Identifying latent demand for transit-oriented development neighbourhoods: Evidence from a mid-sized urban area in Canada. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Yu; Parker, Dawn; Minaker, Leia
• Is Part Of: Journal of transport geography. Volume 90(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Transit-oriented development -- Residential location choice -- Residential dissonance -- Residential preference -- Latent class analysis; Transportation -- Periodicals; Telecommunication -- Periodicals; Transport -- Périodiques; Télécommunications -- Périodiques; Telecommunication; Transportation; Periodicals; 388
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2020.102940
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0966-6923

Abstract

Abstract: Many studies have provided strong evidence of residents' support for the characteristics of transit-oriented development (TOD) neighbourhoods, but few have explicitly investigated the question of whether these preferences translate into their actual choices. How many households are experiencing a state of residential mismatch between preferred and actual neighbourhoods? What trade-offs have they made in residential location choices? We draw on data from a 2017 residential location choice survey in Kitchener Waterloo (KW), Canada, and employ latent class analysis (LCA) to address these questions. The light-rail transit (LRT) corridor encompassing the area that is 800 m surrounding LRT stops is defined as the TOD area. This study finds empirical evidence of TOD preferences in mid-sized cities and further uncovers latent demand for TOD neighbourhoods during the LRT construction phase. 37% of respondents hold strong TOD preferences but purchased outside TOD areas. These households are primarily young families (aged 25–34) with children and represent a possible missing target in TOD housing supply in our study area. Our findings provide support for building more "missing middle" intensified family housing in TOD areas of mid-sized cities.