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Linking transportation and housing policy makes good financial sense. To the degree less is spent on transportation, more income is freed up for housing consumption. The concept of Location Efficient Mortgages (LEMs) has gained currency. If the homebuyer purchases a home in areas that are well-served by transit, they are assumed to be saving money by foregoing auto expenses. This money is counted as income, thus allowing them to qualify for a larger mortgage and buy housing in closer-in areas. LEMs are also good for developers, who gain a larger market by building housing in transit supportive areas. Demonstration programs, co-sponsored by Fannie Mae (federal mortgage insurance agency) and several private banks, are currently under way or being implemented in Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles. Case/Example: LEM program of Seattle (WA). Source/Reference: Cervero, 2000, pp. 12; WS DOT, 2000, pp. 53-54; Goldstein, 1996.
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