Commute Eats Up Housing Savings for Many

In an in depth article, the Union-Tribune reported recently on a national study conducted by the Center for Housing Policy. The study looked at San Diego County and 27 other metropolitan areas, and found that many workers are caught in a vicious cycle where commuting costs make it too difficult for them to save money for a home closer to their jobs. This, in turn, leads to increased traffic congestion.

Sue Reynolds, president of Community Housing Works, a lender and developer of affordable rental properties, said the study shows the connection between congested freeways and the region’s shortage of homes for working families.

“There really is a link between the traffic that drives everybody crazy and our failure to invest in affordable housing and transportation infrastructure,” Reynolds said.

As in much of the country, relatively few residents here use public transportation. Eighty-eight percent of low-to-moderate income workers within San Diego County arrive to work in private vehicles, the study said. The report recommends that civic and government leaders nationwide look for ways to increase housing densities near job centers while encouraging the construction of affordable housing along public transit corridors.

“It is essential for regions to coordinate their housing and transportation policies to ensure they fully reflect the needs of working families,” said the report, titled “A Heavy Load: The Combined Housing and Transportation Burdens of Working Families.”

Tom Scott of the San Diego Housing Federation agrees the solution is to build more affordable housing along transit systems. “The transit system is not going to catch up to the population until there is enough population along transit lines,” Scott said.

Alleviating Growth in Commuter Traffic

The San Diego Union Tribune recently ran a story about the growth in commuter traffic. The article quoted Jeff Tayman, director of research for SANDAG, who said that to address the problem we need to create more housing opportunities close to jobs.

In the last 25 years, the number of commuters from outside San Diego who drive through our neighborhoods has doubled with our inability to create new homes close to San Diego’s jobs at a fast enough pace. Workers are driving longer and longer distances, and sprawl is increasing as a result. This threatens our families’ quality of life with more emissions and longer commutes, and is very expensive with the rising cost of fuel.

With Quarry Falls, we can help alleviate the increasing congestion caused by commuter traffic by providing homes close to jobs in Mission Valley.