I argue that wide residential streets in US cities are both a contributor to homelessness and a potential strategy to provide more affordable housing. In residential neighborhoods, subdivision ordinances typically set binding standards for street width, far in excess of what is economically optimal or what private developers and residents would likely prefer. These street width standards are one contributor to high housing costs and supply restrictions, which exacerbate the housing affordability crisis in high-cost cities. Planning for autonomous vehicles highlights the overprovision of streets in urban areas. Because they can evade municipal anti-camping restrictions that restrict the use of streets by unhoused people, autonomous camper vans have the ability to blur the distinction between land for housing and land for streets. I propose two strategies through which excess street space can accommodate housing in a formalized way. First, cities could permit camper van parking on the right-of-way, analogous to liveaboard canal boats that provide housing options in some UK cities. Second, extending private residential lots into the right-of-way would create space for front-yard accessory dwelling units.

中文翻译：

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观点：把街道变成住房

我认为，美国城市宽阔的住宅街道既是造成无家可归的原因，也是提供更多经济适用房的潜在战略。在住宅区，分区条例通常为街道宽度设定约束性标准，远远超过经济最优或私人开发商和居民可能更喜欢的标准。这些街道宽度标准是导致高住房成本和供应限制的原因之一，这加剧了高成本城市的住房负担能力危机。自动驾驶汽车的规划突出了城市地区街道的过度供应。因为它们可以规避限制无房者使用街道的市政反露营限制，自主露营车有能力模糊住房用地和街道用地之间的区别。我提出了两种策略，通过这些策略，多余的街道空间可以以正式的方式容纳住房。首先，城市可以允许露营车停放在路权，类似于在一些英国城市提供住房选择的船宿运河船。其次，将私人住宅地段延伸到通行权将为前院附属住宅单元创造空间。