A study published in Transportation, “Commute Distance and Jobs-Housing Fit,” examines commute times and the availability of affordable housing in close proximity to jobs in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. On average, commute distances for lower-wage workers were shorter than for higher-wage workers. However, the lack of affordable housing close to low-wage jobs had a disproportionate impact on lower-wage workers. The report illustrates the importance of addressing the shortage of affordable housing available to low-income workers, particularly in job-rich areas.
The research uses Los Angeles metropolitan area data from the 2015 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES) survey and the 2013-2017 5-year American Community Survey. These data are used to examine the relationship between commuting and what the authors term “job-housing fit” – that is, the availability of housing affordable to workers with nearby jobs.
The study finds evidence that location and availability of affordable housing may not adequately meet worker demand, especially for low- and middle-income workers. The researchers identified several areas with concentrations of affordable housing units relative to low-wage jobs, including the central metropolitan area near downtown Los Angeles, the north-south corridor between Los Angeles and the City of Long Beach, and Lancaster and Palmdale. However, more affluent areas, such as those along the coast and in south Orange County, had less affordable housing relative to jobs. While only 4% of lower-wage workers work in areas where the number of affordable rentals exceeds the number of low wage jobs, 58% of medium-wage workers and 77% of higher-wage workers work in areas where cost-appropriate housing exceeds the number of jobs. The researchers attribute this pattern to historical zoning regulations. In addition, those who worked in urban census tracts had shorter commutes than those who worked in other locations, likely due to more diverse land use and greater density in these areas.
Long commute distances increase the time and cost of employment, raise risks of exposure to air pollution and car accidents, reduce economic mobility, and increase employee turnover. To reduce commute times, the authors suggest addressing the shortage of affordable rental housing in job-rich neighborhoods by creating and preserving dedicated affordable housing units, changing zoning to allow for additional housing development, relaxing housing standards to facilitate higher-density development, increasing subsidies, and adopting tenant protections.
Read the full study at: https://bit.ly/3IPQ1JN