Jacob Korn | RMI

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Presentation Description

Solving the US carbon pollution problem requires much more efficient and equitable use of its urban and suburban land. This means, first and foremost, more housing production in less car-dependent places. There are many policies that can help realize this — including ending exclusionary zoning; deregulating and pricing parking; eliminating minimum lot sizes, unit sizes, and setback requirements; legalizing accessory dwelling units (ADUs); and building permitting reform. Compact, mixed-use communities mean shorter travel distances, more physical activity and improved health outcomes, more housing affordability, less construction material, more energy-efficient buildings, and less land and water consumption. However, many local and state land use regulations incentivize the opposite. While we don’t yet have a national census of municipal zoning, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of American cities’ developable land is zoned exclusively for detached single-family housing. And even where construction of other home types is allowed, other restrictions, lengthy permitting timelines, excessive infrastructure-related fees for anything other than single-family homes, or other onerous approvals add to project costs and decrease the likelihood of homes being built.

To better understand how compact development can impact GHG emissions related to transportation, the built environment, and land systems change, we estimated the potential impact of climate-friendly land use policies for all US states with the exception of Alaska (due to limited data). RMI analysis shows enacting state-level land use reform to encourage compact development can reduce annual US pollution by 70 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2033. This projection, based on 2023 data, underscores the potential for significant impact within a decade.

Speaker Biography

Jacob Korn is a senior associate in RMI's U.S. Program, where he helps communities across the country simultaneously reduce emissions, enhance urban livability, increase resilience, and advance social equity. His projects focus on providing direct support to underserved communities through U.S. DOT's Thriving Communities Program, estimating the environmental impacts of land use reform policies, and developing tools to model the economic and environmental benefits of transportation electrification. Prior to joining RMI, Jacob worked as a transportation planner at the US Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center. In this role, he led research and developed resources for states and metropolitan planning organizations on emerging mobility trends, including micromobility, ridehailing, traveler information technologies, and electric vehicles. Jacob holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina in Public Policy and City and Regional Planning.

Co-presenters

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