A bipartisan bill filed in Washington aims to incentivize the construction of housing along and near transportation hubs — a practice known as transit-oriented development (TOD).
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m. Wednesday.The U.S. Capitol is seen shortly before sunset, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Washington. – A bipartisan bill filed in Washington seeks to incentivize the construction of housing along and near transportation hubs — a practice known as transit-oriented development . TOD is an urban planning practice that seeks to maximize the growth of residential, business, retail and leisure spaces near public transportation lines., was introduced jointly by Sens. John Curtis and Lisa Blunt Rochester . It seeks to “unlock TOD projects that boost local economies and housing supply,” according to a news release from Curtis’ office.“By making it easier for communities to build more housing near transit and align housing and transportation investments, we can move projects forward more efficiently,” Lawler said in a post to X, formerly Twitter.The bill targets infrastructure loan programs, such as the Transportation Infrastructure and Finance and Innovation Act and Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing . Both programs would be extended by five years, according to Curtis’ release. The programs were amended to include future TOD-focused projects. Administering responsibilities would be given to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.Implementing a delegated lending model to retain federal oversight and promote private sector efficiency.Provide relief on some National Environmental Policy Act requirements, including for office-to-residential conversions and infill development.“Burdensome requirements” within RRIF and TFIA have prevented developers from fully accessing the program’s capabilities, according to a Smart Growth America blog post. SGA is a nonprofit working in the development and transportation space.The bill seeks to clarify definitions of TOD projects to “better capture” the transportation assets that “anchor TOD across communities of all sizes.” It would also require projects to coordinate with applicable metropolitan planning organizations to ensure the project’s plans align with existing MPO or state-developed plans. MPOs, created under the Federal Highway Act of 1962, oversee transportation planning funding for metropolitan areas.Perhaps the most recent example of TOD-style zoning put to practice in San Antonio lies around the VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority’s plannedThe Green Line will travel down much of San Pedro Avenue on the city’s North Side, eventually moving onto St. Mary’s Street as it nears downtown.The city updated its TOD zoning code in January 2025, incentivizing property owners near the Green Line to build more walkable, mixed-use communities. The code, according to the city, would support a range of housing types and flexible land uses with reduced parking requirements. In late January, San Antonio city and housing leaders were on hand to open the city’s final affordable housing project supported by a 2017-2022 Neighborhood Improvements Bond. Such efforts include work by University of Texas at San Antonio researchers to identify vacant and underutilized land along VIA’s rapid transit corridors, finding about 7,000 acres, the San Antonio Report said in aIn San Antonio, for example, some residents in City Council District 1 voiced concerns about TOD policy related to projects such as VIA’s Advanced Rapid Transit lines.What is San Antonio’s transit-oriented development and why is it unpopular among some residents? The Green Line, as it travels down San Pedro Avenue past Hildebrand Avenue, bisects two historic San Antonio neighborhoods: Alta Vista and Monte Vista. Before approving the TOD policy weeks later that same month, San Antonio’s Planning Commission met residents and the city halfway, reducing parking requirements in mixed-use districts near rapid transit sites from 100% to 75% in San Antonio’s Unified Development Code.The phrase points to the distance between a station and a development nearby within the radius, often high-density, mixed-use and pedestrian-friendly. Such work addressing walkability near the Green Line’s transit stations is already underway, largely spearheaded by San Antonio’s Transportation Department. San Antonio is currently mapping walk zones and identifying possible barriers as part of a walkshed analysis within the radius around four forthcoming Green Line stations:to explore how the ART corridor could affect existing neighborhood infrastructure near the stations listed above. The latter survey is open through the end of March. “Transportation’s Transit-Oriented Policy Framework is designed to unlock the full potential of the Green Line by aligning land use, housing, mobility, and economic strategies along transit corridors with a focus on the half-mile radius of transit stations,” said Joe Conger, a Transportation Department spokesperson.While the Green Line is still years from completion, some work has already begun to address a potential concern for residents in neighborhoods along the corridor: traffic. In a September report exploring pedestrian walkability and cycling within the Alta Vista and Beacon Hill neighborhoods, the Alamo Area MPO found that through-traffic pushed off San Pedro Avenue was a pertinent concern.Despite low traffic counts in the neighborhood, vehicle speeds, and a lack of traffic-calming measures, “play a more significant role” when considering pedestrian safety and comfort. Conger said the Transportation Department was actively preparing design recommendations for a traffic-calming study in the two neighborhoods. Those recommendations are expected in early 2026, he said. “Once traffic calming countermeasures and walkability improvements are identified and prioritized by the neighborhoods in early 2026, the process to implement the project begins,” Conger said.The legislation, according to Curtis’ news release, was endorsed by several groups, including SGA and the American Planning Association , a nationwide nonprofit supporting urban and regional planners. “This bill will support planners in cutting red tape to increase transit-oriented developments & housing affordability,” the Jan. 20 post said. In an emailed statement, SGA spokespeople said housing near transit was “desperately needed, but can often be challenging to finance and deliver.” “By modernizing these programs, the bipartisan bill would make it easier to deliver more in-demand housing and investment in well-connected, walkable communities, so more people and businesses can share in the benefits of transit-connected places,” they said. KSAT reached out to an APA spokesperson but did not receive a response to a statement inquiry. This story will be updated when their response is received. San Antonio City Council names 11 members of newly formed pedestrian and transportation safety commissionSan Antonio’s Transportation Department seeks input for areas near planned Green Line stationsMason Hickok is a digital journalist at KSAT. He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a communication degree and a minor in film studies. He also spent two years working at The Paisano, the independent student newspaper at UTSA. Outside of the newsroom, he enjoys the outdoors, reading and watching movies.KSAT's Erica Hernandez captures crowd of protesters as they headed toward Dilley detention facilityVITA San Antonio offers free tax preparation for residents earning $65,000 or lessImmigration attorney says ongoing lockdown at detention facility in DilleyUT San Antonio reopens Institute of Texan Cultures at Frost TowerEast Side group receives $250,000 grant to prevent youth crime through community engagementMan sprays unknown substance toward Rep. Ilhan Omar200+ blood donation appointments canceled, missed due to winter storm in San AntonioGov. Greg Abbott adds Bexar County to disaster declaration during winter weatherShelby shows some tips for de-icing your carNew drone footage shows empty site of former ITC building months after demolition🦍 Congo Falls gorilla exhibit at San Antonio Zoo to open this weekend
Capitol Hill Politics Transit-Oriented Development Housing Transportation Downtown San Antonio Transit VIA VIA Metropolitan Transit
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