Sarah Serpas

Like nothing else in recent memory, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept through our society — exposing the rifts and ruptures that have lurked just below the surface until now. While initially the focus was on the health impacts of the novel coronavirus — who would get it, how dangerous would it be — the economic impacts soon loomed just as large, creating the double whammy we’ve been experiencing for the past few months.

We tend to think of New York City as a transit-oriented city. But is it really? A recent bill in California that RPA has been following – SB 827 – would propose minimum transit density standards not just in major cities, but statewide: 8-story buildings on wide streets within a 5-minute walk of mass transit, 4- or 5-story buildings on narrower streets or those within a 5-10 minute walk.