No car? No problem. Building apartments near public transit could help address the housing crisis | News

BOSTON (AP) — After years of living on the street and crashing on friends’ couches, Quantavia Smith was given the keys to a studio apartment in Los Angeles that came with an important perk — easy access to public transit.

The 38-year-old feels like she went from a life where “no one cares” to one where she has a safe place to begin rebuilding her life. And the metro station the apartment complex was literally built upon is a lifeline as she searches for work without a car.

kAm“xE 😀 >@C6 2 D6?D6 @7 C6=:67[ 2 D6?D6 @7 :?56A6?56?46[Q D2:5 $>:E9[ H9@ >@G65 😕 yF=J] $96 C646:G6D D@>6 8@G6C?>6?E 2DD:DE2?46 2?5 A2JD b_T @7 96C :?4@>6 7@C C6?E — ;FDE S`h 2 >@?E9 7@C 2? 677:4:6?4J H:E9 2 7F==\>2C<6E G2=F6 @7 Sa[___]k^Am

kAm“w2G:?8 J@FC @H? DA246[ J@F 766= =:<6 J@F 42? 5@ 2?JE9:?8]Qk^Am

kAm|6EC@ 2C62D 7C@> {@D p?86=6D E@ q@DE@? 92G6 E2<6? E96 =625 😕 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^277@C523=6\9@FD:?8QmEJ:?8 ?6H 9@FD:?8k^2m 56G6=@A>6?ED E@ E96:C AC@I:>:EJ E@ AF3=:4 EC2?D:E[ @7E6? E62>:?8 FA H:E9 56G6=@A6CD E@ DEC62>=:?6 E96 A6C>:EE:?8 AC@46DD 2?5 A2DD:?8 A@=:4:6D E92E AC@>@E6 56G6=@A>6?ED E92E :?4=F56 2 8C62E6C ?F>36C @7 F?:ED]k^Am

kAmr:EJ @77:4:2=D 2C8F6 3F:=5:?8 9@FD:?8 ?62C AF3=:4 EC2?D:E 96=AD 6?6C8:K6 ?68=64E65 ?6:893@C9@@5D 2?5 AC@G:56 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8[ H9:=6 6?DFC:?8 2 DE625J DEC62> @7 C:56CD 7@C EC2?D:E DJDE6>D 2?5 4FEE:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9@>6\6?6C8J\2DD6DD>6?E\4=:>2E6\:>A24E\962E\AF>A\4g57f2_b`bf_73h35h6245fd7f63cc_6Qm8C66?9@FD6 82D 6>:DD:@?Dk^2m 3J C65F4:?8 E96 ?F>36C @7 42CD @? E96 C@25]k^Am

kAm“%C2?D:E\@C:6?E65 56G6=@A>6?E D9@F=5 36 @?6 @7[ :7 ?@E E96 3:886DE D@=FE:@? E92E H6’C6 =@@<:?8 2E 7@C 9@FD:?8 56G6=@A>6?E[” D2:5 *@?29 uC66>2C<[ C6D62C49 5:C64E@C 2E E96 &C32? x?DE:EFE6’D {2?5 &D6 {23[ H9@ 92D HC:EE6? 6IE6?D:G6=J @? E96 E@A:4]k^Am

kAm“xE E2<6D 25G2?E286 @7 2== @7 E9:D >@?6J H6’G6 DA6?E @? EC2?DA@CE2E:@? :?7C2DECF4EFC6] x7 J@F 3F:=5 E96 AC@;64ED 2?5 5@?’E 3F:=5 2?JE9:?8 2C@F?5 E96 2C62D ?62C E96>[ E96? :E’D <:?5 @7 =:<6 >@?6J E9C@H? 5@H? E96 5C2:?[” uC66>2C< D2:5]k^Am

k9am%C2?D:E 9@FD:?8 AC@;64ED 7C@> sr E@ {pk^9am

kAm%96 $2?E2 |@?:42 2?5 ‘6C>@?E pA2CE>6?ED H96C6 $>:E9 =:G6D 😀 A2CE @7 2? 2>3:E:@FD A=2? 3J E96 {@D p?86=6D r@F?EJ |6EC@A@=:E2? %C2?DA@CE2E:@? pFE9@C:EJ E@ 3F:=5 `_[___ 9@FD:?8 F?:ED ?62C EC2?D:E D:E6D 3J a_b` — @776C:?8 56G6=@A6CD =2?5 5:D4@F?ED 😕 6I492?86 7@C 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8 56G6=@A>6?E 2?5 @E96C 4@>>F?:EJ 36?67:ED]k^Am

kAmx? (2D9:?8E@? s]r][ E96 EC2?D:E 2FE9@C:EJ 92D 4@>A=6E65 6:89E AC@;64ED D:?46 a_aa E92E AC@G:565 ?62C=J `[d__ 2A2CE>6?ED 2?5 2 >:==:@? DBF2C6 766E @7 @77:46 DA246] p3@FE 92=7 H6C6 😕 A2CE?6CD9:A H:E9 p>2K@?[ H9:49 4@>>:EE65 Sb]e 3:==:@? 😕 =@H\4@DE =@2?D 2?5 8C2?ED 7@C 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8 AC@;64ED 😕 (2D9:?8E@?[ 2D H6== 2D }2D9G:==6[ %6??6DD66[ 2?5 E96 !F86E $@F?5 2C62 😕 (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6] p=>@DE 2== 2C6 H:E9:? 2 92=7\>:=6 @7 AF3=:4 EC2?D:E]k^Am

kAm“q:8 4:E:6D 7246 E96 8C62E6DE 492==6?86D H96? :E 4@>6D E@ EC277:4 4@?86DE:@? 2?5 9:89 9@FD:?8 4@DED[” uC66>2C< D2:5] “qF:=5:?8 ?6H 9@>6D ?62C EC2?D:E 96=AD 255C6DD 3@E9 AC@3=6>D 3J 6?4@FC28:?8 A6@A=6 E@ E2<6 EC2?D:E H9:=6 :?4C62D:?8 9@FD:?8 DFAA=J]”k^Am

kAmp>@?8 AC@;64ED q@DE@? 92D 3F:=E[ E96 !@< ~: #6D:56?ED 😕 r9:?2E@H? 😀 2 `_\>:?FE6 H2=< E@ E96 DF3H2J 2?5 2 92=7\5@K6? 3FD DE@AD] %92EVD 2 5C2H 7@C q6C?:6 w6C?2?56K[ H9@ >@G65 9:D 72>:=J E96C6 7C@> 2 r@??64E:4FE DF3FC3 27E6C 9:D 52F89E6C 8@E :?E@ 2 q@DE@? F?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am

kAm“%96 3:8 5:776C6?46 😀 4@>>FE:?8] *@F 5@?’E ?665 2 42C[” D2:5 w6C?2?56K[ H9@ D2:5 96 42? H2=< E@ E96 8C@46CJ DE@CJ 2?5 A92C>24J] w:D `f\J62C\@=5 52F89E6C E2<6D E96 DF3H2J E@ D49@@=] }@H[ 9:D 42C >@DE=J D:ED :5=6[ D2G:?8 9:> >@?6J @? 82D 2?5 E:>6 DA6?E 😕 EC277:4]k^Am

kAm“*@F 86E E@ 8@ E@ 5:776C6?E A=246D G6CJ BF:4<=J] tG6CJE9:?8 😀 4@?G6?:6?E[Q w6C?2?56K D2:5]k^Am

k9am$E2E6D E2<6 2:> 2E K@?:?8 C68F=2E:@?Dk^9am

kAm$E2E6D 7C@> |2DD249FD6EED E@ r2=:7@C?:2 2C6 A2DD:?8 =2HD E2C86E:?8 C6DEC:4E:G6 K@?:?8 C68F=2E:@?D E92E 7@C 564256D AC@9:3:E65 3F:=5:?8 >F=E:72>:=J 56G6=@A>6?ED 2?5 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9@FD:?8\277@C523:=:EJ\9@>6\AC:46D\C62=\6DE2E6\7`f22dcffe2_c6ceaa5_4d272h7_h77gQm9@FD:?8 D9@CE286D]k^2mk^Am

kAm{2DE >@?E9[ r2=:7@C?:2 v@G] v2G:? }6HD@> D:8?65 2 DE2E6 =2H 2==@H:?8 E2==6C 2A2CE>6?E 3F:=5:?8D @? =2?5 @H?65 3J EC2?D:E 286?4:6D 2?5 ?62C 3FD[ EC2:? 2?5 DF3H2J =:?6D]k^Am

kAm“qF:=5:?8 >@C6 9@>6D 😕 @FC >@DE DFDE2:?23=6 =@42E:@?D 😀 E96 <6J E@ E24<=:?8 E96 277@C523:=:EJ 4C:D:D 2?5 =@4<:?8 😕 r2=:7@C?:2’D DF446DD 7@C >2?J J62CD E@ 4@>6[” D2:5 $E2E6 $6?] $4@EE (:6?6C[ 2 s6>@4C2E H9@ 2FE9@C65 E96 3:==]k^Am

kAmr2=:7@C?:2 ;@:?D r@=@C25@[ H9:49 C6BF:C6D 4:E:6D E@ 2==@H 2? 2G6C286 @7 c_ 9@FD:?8 F?:ED A6C 24C6 H:E9:? 2 BF2CE6C\>:=6 @7 EC2?D:E[ 2?5 &E29[ H9:49 >2?52E6D 23@FE d_ F?:ED A6C 24C6] x? (2D9:?8E@?[ E96 8@G6C?@C D:8?65 2 3:== E9:D J62C 2==@H:?8 E2==6C 9@FD:?8 56G6=@A>6?ED 😕 >:I65\FD6 4@>>6C4:2= K@?6D ?62C EC2?D:E]k^Am

kAm“(6 H2?E E@ 6?DFC6 E92E E96C6 2C6 >:I65\:?4@>6[ H2=<23=6[ G:3C2?E 9@>6D 2== 2C@F?5 E9@D6 EC2?D:E :?G6DE>6?ED 2?5 E92E A6@A=6 92G6 E96 @AE:@? @7 FD:?8 42CD =6DD E@ :>AC@G6 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 962=E9 @7 @FC 4@>>F?:E:6D[” D2:5 s6>@4C2E:4 #6A] yF=:2 #665[ H9@ 2FE9@C65 E96 (2D9:?8E@? 3:==]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 23@FE 8:G:?8 A6@A=6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 5C:G6 =6DD 2?5 =:G6 >@C6]Qk^Am

k9amw@FD:?8 E2<6D 46?E6C DE286 😕 |2DD249FD6EEDk^9am

kAm|2DD249FD6EED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2DD249FD6EED\DE2E6\4@>>@?H62=E9\>2FC2\962=6J\d33a4_ee2abh7gbc4g3aadh5ge`_`4abQms6>@4C2E:4 v@G] |2FC2 w62=6Jk^2m 92D >256 9@FD:?8 2 AC:@C:EJ]k^Am

kAmp>@?8 96C >@DE A@E6?E E@@=D 😀 2 a_a` =2H E92E C6BF:C6D `ff E@H?D @C 4@>>F?:E:6D ?62C3J E@ 4C62E6 K@?:?8 5:DEC:4ED 2==@H:?8 >F=E:\72>:=J 9@FD:?8] %96 DE2E6 AC@G:565 ?62C=J Sg >:==:@? E@ >@C6 E92? `d_ 4@>>F?:E:6D E@ 96=A 4C62E6 E96D6 K@?6D[ H9:=6 E9C62E6?:?8 E@ 4FE 7F?5:?8 7@C E9@D6 E92E 5@?VE] |@C6 E92? e[___ 9@FD:?8 F?:ED 2C6 😕 56G6=@A>6?E 2D 2 C6DF=E]k^Am

kAm“*@F AFE 9@FD:?8 ?62C3J AF3=:4 EC2?D:EQ w62=6J D2:5] QxE’D 8C62E 7@C A6@A=6] %96J 42? =:E6C2==J 86E FA[ =62G6 E96:C 9@>6[ H2=< E@ 2 4@>>FE6C C2:= 2?5 86E E@ H@C<]”k^Am

kAmp>@?8 E96 7:CDE E@ 4@>A=J H2D {6I:?8E@?[ H9:49 92D 2AAC@G65 `_ AC@;64ED[ :?4=F5:?8 2 S“d >:==:@? 4@>A=6I H:E9 `gf 9@FD:?8 F?:ED 2?5 C6E2:= DA246]k^Am

kAm(2=<:?8 A2DE 62CE9\>@G:?8 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 5F>A ECF42?286C “F:?=2? {@4<6 D2:5i “%9:D 😀 2 =2?5D42A6 J2C5] xE’D 4@>>6C4:2=] xE’D >62?E 7@C ECF4<:?8]”k^Am

kAmqFE[ 96 25565[ 😕 “EH@ J62CD 7C@> ?@H[ :E’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 >62?E 7@C A6@A=6 H9@ =:G6 96C6[ H@C< 96C6 2?5 A=2J 96C6] %9:D 😀 8@:?8 E@ 364@>6 D@>6@?6’D 9@>6]”k^Am

k9am~AA@D:E:@? E@ K@?:?8 492?86Dk^9am

kAm$@>6 25G@42E6D 2C8F6 E96 =@7EJ 8@2=D @7 EC2?D:E 9@FD:?8 2C6 72==:?8 D9@CE 5F6 E@ 7:6C46 =@42= C6D:DE2?46 2?5 =24< @7 7F?5:?8 2?5 DFAA@CE 2E E96 7656C2= 2?5 DE2E6 =6G6=D]k^Am

kAmw:896C >@CE8286 :?E6C6DE C2E6D[ >@C6 8@G6C?>6?E C65 E2A6[ C:D:?8 4@?DECF4E:@? 4@DED 2?5 =24< @7 :?G6DE>6?E 2E EC2?D:E DE2E:@?D 2=D@ 92G6 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ 2 EC@F3=:?8 EC6?5 — ?:?6 E:>6D >@C6 9@FD:?8 F?:ED 3F:=E 72C 7C@> AF3=:4 EC2?D:E G6CDFD ?62C :E 😕 E96 A2DE EH@ 564256D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 a_ab &C32? x?DE:EFE6 DEF5J]k^Am

kAmx? |2DD249FD6EED[ `h 4@>>F?:E:6D DE:== 92G6?VE 4C62E65 ?6H K@?6D] $@>6 F?DF446DD7F==J DF65 E96 DE2E6 E@ 92=E E96 =2H[ H9:=6 C6D:56?ED C6;64E65 ?6H K@?6D 😕 @E96CD] {6I:?8E@? 6G6?EF2==J D9C2?< :ED K@?6 7C@> aaf 24C6D E@ h_ 24C6D 27E6C C6D:56?ED 4@>A=2:?65]k^Am

kAm“x7 H6 2==@H E96 DE2E6 E@ 4@>6 😕 2?5 5:4E2E6 9@H H6 K@?6[ H92E 6=D6 2C6 E96J 8@:?8 E@ 4@>6 😕 2?5 5:4E2E6n” D2:5 p?E9@?J #6?K@?:[ 2 D6=64E>2? 7C@> E96 E@H? @7 w@=56?[ H9:49 DF65 E96 DE2E6 2?5 😀 5C2H:?8 FA 2 ?6H K@?:?8 >2A 27E6C C6D:56?ED C6;64E65 E96 7:CDE @?6]k^Am

k9am}6H 9@FD:?8[ 2 ?6H =:76k^9am

kAmx? {@D p?86=6D[ E96 D:I\DE@CJ 4@>A=6I H96C6 $>:E9 =:G6D 😕 t2DE w@==JH@@5 😀 9@>6 E@ b__ ?6H C6D:56?ED D:?46 @A6?:?8 😕 u63CF2CJ] xEVD C6G:E2=:K:?8 E96 2C62 2C@F?5 E96 >6EC@ D:E6[ H:E9 2 u:=:A:?@ 8C@46CJ[ >65:42= 4=:?:4 2?5 72C>6CD >2C<6E @A6?:?8 62C=J ?6IE J62C]k^Am

kAmw2=7 E96 `gf F?:ED 2C6 C6D6CG65 7@C 7@C>6C=J 9@>6=6DD C6D:56?ED =:<6 $>:E9[ H9@ 925 366? =:G:?8 😕 2 CF?5@H? >@E6= A2:5 7@C H:E9 2 G@F496C 2?5 367@C6 E92E @? E96 DEC66E] $96VD 366? 2DD:8?65 2 42D6 H@C<6C 2?5 😀 86EE:?8 96=A H:E9 32D:4 =:76 D<:==D[ 3F586E:?8 2?5 7:?5:?8 H@C<]k^Am

kAmtBF2==J :>A@CE2?Ei $>:E9[ H9@ 42?VE 277@C5 2 42C[ 5@6D?VE ?665 @?6]k^Am

kAm“x’> G6CJ G6CJ 7@CEF?2E6 E@ 36 D@>6H96C6 H96C6 E96 EC2?D:E E2<6D >6 H96C6 x H2?E E@ 8@[” D96 D2:5] “(96C6 x H2?E E@ 8@ 😀 ?@E E92E 72C]”k^Am