March 02, 2020 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #TOD, #eTOD, #parking, #planning, #SPARCC

Comments Off

Rethinking Parking Policy to Achieve Equitable Transit-Oriented Development

What if cities and communities rethought parking policy and designed it not only to serve transportation goals but also equity goals? Leading with equity creates better transportation options for all. It also opens up new ways of looking at traditional problems and solutions. This includes the common approach to TOD parking policies that encourage eliminating parking and increasing the cost. Both are strategies that create disincentives to driving but should be considered in terms of their equity impacts and mitigation strategies.

March 21, 2019 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #eTOD, #TOD, #Planning, #RacialEquity, #Redlining, #SPARCC, #ElevatedChicago, #FTA

Comments Off

Coming to Racial Terms with Trickle-Down Urbanism: A personal TOD journey (Part II)

Tranist Oriented Development is a field within urban planning that promotes mixed-use development near transit as a way to revitalize communities and improve the efficiency of our transportation system. It often involves strategies to create more housing, improve walkability and create more places for shopping, gathering, working and enjoying urban life. Last month I wrote about my own personal journey in understanding how cultural racism had influenced my work over the last twenty years on equitable Transit Oriented Development (eTOD). This month I delve into some ways that racism is baked into our systems, structures and institutions making it an incredible (but not insurmountable) challenge to correct if we are to truly realize EQUITABLE TOD that works for people of all races and income levels.

Main Image

February 14, 2019 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #RacialEquity, #eTOD, #TOD, #RaceForward, #PolicyLink, #SPARCC, #TransitCenter, #Planning

Comments Off

Coming to Racial Terms with Trickle-Down Urbanism - A personal TOD journey (Part I)

Many people chose planning, or are called to it, by their strong desire to create thriving, inclusive, and environmentally-kind communities. Yet in this work, we must come to terms with a complicated racial history that continues to impact the work we do today. Changing society’s laws, institutions and culture to be more racially just takes time and feels overwhelming. It’s easy to be cynical. Yet, the truth is that change must first begin with ourselves. In this, and my next blog post, I share my own journey of racial self-responsibility and reflect on some ways cultural racism is embedded within transportation planning and how my cultural bias reinforced this subconsciously. By recognizing these barriers, we can work together as allies to heal, reconcile, and create more livable communities. (Artwork by Jose Ramirez “City of Angels” 2011)

September 13, 2018 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #displacement, #MariiaZimmerman, #RailVolution, #WestsideEconomicAlliance, #FarrAssociates, #eTOD, #SPARC, #Planning

Comments Off

Lifting Up Solutions to Address America’s Housing Displacement Crisis

This fall Mariia Zimmerman, Principal of MZ Strategies, LLC will be speaking across the country at several events to share emerging practices and new policies centered around elevating community voice, ownership, and education to ensure that long-time residents and small business owners can remain in communities as they attract new and much-needed investment.

November 22, 2017 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #CommunitiesForAllAges, #AARP, #activeliving, #completestreets, #T4America, #TOD, #eTOD, #GivingTuesday, #MPO

Comments Off

In Thanks of Communities for All Ages

I’m excited to journey to Kansas City, MO next week to join the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) and local partners in discussing how the Kansas City region can ensure that its many diverse and remarkable communities remains places where people of all ages (and income levels) can thrive. MARC is among the country's top regional planning agencies. It's leadership on such topics as complete streets, transportation equity, and active living make it a national leader.

October 03, 2016 By: Mariia Zimmerman

Tags: #sharedmoility, #SUMC, #Railvolution, #eTOD, #Zipcar

Comments Off

October Speaking and Report Release Events featuring MZ Strategies

This month MZ Strategies is at Rail~Volution in San Francisco, the Shared Use Mobility Summit in Chicago and releasing a new report funded by the Ford Foundation on local and federal strategies to support equitable Transit Oriented Development (eTOD). Follow us on Twitter @MZStrat and check back later this month to download a free copy of "Advancing Equitable Transit Oriented Development through Community Partnership and Public Sector Leadership."