Transportation and Housing Planning: Processes, Issues, and History

This report provides a comprehensive overview of transportation and housing planning, focusing on the United States. It begins with an introduction to both concepts, emphasizing their importance and interconnectedness. The report delves into the history of transportation planning in the U.S., highlighting key legislation, government initiatives, and funding mechanisms, including the evolution of the role of the federal government in transportation development and investment. Similarly, it examines the history of housing planning, including the introduction of public housing systems and relevant legislation. The report then outlines the processes involved in both transportation and housing planning, including stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and plan development. It also discusses key political issues that arise in both sectors, such as conflicting regulations, funding challenges, and the influence of market forces. The report concludes by analyzing plausible political issues that urban planners might encounter, providing a well-rounded understanding of the complexities and challenges in these critical areas.

Running head: - TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND HOUSING PLANNING
difference between transportation planning and housing planning
[Document subtitle]

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND HOUSING PLANNING
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Transportation planning of U.S....................................................................................................................2
Housing planning history of U.S...................................................................................................................3
Transportation planning process:-...............................................................................................................3
Housing planning process............................................................................................................................4
Key political issues with housing and transportation planning....................................................................5
Plausible political issues that urban planners could potentially encounter.............................................6
Key players in transportation and housing planning...................................................................................7
References:-................................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
Transportation planning and housing planning both are considered important concepts.
Transportation planning is mainly focused on the financing of transportation assets (particularly
on public transit systems and roads) and public provision. It typically addresses some definite
problems or wide transportation concerns at a local level. Due to this fact, transport planning is
most developed in the urban sphere, and it is generally required high experience for its better
development. The transportation planning process is similar to the policy process to some extent.
On the other hand, housing planning is a combination of working and construction drawings that
define all the construction specifications of a residential house like, materials, installation
techniques and methods, layouts, and dimensions. In the housing planning, various plans are
developed such as site plans, floor plans, foundation plans, framing plans and interior elevation
drawings. Basically, housing planning is considered as an art and science of erecting and
designing buildings or large structures. In this essay, we will discuss in brief about the
transportation and housing planning history of U.S. and also studied the adequate process of
housing and transportation planning for developing the plans successfully. All this helps in
identifying issues involved in formulating the plans which can be resolved in a timely manner for
managing the quality of the developed plans.
Transportation planning of U.S.
In the case of transportation planning in the U.S., it is necessary to understand where it has been
so that it can understand where they are going as a profession. The role of the U.S government in
the development of transport planning and investments evolve from the starting days of the
Republic to a comprehensive bill of 300$ billion that was signed by President Obama in 2015. In
the early 1960s, various steps was taken towards the transportation planning such as, new federal
initiatives was taken for emerged transportation planning and a new field was also created that
combined regional planning, engineering, and the public policy with the motive of providing a
significant approach to solving all the traffic problems of U.S. On August 10, 2005, accountable,
safe, flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) which is
considered as a transportation legislation for U.S., became law. This Law was signed by the
President George Bush with the authorized capital of 286.5$ billion dollars to fund the
transportation system of the nation. On the other hand in September 2009, the government of the
U.S., provide 228$ billion for the highway program and 53$ billion for the transit programs
(Lang, Shoup, Donohue, & Goldberg, 2016). This bill expired on September 30, 2009, and had
been extended various times since that date. The government of the U.S., through the Federal
funding, provides a significant amount for the effective development of the transportation
system. Federal Highway program of the U.S., generally pay the 80% costs of the whole project,
this income generally came from grant programs of the government. Since, 1956, Congress
government was also playing significant initiatives towards the transportation system. In 1956,
Congress increased the tax on gas and diversified all taxes and fees which were associated with
funding the transportation system. The government of the U.S. developed Metropolitan Planning
Agency (MTP) which is a regional policy agency serving the urban areas of the country with the
populations over 60000 (Sperry, 2016). This act is responsible for the cooperation with the state
and other transportation providers for carrying out the MTP requirements of transit legislation
and federal highway.
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Housing planning history of U.S.
U.S. Government introduced public housing system in 1937. It is a program which introduced on
the federal level that provides low-cost housing for public in the form of publicly managed and
owned multi-family developments. Public Housing Act 1937, was not designed specially built to
house the ‘poorest of the poor,' but it was mainly intended for select segments of the working
class. It was specially designed for fulfilling the needs of the ‘submerged middle class', who
were basically outside from the market of the labor during the depression time. After a long
struggle, Congress government introduced first national housing legislation in 1937. The main
purpose of this legislation is not only providing low-cost housing, but it also improves the
economy of the lagging by providing various jobs to the young generation in the building
industry. The explicit purpose of this act was to alleviate present and recurring unemployment
and to remedy the unsafe housing conditions. Most of the advocates of the public housing system
of the U.S. supported tenant screening. Tenant screening helps them in a successful housing
development for most residents. In 1981, rent ceilings were eliminated by the government. Rent
ceilings made public housing system of the U.S., less attractive than the housing system of the
other countries. Congress formulate the system of standard deductions for minors, allowable
expenses and for the heads of the households. Rent ceiling was reintroduced by the government
again in 1987, but at this time federal preference for tenants also introduced in this system
(Stoloff, 2016). The Housing Act of 1954 introduced for public housing to be developed only in
areas of urban renewal and slum clearance. Public housing system of the government mostly
faced financial difficulties. Congress government funded only fewer units than were authorized
beginning with the first housing act. The act of 1937 only fulfilling the capital costs and it was
expected that all the operational and maintained cost would be fulfilled by the rental income.
Transportation planning process:-
Transportation planning is a cooperative and performance-driven process by which short-term
and long-term transportation improvement priorities are determined. Transit operators and
Metropolitan planning organizations conduct transportation planning, with a strong and active
participation of the public, freight operators, environmental organizations, and the business
communities (The Transportation Planning Process: Key Issues, 2015). Transportation planning
is generally following the following steps:-
 Engaging the stakeholders and public for formulating shared visions and goals for the
community.
 Measuring the current conditions and situations and then comparing them against goals of
transportation performance.
 Forecasting the employment growth and population of any particular country in future,
assessing projected usage of land in the region and identifying the main elements of
growth or development.
 Identifying projected, and current transportation needs by formulating the performance
targets and measures.
 Analyzing different transportation improvement strategies, and their tradeoffs by using
detailed studies of planning.
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 Formulating the short-range plans and long-range plans of management, alternative
capital improvement and operational strategies for moving goods and people.
 Estimating how suggested improvements in the transportation system will impact
achievement of the performance goals, as well as effects on the environmental quality
and the economy, including quality of air.
 Developing a financial plan for the purpose of securing sufficient revenues that cover all
the costs involved in implementing particular strategies and ensure proper maintenance of
all business operations.
Figure 1: Transportation Planning Process
Housing planning process
House planning process is one of the most important part of the whole design process in the
process of planning for a home or remodeling and even designing of the home. Therefore, it is
essential to have a clear idea on how to design a house. First of all, a local planning process for
identification of a perfect location of housing is considered then the total number of rooms are
identified as the essential criteria for the house planning. But these factors are not enough for the
determination of the house planning. It is a total project planning. Some of the preliminary
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planning tasks are also performed for helping the people along. The whole process of house
planning is divided in four sections namely the target population, site selection, financing, and
design.
a. TARGET POPULATION:
The house planning process must be able to fulfill the responsibility of the state for ensuring that
an affordable as well as decent housing is available to the people of the state. Furthermore, the
population target of the immigrants and their living conditions in the area must also be
considered. Furthermore, the housing commissions must also be involved in this process so as to
adhere to all the regulations imposed on the landlords by the government.
b. SITE SELECTION:
Various locations have been placed under discriminatory site selections practices which are
highly being carried on the local level of the states. Therefore, the practices which led to the
racial segregation in the U.S. while considering the house planning process were abolished
(Michalos, 2012). Now the projects must not be race-specific where the blacks and whites are
designated as per the areas. For example, the Williamsburg Houses project in Brooklyn, in New
York was built in 1935 specifically for the whites whereas, in Manhattan the Harlem River
Houses project was built for the blacks.
c. FINANCING:
The residents as well as the community are benefitted by the effective affordable housing
programs at large. The high-quality house planning is seen to improve the health incomes as it
helps in reducing the exposure towards the acting and stressors for delivery of the health care
services. The education of the children as well as the residents can be improved by preventing
the disruptions which are highly associated with the mobility of the residential areas.
Furthermore, a boost is seen in the local economy as it leaves the residents to have disposable
income. Therefore the although the government puts a lot of money on the house planning
process, a majority of residents as well as society is benefitted.
d. DESIGN:
The house planning process must involve houses with better circulation as well as more light and
windowless interior rooms must be demolished. All the undesirable qualities leading to the
unsafe as well as unsanitary living conditions must also be taken into consideration while
planning the house process.
Key political issues with housing and transportation planning
As the programs, laws and policies determining the functioning of the transportation as well as
housing are seen as the product of the separate legislative committees and unconnected
departments. Therefore it is seen that the laws as well as the regulations governing them leads to
competition, confusion as well as conflicts. The transportation and the house planning elements
are seen to be governed by varying requirements as well as standards.
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The planning for transportation is seen to be local and regional level and is done by the public
sector. Whereas the house planning is a local and private affair. As the transportation
development is usually seen to be government funded and/or regulated therefore the political
decisions on these material affect the pattern of development of the transportation planning.
Whereas the housing is highly dependent on the private sector and its market forces, public
attitudes, funding from private sector and finally the consumer preferences. Therefore, the
emerging political policies regarding the environmental sustainability and land use are thought to
affect more the transportation planning rather than the house planning process. However a
momentum in weaving together the concerns of the environmental health as well as community
is seen to impact both the sectors equally (Renne, 2016). A considerable dialogue have been
prompted amongst the stakeholders regarding the promotion on these ends for both the sectors.
Furthermore, the transportation planning has been rigorously as well as properly bound by the
strict requirements which are designed at cleaning the air. Further no transportation plan is seen
to gain approval unless the plan is funded reasonably by the government. Whereas the house
planning process has no such drivers which can shape or guide except or the zoning categories
and the land use designations, which are highly inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and
even in some of the communities. Therefore the political factors are not a key ingredient for
improvement of the urban transport policies but in the case of transportation these matter highly.
Figure 2: Transportation Funding Sources
Plausible political issues that urban planners could potentially encounter
Some of the places and areas, due to their historical significance are highly renowned and
therefore the planners must be mindful of its significance where they must protected these areas
by specific ordinance. The areas might be sensitive due to the political or the environmental
concerns. Therefore the planners and the developers must take into consideration the
requirements and the rules set by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
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Figure 3: Transportation Decision making processes
Key players in transportation and housing planning
The various key players in the process and development of the house planning, these include:
Cities who control the land use and house plan regulations traditionally, metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs), councils of government (COGs), tribal governments, regional planning
agencies, local jurisdictions, local transit providers. Whereas some of the other key players
include the religious organizations, developers, local neighborhoods etc. (Manual, 2012)
Transportation planning is seen to work at three different levels: local (city) and regional.
1. Local: The key players in transportation planning include the Department of
Transportation which is responsible for building, designing and maintaining the
sidewalks and the roadways. Furthermore, the Department of Parks and Recreation is
responsible for designing, building, as well as maintaining the pedestrian and bicycle
facilities, along with the parks and open spaces within its jurisdiction. Then the Planning
Department is responsible for developing the zoning codes for land uses and policies on
access towards the buildings and properties. Furthermore they also are responsible for
setting parking minimums for developments, and approves site plans for housing
developments. These local officials help in securing the funds for the projects and setting
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up local policies on the transportation performance standards and environmental
initiatives.
2. Regional: the key players at the regional level are the MPOS i.e. the planners and
engineers who generally play a significant role so as to define the direction of regional
policies and priorities. The MPOs have a commission for guiding the work where these
members represent the countries as well as the cities in the region (LAND USE &
TRANSPORTATION, n.d.). Local elected officials champion and secure funding for
projects and help set local policies on transportation performance standards and
environmental initiatives.
References:-
Lang, M., Shoup, L., Donohue, N., & Goldberg, D. (2016). Transportation 101: An Introduction
to Federal Transportation Policy.
Sperry, B. (2016). A Brief History of U.S. Transportation Policy and Planning.
Stoloff, J. (2016). US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy
Development and Research. Washington DC 20410.
The Transportation Planning Process: Key Issues. (2015).
Manual, S. (2012). Shanghai Manual – A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st
Century.
Michalos, A. C. (2012). Environment, Transportation, and Housing: A Comparative Study of the
Quality of Life in Canada and the USA from 1964 to 1974. Vol. 4: Environment, Transportation
and Housing (Vol. 4). Springer Science & Business Media.
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Renne, J. L., Tolford, T., Hamidi, S., & Ewing, R. (2016). The Cost and Affordability Paradox of
Transit-Oriented Development: A Comparison of Housing and Transportation Costs across
Transit-Oriented Development, Hybrid and Transit-Adjacent Development Station
Typologies. Housing Policy Debate, 1-16.
LAND USE & TRANSPORTATION (1st ed.). Retrieved from http://mobility.tamu.edu/mip/strategies-
pdfs/travel-options/technical-summary/land-use-planning-4-pg.pdf
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Appendices
Figure 1: Transportation Planning Process..................................................................................................4
Figure 2: Transportation Funding Sources..................................................................................................6
Figure 3: Transportation Decision making processes..................................................................................7
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