Amendments are needed to statewide regulations so that Urban Air Mobility can become part of the solution to the Bay Area’s housing affordability crisis, sooner rather than later.
We have 3 policy initiatives to have statewide regulations amended in support of ushering in an era of mass, zero emission commuter flights, which are as follows:
Cap and Trade Funding for financially back-stopping routes and subsidies for low income commuters.
Zoning law changes to allow for corporate car parking spaces to be converted into Vertiports.
Zoning law changes to allow for a Vertiport in every town.
Cap and Trade Funding
Pass amended legislation that enables local governments to use California’s carbon cap and trade funds to support commuter flights.
Corporate Car Parking Spaces
Pass an amendment to existing legislation to mandate California employers also install a “Vertiport”, when mandated automobile parking spaces are over an appropriate threshold # of parking spaces.
A Vertiport in every town
Pass an amendment to existing legislation that mandates all California cities make space available for new housing also include space for a “Vertiport” to be constructed.
Potential Results
The potential results if northern California were to embrace the mass adoption of low noise, zero emission commuter flights via the of an “Air Metro” in lieu of automobile transportation, might be as follows:
Thousands of workers can move from Silicon Valley to the Bay Area’s outlying cities to access affordable housing
Cities economically left behind due to their remote location, can participate in the Valley’s Tech boom
All residents of northern California can participate in Silicon Valley’s economic success, no matter where they live
Inequality across our region can begin to dissipate as outlying cities can now catch up to Silicon Valley
Start-Ups can form and grow successfully in the Silicon Valley’s ecosystem, without being constrained by affordability
Existing business can grow as fast as their markets allow without being constrained by lack of workers or higher wage costs compared to their competitors
Urban sprawl would not be required to accommodate the continuing, rapid Bay Area economic growth or new freeways be built or existing roads expanded to handle thousands of new workers
Housing prices in the Silicon Valley can moderate as workers will have a larger geographical area to live in
Northern California automobile traffic congestion can be reduced
Automobile pollution can be curtailed due to the decrease in automobile use for daily commuting
Automobile, death, injury and destruction can be reduced as flying is exponentially safer than driving
California can become home to a whole new industry built around electric aviation