Transit zones in NYC are dense urban areas with a low car ownership rate and different programs of affordable housing. These neighborhoods offer several choices of public transportation and are within a half-mile away from a subway station. (NYC Glossary)
Thanks to the extensive public transit system of New York City, 56% of its residents could refuse the use of a car, while even 71% of workers could commute by using public transportation. Almost half of the population of NYC lives 10 minutes walk to public transportation like a subway or a railway station. (Furman Center, 2012)
The transit zone was thus created in 2016, after the Zoning for Quality and Affordability amendment. Building off-street parking was stimulated in these zones to provide the construction of more multi-family dwellings, as well as the creation of more green spaces and public space. Off-street parking is not required for newly planned public housing, senior housing, or buildings designated for low-income families. Families with a higher income or who live in subsidized housing can apply for a special permit in order to obtain their parking spot. (Miller, 2015)
NYC’s parking rules are regulated by the zoning designations and not determined by the proximity of transit: 29 off-street parking spaces are required per every 100 residential dwellings located within half a mile from a subway station, while 79 off-street parking spaces are required per 100 residential dwellings located further than half a mile from the subway station. (Zoning for Quality and Affordability, 2016)
