Transit: Making Housing More Affordable Technical Memo

How Household Incomes Are Affected By Transit

Prepared by URS CorporationJuly 2014

Transit: Making Housing More Affordable

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Transit: Making Housing More Affordable Page i

Contents

Section Page

Section 1 ............................................................................................................ 1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 Purpose ....................................................................................................... 1

Section 2 ............................................................................................................ 1 Median Income in Polk County............................................................................. 1

Section 3 ............................................................................................................ 3 Median Cost of Housing in Polk County ................................................................... 3

Section 4 ............................................................................................................ 4 Cost of Transportation ...................................................................................... 4 Distribution of Transportation Cost Burden ............................................................. 6

Section 5 ............................................................................................................ 7 Alternative Modes of Travel ............................................................................... 7

Section 6 ............................................................................................................ 8 Combined Housing and Transportation Costs ............................................................ 8 Illustrative Examples ........................................................................................ 9 Location of the Cost-Burdened Population in Polk County .......................................... 11

Section 7 .......................................................................................................... 11 Location of Assisted Housing ............................................................................. 11

Section 8 .......................................................................................................... 11 Availability of Transit Service ........................................................................... 11 Existing Fixed-Route Service ............................................................................. 11 Existing Paratransit Service .............................................................................. 12

Section 9 .......................................................................................................... 14 Access to Transit .......................................................................................... 14 Results of Transit Analysis ............................................................................... 14

Section 10 ......................................................................................................... 17 The MyRide Plan – Planned Service Improvements ................................................... 17

Section 11 ......................................................................................................... 19 Recommended Transit Improvements .................................................................. 19 Extension of New Service ................................................................................ 20 Enhancement of Existing Service........................................................................ 21 Remaining Service Gaps .................................................................................. 22

Appendices

1 Assisted Housing List 2 MyRide Plan Transit Services

Transit: Making Housing More Affordable Page ii

Figures

Figure Page

1 Trends in Median Income at the State and County Level ............................................................. 1 2 2011 Median Household Income by Census Tract in Polk County .................................................... 2 3 Trends in Average Housing Cost for Florida and Polk County 2005-2011 ........................................... 3 4 Average Monthly Cost of Housing by Census Tract in Polk County ................................................... 3 5 Percent of Households with Severe Housing Cost Burden ............................................................. 5 6 Trend in Cost of Driving ..................................................................................................... 5 7 Average Weekday VMT by Household in Polk County .................................................................. 6 8 Average Monthly Cost of Driving by Census Tract in Polk County .................................................... 7 9 Distribution of the Transportation Cost Burden ......................................................................... 7 10 Typical Housing Expenditures .............................................................................................. 9 11 Average Monthly Combined Cost of Housing and Driving by Census Tract in Polk County ..................... 10 12 Location of Assisted Housing Developments in Polk County ........................................................ 12 13 Polk County Existing Fixed-Route Transit and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Service Area ......... 13 14 Polk TCI Range .............................................................................................................. 15 15 Comparison of Assisted Housing, TCI, and Transit Buffer ........................................................... 16 16 Percentage of Affordable Housing Developments by Level of Transit Access ................................... 17 17 Transit Development Plan Proposed New Service .................................................................... 19 18 Comparison of Assisted Housing, TCI, and Planned Transit Improvements ...................................... 20

Tables

Table Page

1 Polk County – Means of Commuting to Work ............................................................................. 1 2 2011 Annual Household Income at the State and County Level ...................................................... 2 3 Selected Monthly Housing Costs ........................................................................................... 4 4 Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income (Homes with Mortgage) ................ 4 5 Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income ...................................................................... 4 6 2013 Owner Cost per Mile by Vehicle Type .............................................................................. 5 7 Average Housing and Transportation Expense in the Southwest Neighborhood ................................... 9 8 Average Annual Housing and Transportation Expense in the Willow Oak Neighborhood ...................... 10 9 Service Assessment and TCI Range ...................................................................................... 14 10 Average Number of Weekly Transit Trips by Service Category ..................................................... 15 11 Number of Affordable Housing Developments within ¼ mile of Fixed-Route Transit by Route .............. 17 12 TDP Needs Plan Alternative – Improvements to Existing Service .................................................. 18 13 TDP Needs Plan Alternatives – Service Expansions ................................................................... 18

Transit: Making Housing More Affordable Page 1

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American household spent $8,998, or 17.5 percent of its annual income, on transportation in

2012.

In Polk County, the average daily household cost of driving is approximately $31.00.

Section 1 Introduction

The Polk Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is

engaged in the Livable Polk Initiative, an effort to

identify actions that local public and private sector

groups can take to make Polk County a healthier, safer,

and more enjoyable place to live.

One element of the Livable Polk Initiative focuses on the

development of a transportation system that supports the

economic needs of a diverse community. Though

automobiles are the predominant means of

transportation within Polk County (See Table 1), the

costs associated with owning and operating a car can

strain the budgets of many households. The most recent

cost of driving estimates produced by AAA show that, on

average, owners pay 60.8 cents per mile to drive (for a

medium sedan)1. This cost paired with the estimated

51 miles driven by the average Polk County household

each weekday2, places the average daily household cost

of driving at approximately $31.00.

For most households, transportation is the second largest

annual expense after the cost of housing. The Bureau of

Labor Statistics reports that the average American

household spent $8,998, or 17.5 percent of its annual

income, on transportation in 20123. Many households

simply cannot afford the cost of driving and must utilize

a different mode of transportation to support their daily

trips. In Polk County, transit offers residents the

opportunity to stay mobile, but control household costs.

Though often seen as a system that supports the needs of

low-income residents, transit may also be

used as a tool by moderate and higher

income residents to control or reduce

escalating household transportation

costs, allowing income to be directed to

other expenses.

Table 1: Polk County –

Means of Commuting to Work

Subject Number %

Polk County Workers 16 years and over 238,215 --

Car, truck, or van (drove alone) 193,200 81.1

Car, truck, or van (carpooled) 27,134 11.4

Public transportation (excluding taxicab)

1,265 0.5

Walked 2,551 1.1

Other means 6,407 2.7

Worked at home 7,658 3.2

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimate.

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the role transit

can serve to lower household transportation costs and

make a wider-range of housing affordable within Polk

County. The recommendations made as a part of this

paper are intended to provide transportation options to

households that are balancing income with expenses.

Section 2

Median Income in Polk County

Several factors affect the ability of a household to meet

the costs associated with transportation. Among the

most basic of those elements is household income. As

shown in Figure 1, the median income in Polk County fell

from a high of $44,633 in 2008 to $43,946 in 2010.

Though now slowly recovering, wages have remained

relatively flat in the county since 2008.

Figure 1: Trends in Median Income at the State

and County Level

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2011 ACS Estimates.


As previously illustrated in Figure 1, the median income

in Polk County in 2011 was just under $45,000; however,

this figure may be misleading when assessing the

economic health of the county. Additional data taken

from the ACS shows that during the same calendar year,

more than a quarter (26.4 percent) of Polk County

households earned less than $25,000. Table 2 provides a

detailed summary of income distribution within the

county in 2011. These figures show that the income

supporting the budgets of many Polk County households is

limited.

Figure 2 identifies the median household income by

Census Tract in Polk County.

Though not presented in Table 2, but relevant to the

discussion of income distribution, the poverty rate in Polk

County in 2011 was 16.4%.

Table 2: 2011 Annual Household Income at the

State and County Level

Household Income

Florida Polk County

Estimate % Estimate %

Total households 7,140,096 -- 221,975 --

Less than $10,000 522,672 7.3 15,375 6.9

$10,000 to $14,999 405,372 5.7 13,390 6.0

$15,000 to $24,999 840,479 11.8 30,038 13.5

$25,000 to $34,999 839,473 11.8 27,690 12.5

$35,000 to $49,999 1,094,185 15.3 36,753 16.6

$50,000 to $74,999 1,336,510 18.7 43,677 19.7

$75,000 to $99,999 817,308 11.4 27,126 12.2

$100,000 to $149,999 760,919 10.7 19,437 8.8

$150,000 to $199,999 259,488 3.6 4,268 1.9

$200,000 or more 263,690 3.7 4,221 1.9

Median household income (dollars)

47,827 -- 44,398 --

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 ACS 5-Year Estimate.

Figure 2: 2011 Median Household Income by Census Tract in Polk County

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 ACS 5-Year Estimate.


In 2012, the average American household spent

$16,887, or just under 33 percent of its annual

income on housing.

Section 3

Median Cost of Housing in

Polk County

In most household budgets, the largest

annual expense is the cost of housing. In

2012, the average American household

spent $16,887, or just under 33 percent of

its annual income, on housing. Figure 3

displays the trend in the average cost of

housing in Polk County over a 6-year

period. Though the rate of increase in housing cost has

slowed since 2008, the average cost of housing did not

experience the same decline seen in wages between 2008

and 2010.

Figure 3: Trends in Average Housing Cost for

Florida and Polk County 2005-2011

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2011 ACS DP04; and URS average calculation.

Table 3 identifies the median monthly costs for home

owners with mortgages, as well as for renters. The

average monthly costs included in Table 3 are based on

U.S. Census data and represent average monthly

expenses including mortgage or rent payments. The

identified rental and mortgage costs were combined to

develop an average housing cost by census tract within

Polk County. Figure 4 provides a map of that average

housing costs.

Figure 4: Average Monthly Cost of Housing by Census Tract in Polk County Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 ACS 5-Year Estimate. Note: Average based on URS calculation that combines average mortgage and rent costs.


The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) notes that families who pay more

than 30 percent of their income for housing are

considered cost-burdened and may have difficulty

affording other necessities.

Based on the generally-accepted 30 percent housing

affordability standard, nearly 80,500, or 37.5

percent, of Polk County households are considered

cost-burdened by their mortgage or rental expense.

Table 3: Selected Monthly Housing Costs

2011 Housing Costs Florida

Estimate

Polk County

Estimate

Median Monthly Owner Cost - Housing Units With a Mortgage

$1,612 $1,328

Median Monthly Cost - Units Paying Rent

$981 $858

Average of Monthly Cost for Units With a Mortgage or Paying Rent

$1,362 $1,146

Source: US Census Bureau, 2011 ACS 5YR Estimates, URS Calculation Note: Households in Polk County that do not have a mortgage or pay rent were excluded from the estimation of average cost.

To begin to assess not only cost, but affordability, the

housing expenses outlined above were compared to

income. The generally-accepted definition of

affordability for a household is to pay no more than 30

percent of its annual income on housing4. The U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

notes that families who pay more than 30 percent of

their income for housing are considered cost-burdened

and may have difficulty affording other necessities.5

The U.S. Census Bureau provides a summary of the

proportion of the average income that is spent on

housing. Tables 4 and 5 include figures taken from the

2011 ACS for Florida and Polk County, and show that

approximately 41.6 percent of Polk County residents with

a mortgage, and 55.8 percent of renters, spend more

than 30 percent of their annual income on housing.

Table 4: Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a

Percentage of Household Income (Homes with

Mortgage)

Mortgage Costs as Percentage of Income

Florida Polk County

Number % Number %

Housing units with a mortgage

3,167,522 -- 92,282 --

Less than 20.0 percent 809,744 25.6 26,931 29.2

20.0 to 24.9 percent 439,271 13.9 15,117 16.4

25.0 to 29.9 percent 381,005 12.0 11,849 12.8

30.0 to 34.9 percent 298,490 9.4 8,136 8.8

35.0 percent or more 1,239,012 39.1 30,249 32.8

Not computed 24,014 -- 463 -- Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 ACS 5-Year Estimates, DP04. Note: Figures based on ACS Estimates, may not total 100 percent.

Table 5: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household

Income

Rent Cost as Percentage of Income

Florida Polk County

Number % Number %

Occupied units paying rent

2,051,959 -- 57,439 --

Less than 15.0 percent 154,493 7.50 5,445 9.50

15.0 to 19.9 percent 200,221 9.80 6,386 11.10

20.0 to 24.9 percent 242,552 11.80 7,397 12.90

25.0 to 29.9 percent 237,554 11.60 6,155 10.70

30.0 to 34.9 percent 200,673 9.80 5,437 9.50

35.0 percent or more 1,016,466 49.50 26,619 46.30 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 ACS 5-Year Estimates, DP04. Note: Figures based on ACS Estimates, may not total 100 percent.

When the figures are combined for renters and home

owners (with and without a mortgage) and compared to

the generally-accepted 30 percent housing affordability

standard, the data shows that approximately 80,500, or

37.5 percent, of Polk County residents are considered

cost-burdened by their housing expense.

National statistics were reviewed to assess the segment

of the population most affected by housing costs. The

literature on this topic shows that housing cost burdens

fall heaviest on moderate- to low-income households.

Figure 5 shows a series of estimates taken from a 2010

report published by the Center for Housing Policy6. Of

note in the figure is the disproportionate housing cost

burden that falls on the lowest income groupings. The

figure separates the population into groupings based on

the percentage of the area median income (AMI) earned.

The figure then identifies the percentage of households

that spend greater than half of their income on housing

(termed severely burdened). It is reasonable to assume

that similar conditions exist within Polk County.

Section 4 Cost of Transportation

As noted in the introduction, the second largest expense

for most U.S. households is transportation. In 2012, the

average household spent $8,998, or 17.5 percent of its

annual income on transportation. Figure 6 displays

statistics taken from AAA’s Your Average Cost of Driving

and shows the trend in the average cost of driving in the

U.S. over a 7-year period. Between 2006 and 2013, the

average cost of driving in the U.S. increased by 16.5

percent.


Between 2006 and 2013, the average cost of driving

in the U.S. increased by 16.5 percent.

Figure 5: Percent of Households with Severe

Housing Cost Burden (based on AMI)

Source: Center for Housing Policy, 2012.

Figure 6: Trend in Cost of Driving

Source: AAA, Your Average Cost of Driving, 2006-2013.

Per-mile costs associated with driving may be

substantially higher or lower than those outlined in

Figure 6 based on type of vehicle driven. Table 6 lists

the 2013 AAA cost of driving estimates by vehicle type.

The average cost of operating a medium-sized sedan is

used as a median value, and serves as the basis for

analysis in the subsequent sections of this paper.

Table 6: 2013 Owner Cost per

Mile by Vehicle Type

Vehicle Type

Cost per Mile (15,000 miles

per year)

Cost per Year (15,000 miles

per year)

Minivan 65.3 Cents $9,795

4WD SUV 77.3 Cents $11,595

Small Sedan 46.4 Cents $6,960

Medium Sedan 61.0 Cents $9,150

Large Sedan 75.0 Cents $11,250

Sedan Average 60.8 Cents $9,122 Source: AAA, Your Average Cost of Driving, 2006-2013.

The third major factor that contributes to household

transportation cost is miles driven. Households in Polk

County are located in a variety of settings

that range from urban to suburban to rural.

The travel distances required to support

necessary trips in these locations can vary

drastically.

In 2009, the U.S. Department of

Transportation (USDOT), through the

National Household Travel Survey (NHTS),

collected travel data from 26,000 U.S.

households. The data collected from these

households detailed information on

elements such as travel mode, daily trips,

and miles driven.

The USDOT then took the information

collected in the survey and, through a

statistical process termed

“transferability,” associated specific

travel habits with demographic

characteristics. The transferability

process allowed for the production of

detailed travel estimates nationally at the

U.S. Census Tract level.

Data taken from the 2009 NHTS was used

to develop a map depicting the average

vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by household

in Polk County. As shown in Figure 7, the

average VMT ranged from 22 to 68 miles

per day. Additional analysis shows the average household

in Polk County travels approximately 51 miles per day.


The average daily cost of travel for Polk County

households was shown to range from $13.38 to $41.34

per workday, or $267 to $826 per month.

Figure 7: Average Weekday VMT by Household in Polk County

Source: Average based on 2009 NHTS Estimate.

When the AAA cost of driving estimates were combined

with the NHTS VMT estimates, an average cost of travel

by Census Tract was developed. Based on the

combination of these estimates, the average daily cost of

travel for Polk County households was shown to range

from $13.38 to $41.34 per workday, or $267 to $826 per

month (assumes travel for 20 weekdays per month).

Figure 8 provides a depiction of the average cost of

driving in Polk County by U.S. Census Tract. Note, the

NHTS VMT dataset did not include mode split for

household travel; thus, the household transportation cost

estimates assume that all trips occurred by car.

Distribution of Transportation Cost

Burden

Having identified the average transportation cost by

household in Polk County, the discussion of affordability

warrants a review of how costs are distributed among

varying income groups. Though no statistics were readily

available for Polk County specifically, national statistics

were identified that show the distribution of

transportation costs by income group. Figure 9 shows

household expenditure figures for Polk County taken from

a 2008 report generated by the Bureau of Labor

Statistics. Of note in the figure is the disproportionate

cost burden that falls on the lowest income groups.

Those earning less than $10,000 per year spend an

estimated 37 percent of their income on transportation7.


Figure 8: Average Monthly Cost of Driving by Census Tract in Polk County

Source: URS calculation - average based on calculation of NHTS average VMT * AAA cost of driving per mile.

Figure 9: Distribution of the Transportation Cost Burden

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008 Household Expenditure Estimate.

Section 5

Alternative Modes of Travel

The Polk County travel estimates outlined in the

previous sections focus on the use of

automobiles in the completion of necessary

trips, and project a household’s transportation

costs based on the use of that single-mode of

transportation.

Though automobiles are the predominant mode

of transportation in Polk County, accounting for

92.5 percent of household commuter trips, other

modes exist that may help to lower costs

associated with daily travel.


The average monthly costs associated with driving

($267 – $863) are several times that of a monthly

transit pass ($47).

For every 100-mile reduction in vehicle miles

traveled, the average household will save

approximately $20.

Walking – Nationally, walking as a means of travel

accounts for approximately 2.8 percent of commuter

trips. However, in Polk County, walking accounts for just

1.1 percent of work trips. Much of the built environment

in Polk County exists as low-density suburban or rural

development where larger distances separate residential

areas from employment centers. Walking as a means of

travel works best in more compact urban environments

where trip distances are shorter and supporting

infrastructure is present. The existing form of

development in Polk County limits the practicality of

walking as a means of household transportation, as much

of the population resides in suburban and rural areas.

Transit – In Polk County in 2011, transit supported just

over 2.25 million passenger trips. Transit provides a

transportation option that can connect residents to

destinations across longer distances and, thus, provides a

viable alternative to driving across many of Polk County’s

more rural and suburban areas.

Polk County transit passes are offered on a per trip,

daily, weekly, or monthly basis. An adult one-way fare

cost is $1.50. Daily passes are offered for $3.00, weekly

passes for $12.00, and monthly passes for $47.00.

Discounted fares are offered to children, students,

seniors, and persons with disabilities. Daily, weekly, and

monthly passes allow for an unlimited number of rides

during the ticketed period.

When compared to the lowest average monthly cost of

driving reported for a blockgroup in Polk County ($267),

the use of transit through the purchase of a 30-day bus

pass ($47) represents an 83.4 percent monthly costs

savings. It is likely that the greatest opportunity for

households to utilize transit to reduce expenses lies in

those areas of Polk County that are best served by

transit.

Section 6 Combined Housing and Transportation

Costs

Several agencies are now producing information that

shows how household budgets can be affected by shifts in

transportation cost. Much of the literature available on

the topic draws from extensive work conducted by the

Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), and begins to

draw a correlation between housing cost, transportation

cost, and combined affordability estimates.

In 2010, the CNT conducted a survey of 337 U.S.

metropolitan areas to identify national trends in housing

and transportation costs. As part of this analysis, the

CNT was able to establish thresholds for both housing and

transportation affordability. Based on the identified

national trends, CNT set affordability thresholds at

30 percent of household income for housing and at

15 percent of household income for transportation8.

Additionally, the literature produced by CNT introduced

the idea of combined affordability and suggested that a

household’s housing and transportation costs are linked

and should be examined as a combined cost. CNT

suggests that housing and transportation cost should not

exceed 45 percent of household income.

Drawing from the CNT research, the Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA) presented a case study in 2011

that discussed the tradeoffs associated with housing and

transportation costs and outlined means through which

households could reduce overall costs9. The report

introduced the idea of location efficiency in the siting of

a home. The report explained that households in typical

suburban or rural auto-dependent locations spent as

much as 25 percent of their annual income on

transportation. However, households located closer to

employment, shopping, and other amenities reduced

household transportation costs to nine percent of their

annual budget. FHWA noted that households able to

utilize other modes of transportation to include walking,

bicycling, or transit could reduce transportation costs by

as much as $10,203 per year10. Based on current vehicle

operating costs outlined by AAA, for every 100 mile

reduction in vehicle miles traveled, the average

household will save approximately $20. Larger savings

come to those households able to replace a vehicle with

an alternative means of travel.

Figure 10, taken from the FHWA report, shows how shifts

in household transportation expense can affect the level

of income available to support other household expenses.

In a similar discussion of location efficient housing, CNT

suggests that centrally-located housing may initially

appear more expensive than housing located in outlying

or rural areas. However, when the related cost of

transportation is factored in, many homes with higher


Figure 10: Typical Housing Expenditures11

Source: Transportation and Housing Costs, FHWA.

rental or mortgage costs are actually more affordable

based on the combined cost of housing and

transportation. As shown in Figure 11, when the cost of

housing and transportation are combined, many of the

areas in Polk County more distant from the urban centers

have a higher combined housing and transportation

expense per household. Figure 11 helps to illustrate the

point made in the CNT research that affordability is often

influenced by a home’s location.

Illustrative Examples

One means of describing the potential savings associated

with location efficiency in housing is through a discussion

of a typical local household. The following examples

present two scenarios that highlight existing conditions,

and identify adjustments local residents can make to

reduce housing and transportation costs.

The first scenario describes a typical household in the

Southwest Neighborhood of Lakeland. Located near the

center of the City, residents living in the Southwest

neighborhood often find shopping, schools, and

employment centers a short distance from their homes.

Additionally, transit and infrastructure supportive of

walking and biking is more prevalent here than other

areas of the county. The average number of miles driven

by household each day is 36.6. Using the AAA cost of

driving estimate, this distance places the average annual

transportation expense at $4,568. Consisting

predominantly of single-family homes, the average cost

of housing in the neighborhood is $1,055 per month (see

Section 3) or $12,660 per year. In this moderate income

neighborhood, the median household income is $51,114.

The average household in the Southwest Neighborhood

spends approximately 33.7 percent of its annual income

on housing and transportation, see Table 7.

Table 7: Average Housing and Transportation Expense in the Southwest Neighborhood

Budget Item

Annual Cost by

Houeshold

Percent of Annual Income

Annual Housing Cost $12,660 24.8%

Annual Transportation Cost $4,568 8.9%

Based on the affordability thresholds outlined previously,

the average household in the Southwest Neighborhood of

Lakeland spends 11.3 percent under the budgetary

maximums for housing and transportation leaving ample

resources to meet other financial needs.


Figure 11: Average Monthly Combined Cost of Housing and Driving by Census Tract in Polk County

Source: URS calculation - average based on average household (HH) mortgage cost * number of HH with Mortgage + average rent * number of HH renting / sum of the number of HH renting and HH with a mortgage.

The second scenario uses a typical household located in

the Willow Oak Neighborhood. Located just west of the

City of Mulberry, the average family living in Willow Oak

earns approximately $40,550 per year. As one may

expect, being sited in a more rural part of the county,

the average cost of housing (See section 3) in Willow Oak

($986 per month) is well below the county average.

However, based on this rural setting residents need to

drive longer distances to access schools, work, shopping,

and other services. The NHTS data shows the average

household in Willow Oak drives 58.9 miles per day.

When average housing and transportation costs are

compared to median income in Willow Oak, the figures

show that the average household spends more than 50

percent of its annual income on housing and

transportation, see Table 8.

Table 8: Average Annual Housing and Transportation Expense in the Willow Oak

Neighborhood

Budget Item

Annual Cost by

Houeshold

Percent of Annual Income

Annual Housing Cost $11,832 29.2%

Annual Transportation Cost $8,604 21.2%

Based on the affordability thresholds outlined previously,

the average household in Willow Oak is burdened by

annual combined housing and transportation costs

reducing the ability of that household to meet other

financial needs. As noted in Table 8, the average

household in Willow Oak spends approximately 21.2

percent of its income on transportation (VMT * AAA cost

of Driving). Though based on location, long distances will


Twenty-four fixed-routes and two specialized

paratransit systems serve to connect the residents of

Polk County with shopping, services, and community

activities.

remain between residents and trip destinations; one

means of reducing a household’s transportation expense

is to reduce automobile use. Transit is available in the

City of Mulberry with new circulator service planned for

the Willow Oak Neighborhood. A $47 unlimited monthly

transit pass, offers an option for households looking to

cut expenses. If the average Willow Oak household were

to reduce its auto use by half (eliminating the need for

one vehicle) and replace that auto use with transit,

monthly household transportation expenses could be

reduced by $311. The annual savings of $3,735 dollars

represents 9.2 percent of the household’s annual budget.

Location of the Cost-Burdened

Population in Polk County

The elements outlined in the previous sections of this

report show that housing and transportation costs vary

across Polk County, and that those costs have continued

to increase as wages have fallen. The research also

shows that the greatest burden related to this trend

typically falls disproportionately on low-income

households. Though the costs associated with housing

and transportation are increasing, the findings also

suggest that the location of housing can have an effect

on reducing overall household costs.

Building upon the idea of location-efficient housing, an

assessment of low-income housing relative to transit

service was conducted within Polk County. This

assessment will provide policy makers with information

regarding the viability of transit as a means of reducing

transportation expenses in existing low-income

households. The following sections of the report identify

the location of assisted housing within Polk County and

compare those developments with the location, intensity,

and frequency of transit service.

Section 7

Location of Assisted Housing

An inventory of the number and location of assisted

housing units present in Polk County was completed for

this report. For the purposes of this study, the inventory

of assisted housing included those developments

receiving subsidies from the U.S. HUD, U.S. Department

of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD), Florida

Housing Finance Corporation, or local housing finance

agencies.

The inventory conducted drew from three sources

including data provided by the Polk County Housing and

Neighborhood Development Division (HND), Polk County

Tax Assessor’s Office, and the GeoPlan Center at the

University of Florida.

The listing of subsidized housing units provided by HND,

Department of Revenue (DOR) codes from the tax

assessor, and an existing shape file from the GeoPlan

Center were used to identify location and number of

assisted housing units.

The results of the analysis showed 80 separate assisted

housing developments with a total of 7,367 units exist

within Polk County. Figure 12 shows the location of the

developments identified in the inventory. Appendix 1

provides a full listing of the affordable housing units

identified.

Section 8

Availability of Transit Service

Currently in Polk County, three providers: Lakeland Area

Mass Transit District (LAMTD), Winter Haven Area Transit

(WHAT), and Polk County Transit Service (PCTS) operate

transit; a fourth, Central Florida Regional Transportation

Authority (LYNX), provides service through an agreement

with PCTS. In total, 24 fixed routes and two specialized

paratransit systems serve to connect the residents of Polk

County with shopping, services, and community

activities. Figure 13 provides a depiction of the fixed

routes and specialized service areas operating in Polk

County as of June 2013. The following information taken

from Polk Transit’ 2013-2022 MyRide Plan provides a

description of that existing service.12

Existing Fixed-Route Service

Citrus Connection, operated by LAMTD, includes 14 fixed-

routes with service to portions of Lakeland and

connections to the cities of Auburndale, Bartow, and

Mulberry. Citrus Connection weekday service spans from

6:05 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. Saturday service spans from 7:15

a.m. to 5:25 p.m. Service frequencies are typically

between 30 and 60 minutes. In 2011, LAMTD carried just

over 1,450,000 passengers.


Figure 12: Location of Assisted Housing Developments in Polk County

Source: Florida Geographic Data Library (FGDL), Property Assessor Data, County Affordable Housing Listing.

WHAT currently operates six fixed routes in Winter Haven

and surrounding areas including Lake Wales, Lake Alfred,

and Haines City. WHAT service is available on weekdays

from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7:00

a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Service frequencies are 60 minutes or

more. In 2011, WHAT carried just over 525,000

passengers.

PCTS operates two fixed routes that serve Fort Meade

and Frostproof. Both routes offer deviated fixed-route

service (Flex Service) that allows the bus to travel up to

¾ mile from its service route to accommodate scheduled

pick-ups and drop-offs. Service is provided on weekdays

from 6:10 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 6:10

a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Service frequencies range from 45

minutes to 120 minutes. In 2011, PCTS supported 63,754

passenger trips.

Contracted for service in Polk County by PCTS, LYNX

operates two fixed routes (416 and 427) and two areas of

demand responsive service all in the Poinciana area.

LYNX operates 7 days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The demand responsive service termed NeighborLink

operates in two designated service areas (601 and 603) in

Poinciana. Residents in the designated service areas

must call at least 2 hours in advance to schedule a pick-

up time. The NeighborLink service provides

transportation anywhere within a designated service area

or to a LYNX local bus stop. In 2011, the LYNX

NeighborLink 603 carried 13,123 riders in Polk County.

Existing Paratransit Service

The fixed-route transit system in Polk County is

augmented by two specialized types of paratransit

service: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and

Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) service.


Figure 13: Polk County Existing Fixed-Route Transit and

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Service Area

Based on figures reported by the Florida Commission for

the Transportation Disadvantaged (FCTD), 216,310 trips

were supported by paratransit in Polk County in 2011.

The first, ADA service, is an important complement to

the fixed-route system. ADA transit service is provided

within a ¾-mile buffer of each fixed-route transit line.

ADA service supports those members of the community

that, through disability, are unable to access traditional

fixed-route transit. Users of ADA service must pre-

qualify for service by submitting an application that

proves disability. Age and/or the economic status of the

applicant is not used as certification for this service.

Both LAMTD and PCTS operate ADA service. ADA service

availability is consistent with that of the fixed-route

service spans.

The second paratransit service provided within Polk

County is termed TD service. PCTS coordinates the TD

service which is provided through a network of

transportation operators. TD service is offered to Polk

County residents who live outside of the ¾-mile ADA

service area and are unable to access transit due to a

documented disability, or based on a circumstance where

no other transportation is available. TD service is offered

based on the following criteria: to those most in need,

for trips deemed most necessary, using transportation

services that are most cost effective, and used in a

leveraged manner to receive the greatest benefit from

available funds. TD service is provided Monday through

Saturday from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday service is

available on a pre-arranged case-by-case basis only.

Reservations are required to be made a minimum of 72

hours in advance and may be made up to 7 days in


advance. Curb-to-curb TD service is provided for

ambulatory, wheelchair, and stretcher clients.

Section 9 Access to Transit

The preceding sections identified the location of assisted

housing and detailed the transit services available. To

match the population living in affordable housing to

available transit service, an analysis was completed to

assess the level of access that affordable housing

residents have to the existing fixed-route transit

network.

The methodology selected allowed for an assessment of

the location, intensity, and frequency of transit service

within a given geography (census block group). The

evaluation method selected results in the calculation of

an index score, termed Transit Connectivity Index (TCI)13.

The higher the transit index score, the better the transit

coverage within a given area. The formula for TCI is as

follows:

Note: Route buffer area = ¼-mile buffer around transit line (sq. mi.). Total Weekly Trips = Sum of weekly transit trips that pass within census block group (or neighborhood). Base geography = census block group (or neighborhood).

The data inputs used in the development of the TCI

included the identification of a base geography layer

(census block group), location of fixed-transit routes, and

summary of the number of weekly transit trips by route.

A TCI was developed for Polk County based on 2010 U.S.

Census Block Group Geography and existing route

location/frequency information collected from local

transit agencies in June 2013. A ¼-mile buffer applied to

the transit route centerline (representative of the

distance generally accepted as maximum walk to access

bus service) served as the basis for the block group

intersection area. Conservation lands and water bodies

were removed from the block group area calculation.

The decision to remove the lakes and conservation lands

from the TCI calculation was based on extensive areas of

Polk County occupied by both and the total lack of

ridership present in those areas. The following section

describes the results of the analysis.

The TCI did not take into consideration the service

provided through Polk County’s paratransit system. As

described in the previous section, regions of the county

not connected to fixed-route transit are served by the

county’s paratransit system.

Results of Transit Analysis

The TCI scores calculated for Polk County range from a

high of 1,547 to a low of zero. The mean score was

found to be 136 with approximately 90 percent of the TCI

scores falling below a total of 376.

To facilitate a comparative analysis, the census block

groups present within Polk County (331 in total) were

divided into ranges based on the TCI score. The first

range included those block groups with no fixed-route

transit service (TCI of zero); 83 census block groups were

identified as part of this group.

Next, the remaining 248 block groups were divided into

six equal sets based on an ordinal ranking of the TCI. The

ranking of the TCI groupings allowed for a relative

comparison of transit service within Polk County. The

top scoring group, termed “High 1 - Fixed-Route Access,”

included 42 census block groups and represented the

highest level of transit access within the county. The

subsequent TCI groupings included a similar number of

census block groups and represented a spectrum of

service ranging from high to minimal. Table 9 provides a

full listing of transit access rankings. The assessment of

service was broken down into seven categories to provide

detail in both mapping and analysis. However, the

categories may be combined to four summary categories

to simplify the discussion of transit access.

Table 9: Service Assessment and TCI Range

Summary Category Service Assessment

TCI Score Range

High High 1 - Fixed-Route Access 364-1,547

High 2 - Fixed-Route Access 164-362

Moderate Moderate 1 - Fixed-Route Access 75-161

Moderate 2 - Fixed-Route Access 35-73

Minimal Minimal 1 - Fixed-Route Access 14-35

Minimal 2 - Fixed-Route Access 1-13

No No Fixed-Route Access 0 Note: TCI score ranges break at the decimal level.

The TCI scoring provided a means of assessing the

location and frequency of transit service within Polk

County. Generally, higher service assessment categories

occurred in areas characterized by a greater number of

bus trips and larger area within the ¼-mile transit buffer.

The service present may additionally be characterized by

describing the average number of weekly trips present

within the block groups, see Table 10.


Ninety-six percent of affordable housing developments

in Polk County fall within a block group that has some

level of fixed-route transit access.

Table 10: Average Number of Weekly Transit Trips

by Service Category

Summary Category Service Assessment

Average Number of

Weekly Transit Trips

High High 1 - Fixed-Route Access 715

High 2 - Fixed-Route Access 320

Moderate Moderate 1 - Fixed-Route Access 224

Moderate 2 - Fixed-Route Access 167

Minimal Minimal 1 - Fixed-Route Access 127

Minimal 2 - Fixed-Route Access 121

No No Fixed-Route Access 0

Figure 14 presents the TCI by service assessment

category for Polk County and shows that the highest TCI

scores typically coincide with the most populated areas

of the county. Those areas with the lowest TCI scores

typically occur in areas with fewer residents that include

large tracts of conservation and state managed lands.

Figure 15 provides a comparison between the location of

assisted housing, TCI, and ¼-mile transit buffer.

Figure 14: Polk TCI Range


Figure 15: Comparison of Assisted Housing, TCI, and Transit Buffer

When the TCI scores are compared with the location of

affordable housing developments in Polk County, the

following is made apparent:

◊ Ninety-six (96) percent of affordable housing developments in Polk County fall within a block group that has some level of fixed-route transit access

◊ Thirty-one (31) of the 80 affordable housing developments fall in areas of the county having a high-level of fixed-route transit access

◊ Twenty-nine (29) developments fall in areas of the county having a moderate level of fixed-route transit access

◊ Seventeen (17) developments fall in areas of the county having a low level of transit access

◊ Three (3) affordable housing developments fall in areas having no fixed-route transit access

Figure 16 summarizes the level of transit service

provided to the assisted housing developments located in

Polk County.

Additional analysis provides a breakdown of those

assisted housing developments and number of units

located within ¼ mile of a fixed-route transit line. The

¼-mile buffer plays an important role in assessing the

viability of transit as an alternative mode of

transportation as it represents the generally accepted

threshold a person will walk to access a bus. As shown

previously in Figure 15, 66 of the 80 assisted housing

developments within Polk County fall within ¼ mile of a

fixed transit route.


Sixty-six of the 80 assisted housing developments

within Polk County fall within ¼ mile of a fixed

transit route.

Figure 16: Percentage of Affordable Housing Developments by Level of Transit Access

Table 11 provides a summary of the number of assisted

housing developments present along each transit line

ordered by the total number of units present in each

development.

Table 11: Number of Affordable Housing Developments within ¼-mile Buffer of Fixed-

Route Transit by Route

Transit Route Number of

Developments Number of

Housing Units

15 LAMTD 9 1,284

40_44 7 883

15 WHAT 12 777

35 8 727

25 7 657

30 2 614

10 5 571

12 5 509

11 5 481

46 4 470

22XW 6 441

1 2 392

22XL 5 389

58 4 374

3 3 285

57 2 266

416 6 219

427 6 215

32_33 1 200

50 2 190

45 1 75

47 1 48

14 1 5 Sources: Combined Property Appraiser, FGDL, County Figures. Note: Total units based on DOR parcel data; number of subsidized units may differ from total.

Section 10

The MyRide Plan – Planned Service

Improvements

In 2012, Polk County’s three transit agencies (PCTS,

WHAT, and LAMTD) combined efforts to develop the

2013-2022 Transit Development Plan titled “MyRide.”

The MyRide Plan is a document used by the transit

agencies to guide the growth and operation of the transit

system. The transit improvements listed in the MyRide

plan serve as the basis for the transit enhancements

recommended as part of this memorandum.

Tables 12 and 13, provide a listing of the transit

improvements identified in the MyRide document.

Several types or “modes” of transit service are proposed

as part of the needs listing. The variety of modes

presented in the plan reflects the wide-range of services

used to support a diverse population in a variety of

environments. Appendix 2 includes a full description of

each type of service. The service types include:

◊ Premium Bus Service (Bus Rapid Transit)

◊ Express Service

◊ Traditional Fixed-Route Service (Urban)

◊ Traditional Fixed-Route Service (Rural)

◊ Flex Service

◊ Call-and-Ride Service

◊ Community Transit Options

◊ Commuter Services/Vanpools

◊ Taxi-Access Program


Table 12: TDP Needs Plan Alternatives –

Improvements to Existing Service

Route Name Description Mode

10 Frequency, span, and Sunday service improvement

Traditional fixed-route

15 (WHAT) Frequency, span, and Sunday service improvement




22XL Frequency and span improvement


22XW Frequency and span improvement


12 Frequency and span improvement










15 (Citrus Connection)

Frequency and span improvement


Eagle Ridge-Lake Wales


Flex

47 Span improvement Traditional fixed-route



40/44 Frequency and span improvement




Bartow-Fort Meade

Span improvement Flex

Lake Wales-Frostproof


Flex

Carter Rd Walmart-Bradley

Span improvement Flex

Source: MyRide, 2012.

Table 13: TDP Needs Plan Alternatives – Service

Expansions

Route Name Description Mode

Haines City Circulator New service Traditional fixed-route

Lakeland-Bartow Express New service Express

Lake Davenport-Haines City New service Flex

Bartow Circulator New service Traditional fixed-route

Downtown Lakeland Premium

New service Premium bus

service

Haines City-Poinciana New service Flex

Lakeland-Winter Haven Express

New service Express

Lake Davenport New service Call & ride

Mulberry Circulator New service Traditional fixed-route

Haines City-Eagle Ridge Mall New service Traditional fixed-route

Lake Wales Circulator New service Traditional fixed-route

Lakeland-Sunrail Terminal Express

New service Express

Auburndale/Florida Polytechnic

New service Traditional fixed-route

Frostproof New service Call & ride

Fort Meade New service Call & ride

Crooked Lake Park/Hillcrest Heights

New service Call & ride

Poinciana New service Call & ride

I-4 Intercounty Express New service Express

Winter Haven Logistics Center

New service Call & ride

North Lakeland Circulator New service Traditional fixed-route

Lakeland/Florida Polytechnic Connector

New service Traditional fixed-route

Mulberry/Lake Wales New service Flex Source: MyRide, 2012.

Table 10 provides a summary of improvements to existing

service, and Table 11 provides a list of needed system

expansions. Figure 17 provides a depiction of the full

list of proposed transit improvements identified in

MyRide. The projects listed in the following two tables

serve as the source for the recommendations made in the

subsequent section.


Figure 17: Transit Development Plan Proposed New Service

Section 11

Recommended Transit Improvements

The purpose of this memorandum is to identify the role

that transit can serve to lower household transportation

costs and make housing more affordable. The analysis

was focused to identify the quality of transit service

available to residents of existing assisted housing

developments within the county. Based on the analysis

completed in the previous sections, investment may now

be directed to improve service in those areas with the

highest need that are currently deficient in service.

Figure 18 provides a comparison of the assisted housing

locations, TCI data, and the location of planned transit

improvements taken from the MyRide Plan. This map

allows for the identification of opportunities for

investment where planned improvements coincide with

the location of underserved assisted housing.

The following recommendations are made first with

regard to the extension of service into areas that have

either no or minimal existing access, and second to the

enhancement of existing routes.


Figure 18: Comparison of Assisted Housing, TCI, and Planned Transit Improvements

Extension of New Service

Three of the new transit routes described in the MyRide

Plan would affect areas of the county that, through the

analysis outlined above, were shown to be underserved

by transit and support assisted housing developments.

The improvements listed below serve as a priority list of

transit enhancements that would affect the mobility

needs of Polk County’s low-income population.

◊ Auburndale/Florida Polytechnic Circulator: This service would introduce traditional fixed-route service in the area of Florida Polytechnic University. The circulator would pass within ¼ mile of one (Polk City Villas) of the four assisted housing locations in Polk County currently not served by fixed-route

transit. The circulator would connect the assisted housing development with the University and the City of Auburndale.

Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The service would introduce transit into an area of the county currently not served by fixed-route service. The route would provide frequent headways connecting residential areas with employment, services, and shopping. The new circulator would also connect riders with WHAT Route 50 and the proposed Lakeland to Polk Commerce Development of Regional Impact (DRI) route.

Lake Wales Circulator: The circulator would introduce traditional fixed-route service to portions of the City of Lake Wales not currently served by fixed-route transit. The extension of additional


service southward within the city would bring transit to within ¼ mile of three assisted housing developments that currently fall in an area of the county shown to have a low TCI. Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The new service would introduce transit into an area that has a high concentration of assisted housing developments (247 units). The route would provide frequent service connection to employment, services, and shopping found in Downtown Lake Wales.

◊ Mulberry Circulator: This circulator would introduce traditional fixed-route service to portions of the City of Mulberry not currently served by a fixed-route. The extension of service to the west would bring two assisted housing developments to within ¼ mile of a transit line. Currently, both developments are located in an area of the county shown to have a low TCI.

Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The new service would introduce transit into an area that has a large low-income population. The route would provide frequent trips to the employment, services, and shopping found in the City of Mulberry, as well as connections to additional transit routes (Citrus Connection Route 39).

Enhancement of Existing Service

The MyRide Plan also identifies a series of enhancements

that would improve service along existing routes. Though

the TCI scores present along most fixed routes are

moderate or high, the improvement of existing routes

would serve to reinforce transit as an alternative mode of

travel and potentially increase ridership which allow

more households to reduce transportation costs.

◊ LAMTD Route 15 – Planned service enhancements to Route 15 would reduce headways from 60 to 30 minutes, and extend the span of operations from 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Though Route 15 currently operates in an area with many of the highest TCI scores in the county, the route also passes through many of the most economically-disadvantaged census block groups. Additionally, the route passes within ¼ mile of nine assisted housing developments with a total of 1,250+ units.

Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The improved route would reduce headways and extend the hours of operation. The more frequent service in this densely-populated area would provide residents with improved flexibility in the scheduling of supported activity. Also, the extension of the span of operations to 10:00 p.m. would allow many working households to utilize transit for evening work trips. The route would provide improved connection to

employment, services, and shopping found in the City of Lakeland.

◊ Route 40_44 - Planned service enhancements to Route 40_44 would reduce headways from 90 to 60 minutes and extend the span of operations from 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. The route currently operates in South Winter Haven in an area identified as having low transit service. The route is located within ¼ mile of two large assisted housing developments that support a total of 883 Units.

Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The improved service would reduce headways and extend hours of operation. The 30-minute reduction in headway would provide residents with improved flexibility in scheduling supported activities, making transit a more appealing alternative to driving. Also, the extension of the span of operations to 10:00 p.m. would allow many working households to utilize transit for evening work trips. The route would provide improved connection to the employment, services, and shopping found in the City of Winter Haven.

◊ WHAT Route 15 - Planned service enhancements to WHAT Route 15 would reduce headways from 60 to 30 minutes, and extend the span of operations from 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. The route would also provide additional weekend service by adding Sunday service. WHAT Route 15 currently serves to connect the cities of Winter Haven, Lake Alfred, and Haines City. In its course, the route passes within ¼ mile of 12 assisted housing developments with a total of 777 units.

Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The improved route would reduce headways and extend the hours of operation, as well as provide additional weekend service. The more frequent service would provide residents with improved flexibility in the scheduling of supported activity and would allow additional weekend travel potentially supporting non-traditional work weeks. Also, the extension of the span of operations to 10:00 p.m. would allow many working households to utilize transit for evening trips. As a route that passes between three of Polk County’s municipalities, the route serves as a connector providing access to three distinct employment and service centers.

◊ Route 30 - Planned service enhancements to Route 30 would reduce headways from 60 to 30 minutes, and extend the span of operations from 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. The route would also provide additional weekend service. Route 30 currently serves to connect the cities of Winter Haven and Lake Wales and provides access to the Eagle Ridge Mall. In its course, the route passes within ¼ mile of 2 assisted housing developments with a total of 614 units.


Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The improved route would reduce headways and extend the hours of operation, as well as provide additional weekend service. The more frequent service would provide residents with improved flexibility in the scheduling of supported activity and would allow additional weekend travel potentially supporting non-traditional work weeks. Also, the extension of the span of operations to 10:00 p.m. would allow many working households to utilize transit for evening trips. Route 30 passes between the cities of Winter Haven and Lake Wales and serves as a connector providing access to a major employment and shopping center in the Eagle Ridge Mall.

◊ Route 10 - Planned service enhancements to Route 10 would reduce headways from 60 to 30 minutes and extend the span of operations from 6:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. The route would also provide additional weekend service. Route 10 currently operates in southeast Lakeland. In its course, the route passes within ¼ mile of five assisted housing developments with a total of 571 units.

Service Benefit to Low-Income Riders: The improved route would reduce headways and extend the hours of operation, as well as provide additional weekend service. The more frequent service would provide residents with improved flexibility in the scheduling of supported activity and would allow additional weekend travel potentially supporting non-traditional work weeks. Also, the extension of the span of operations to 10:00 p.m. would allow many working households to utilize transit for evening trips. As a route that passes through one of Polk County’s most densely-populated areas, the route would serve as a connector and circulator for activity in Downtown Lakeland.

Remaining Service Gaps

If fully implemented, the planned improvements outlined

in the MyRide Plan would leave few gaps in the

connection of Polk County’s assisted housing to fixed-

route transit. In total, two of 80 assisted housing

developments would not be served by fixed-route transit.

Those developments are shown (as not served) in Figure

18 and include:

◊ Village Green Apartments II – East of Lake Wales - 54 Units

◊ Lakesmart Associates LTD – East of Winter Haven - 442 Units

The remaining 78 (98 percent) of assisted housing

developments within the county would fall within a

census block group that has some fixed-route service

connection. The residents of the underserved

developments would likely rely upon private autos or the

paratransit system to meet their mobility needs.

1 AAA, 2013. Your Driving Costs. Available Online.

http://newsroom.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/YourDrivingCosts2013.pdf

2 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 2009 National Household Travel Survey. Available Online. http://nhts.ornl.gov/download.shtml Calculation based on survey TAZ Data (Average VMT*Number of Households/Total Households).

3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013. Consumer Expenditures – 2012, Washington DC. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cesan.nr0.htm

4 U.S. Census Bureau, 2007. Who Can Afford to Live in a Home: A look at data from the 2006 American Community Survey. Washington. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/special-topics/files/who-can-afford.pdf

5 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2013. Affordable Housing. Available Online http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/affordablehousing

6 Center for Housing Policy, 2012. Housing Landscape 2012. Available Online. http://www.nhc.org/media/files/Landscape2012.pdf

7 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010. Report 1023: Consumer Expenditures in 2008. Washington DC. http://www.bls.gov/cex/csxann08.pdf

8 Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2010. Pennywise Pound Fuelish: New Measures of Housing + Transportation Affordability. Available Online. http://www.cnt.org/repository/pwpf.pdf

9 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 2012. Transportation and Housing Costs. Available Online. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/fact_sheets/transandhousing.cfm

10 American Public Transpiration Association, 2011. Despite Predictions of Lower Fuel Costs, Gas Prices Remain High As Public Transit Savings Soars. Available Online. http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2011/Pages/110510_May_Transit_Savings.aspx

11 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 2011. Environmental Justice Emerging Trends and Best Practices Guidebook. Available Online. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/environmental_justice/resources/guidebook/guidebook01.Cfm

12 Polk Transit, 2012. My Ride: Polk Consolidated Transit Development Plan FY 2013-2022. Bartow FL. http://polktpo.com/downloads/1374-2013-2022-Transit-Development-Plan

13 Transportation Research Record. Journal of the Transportation Research Board. No. 2077. Estimating Transportation Costs by Characteristics of Neighborhood and Household. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington. http://htaindex.cnt.org/downloads/Estimating-Transportation-Costs.pdf



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http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/affordablehousing

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/affordablehousing

http://www.nhc.org/media/files/Landscape2012.pdf

http://www.bls.gov/cex/csxann08.pdf

http://www.cnt.org/repository/pwpf.pdf

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http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/fact_sheets/transandhousing.cfm

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Transit: Making Housing More Affordable Technical Memo

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Transcript of Transit: Making Housing More Affordable Technical Memo