to BART's Lake Merritt station in Oakland’s Chinatown neighborhood, which was backed by a TOD planning grant to attract a private nonprofit developer and a mix of private and public funding sources for this project.
Organizations in Support: California Transit Association, East Bay Housing Organizations, the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, Transform, BART
Recommendation: Support. Expanding TOD in the U.S., particularly in California, is critical for expanding housing supply and expanding transit use.
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