SF BART Turns Parking Into Housing Opportunity

BART to close portions of El Cerrito Plaza Station parking this fall for housing project

BART Closes El Cerrito Plaza Parking for Housing

BART will close portions of El Cerrito Plaza Station parking this fall to make way for new housing construction, transit officials said. The closures affect some of the station's 1,089 parking spaces, though BART hasn't specified how many spaces will be impacted. Officials characterized the severity as low and encouraged riders to explore alternative parking at nearby stations, carpooling, or local bus connections.

Transit-Oriented Development Context

The parking closures are part of BART's broader transit-oriented development initiative to build housing near stations, according to the agency. California legislation passed in 2018 has encouraged transit agencies to pursue housing development on station properties to address the state's housing shortage. BART hasn't released details about the size and scope of the housing development or how many units are planned. Transit agencies throughout the Bay Area have increasingly converted surface parking to mixed-use developments as regional planning strategies call for concentrating housing growth near transit.

Project Specifications and Timeline

BART announced the closures will begin this fall but hasn't provided a specific start date. The agency hasn't announced how long the parking areas will remain closed or when construction is expected to be completed. Officials didn't disclose the cost of the project or its funding sources. BART hasn't identified the developer or provided details about the partnership structure. The announcement follows similar projects at other BART stations, including Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill, where parking lots were converted to mixed-use developments with housing between 2015 and 2022.

Implementation Details

The parking closures will take effect sometime this fall, officials said, though a specific date wasn't provided. BART typically notifies riders several weeks before major service changes, but whether that advance notice will happen for these modifications wasn't clear from available information. The agency said it'll release more details before implementation begins. El Cerrito del Norte Station, located nearby with 1,069 parking spaces, could serve as an alternative parking location for affected commuters.

Rider Impact and Information

Commuters who regularly use El Cerrito Plaza Station parking should plan ahead and explore alternative transportation options before the closures begin. Officials said riders can use nearby stations with available parking, carpool, or take local buses to reach the station. Public reaction to the announcement hasn't yet been documented. Moovit provides real-time updates for BART routes and can help riders navigate alternative connections to El Cerrito Plaza Station during the parking closures.