Transforming Urban Spaces: Highlights from Park(ing) Day 2024
David McCullough addressing the housing shortage and the need for thoughtful, long-term solutions.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for this year’s Park(ing) Day event, hosted at Futuro Space. Along with RDC, ULI San Diego/Tijuana, ASLA San Diego, and San Diego Housing Federation (SDHF), we transformed urban parking spaces into vibrant, functional "micro-units," sparking meaningful conversations about the future of housing and public spaces.
Thank you to Stephen Russell, President/CEO of SDHF, for coming out and sharing about the need for conscientious design and policy to allow for more sustainable and quality affordable housing for all San Diegans.
This year’s theme, “Parking Reform Activism,” highlighted the pressing need to rethink how we use space in our cities. We challenged the status quo by prioritizing living spaces over parking spaces, showcasing how these underutilized areas could be transformed into much-needed housing and community spaces.
During the Park(ing) Day event, David McCullough, PLA, ASLA addressed the pressing national housing shortage and the need for thoughtful, long-term solutions. The focus was on moving beyond quick-fix housing and emphasizing the creation of spaces that enhance quality of life. By prioritizing investments in public spaces and encouraging public-private partnerships, we can avoid past mistakes of building temporary, uninspired housing that lacks community character and long-term sustainability.
The discussion highlighted the dangers of prioritizing parking spaces and sprawling developments over creating livable, vibrant neighborhoods. The emphasis was placed on addressing the “missing middle” in affordable housing and overcoming the bureaucratic challenges that often impede progress.
In David’s view, the solutions lie in a collective responsibility—involving developers, cities, and the community—to work together toward creating housing that is not only affordable but also supports health, wellness, and a sense of belonging. It was a call to ensure future developments avoid the pitfalls of the past and focus on holistic, sustainable urban planning that truly benefits the community.
Thank you again for making this Park(ing) Day a success, and we look forward to continuing this important conversation about housing and the future of our urban spaces!
