Public Transportation: Federal Role in Value Capture Strategies for Transit Is Limited, but Additional Guidance Could Help Clarify Policies


Book Description

State and local gov¿ts. are looking for alternative strategies to help fund transit systems. Value capture strategies (VCS) -- joint develop., special assessment dist., tax increment financing, and development impact fees -- are designed to dedicate to transit either a portion of increased tax revenue or additional revenue through assessments, fees, or rents based on value expected to accrue as a result of transit investments. This report reviewed: (1) the extent to which transit agencies and local gov¿ts. use joint develop. and other VCS to finance transit; (2) what stakeholders have identified as facilitators of, or hindrances to, the use of these; and (3) what stakeholders have said about the effects of fed. policies and programs on the use of these strategies. Illus.




Public Transportation


Book Description

State and local governments are looking for alternative strategies to help fund transit systems. Value capture strategies -- joint development, special assessment districts, tax increment financing, and development impact fees -- are designed to dedicate to transit either a portion of increased tax revenue or additional revenue through assessments, fees, or rents based on value expected to accrue as a result of transit investments. GAO was asked to review (1) the extent to which transit agencies and local governments use joint development and other value capture strategies to fund or finance transit; (2) what stakeholders have identified as facilitators of, or hindrances to, the use of these; and (3) what stakeholders have said about the effects of federal policies and programs on the use of these strategies. GAO analyzed data from 55 of the 71 transit agencies that responded to its information request; reviewed literature, and statutes and regulations; and interviewed transit agency, local government, and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) officials; developers; and experts. The FTA should issue additional guidance on federal joint development requirements to clarify the types of developments eligible under current law, and requirements and conditions for parking replacement.




Public Transportation


Book Description

"State and local governments are looking for alternative strategies to help fund transit systems. Value capture strategies-joint development, special assessment districts, tax increment financing, and development impact fees-are designed to dedicate to transit either a portion of increased tax revenue or additional revenue through assessments, fees, or rents based on value expected to accrue as a result of transit investments. GAO was asked to review (1) the extent to which transit agencies and local governments use joint development and other value capture strategies to fund or finance transit; (2) what stakeholders have identified as facilitators of, or hindrances to, the use of these; and (3) what stakeholders have said about the effects of federal policies and programs on the use of these strategies. GAO analyzed data from 55 of the 71 transit agencies that responded to its information request; reviewed literature, and statutes and regulations; and interviewed transit agency, local government, and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) officials; developers; and experts. "




Innovation in Public Transport Finance


Book Description

With all levels of governments currently, and for the foreseeable future, under significant fiscal stress, any new transit funding mechanism is to be welcomed. Value capture (VC) is one such mechanism, which involves the identification and capture of a public infrastructure-led increase in property value. This book reviews four major VC mechanisms: joint development projects; special assessment districts; impact fees; and tax increment financing; all of which are used to fund transit in the United States. Through the study of prominent examples of these VC mechanisms from across the US, this book evaluates their performance focusing on aspects such as equity, revenue-generating potential, stakeholder support, and the legal and policy environment. It also conducts a comparative assessment of VC mechanisms to help policy makers and practitioners to choose one, or a combination of VC mechanisms. Although the book focuses on the US, the use of the VC mechanisms and the urgent need for additional revenue to fund public transportation are world-wide concerns. Therefore, an overview of the VC mechanisms in use internationally is also provided.




Public Transportation


Book Description

The New Starts program -- admin. by the Fed. Transit Admin. (FTA) -- is an important source of new capital investment in mass transport., providing grants to project sponsors, for the construction of major transit facilities. FTA uses contractors ¿ known as project mgmt. oversight contractors (PMOC) and financial mgmt. oversight contractors (FMOC) -- to help oversee the planning, construction, and financing of major capital projects. This report discusses: (1) how FTA uses PMOCs and FMOCs to oversee New Starts projects and how the agency procures, monitors, and evaluates the contractors¿ services; and (2) the benefits of FTA¿s oversight approach and the challenges FTA faces in conducting its oversight. Illus. A print on demand report.




Urban and Regional Policy and its Effects


Book Description

The mission of the Urban and Regional Policy and Its Effects series is to inform policymakers, practitioners, and scholars about the effectiveness of select policy approaches, reforms, and experiments in addressing the key social and economic problems facing today's cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas. Volume four of the series introduces and examines thoroughly the concept of regional resilience, explaining how resilience can be promoted—or impeded—by regional characteristics and public policies. The authors illuminate how the walls that now segment metropolitan regions across political jurisdictions and across institutions—and the gaps that separate federal laws from regional realities—have to be bridged in order for regions to cultivate resilience. Contributors: Patricia Atkins, George Washington University; Pamela Blumenthal, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Sarah Ficenec, George Washington University; Alec Friedhoff, Brookings Institution; Kathryn Foster, University at Buffalo, SUNY; Juliet Gainsborough, Bentley University; Edward Hill, Cleveland State University; Kate Lowe, Cornell University; John Mollenkopf, Graduate Center, City University of New York; Mai Nguyen, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Manuel Pastor, University of Southern California; Rolf Pendall, Urban Institute; Nancy Pindus, Urban Institute; Sarah Reckhow, Michigan State University; Travis St. Clair, George Washington University; Todd Swanstrom, University of Missouri, St. Louis; Margaret Weir, University of California, Berkeley; Howard Wial, Brookings Institution; Harold Wolman, George Washington University







Funding Strategies for Public Transportation


Book Description

Addresses the current state of funding for public transportation in the United States, the various circumstances that have contributed to today's funding environment, and specific strategies that transit agencies are pursuing to identify new sources of funding. The report is presented in two parts -- a final report and a casebook.







Mass Transit


Book Description