Understanding and appling principles of location efficiency : market based strategies for increasing household spending power

Location Efficiency refers to the notion of living and working in close proximity to oneʼs daily needs so as to minimize travel time and cost. Communities that are trying to encourage mixed use, transit oriented neighborhoods could benefit substantially by understanding this concept and taking steps to increase the financial incentive associated with location efficient development and housing choice. This report starts by giving a conceptual overview of location efficiency and outlining key relationships between macro factors that impact its viability. Market based strategies to increase use of alternative transportation modes and increase location efficient savings are presented here as a politically viable way to achieve pedestrian oriented smart growth without public subsidy. Final suggestions for implementation guide the candidate community through the analysis and application of these concepts