Sacramento Plans to Turn Underused Light Rail Parking Lot into Housing

The regional transit agency sees an opportunity to boost ridership and meet affordable housing goals by redeveloping the Meadowview Station parking lot.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 5:50am

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A repeating grid of stylized light rail train icons in bright neon colors, conceptually representing the redevelopment of a transit station parking lot into a new mixed-use neighborhood.A bold, pop art-inspired vision for transforming an underused light rail parking lot into a vibrant, transit-oriented community.Today in Sacramento

Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) is considering transforming the nearly 700-space parking lot at the Meadowview light rail station into a new transit-oriented residential community. The parking lot is largely underutilized since the light rail line was extended 10 years ago, and SacRT believes the site could accommodate hundreds of new affordable housing units, as well as retail and restaurant space. The plan would help boost ridership on the light rail system and meet regional goals for reducing driving by creating more housing near public transit.

Why it matters

As cities across California grapple with housing shortages and the need to build more transit-oriented developments, the Meadowview Station project represents an opportunity for Sacramento to leverage an underused asset to address both challenges. Transforming underutilized park-and-ride lots into mixed-use communities is a strategy many transit agencies are exploring to spur ridership, provide affordable housing, and reduce reliance on cars.

The details

SacRT's plan calls for redeveloping the northern portion of the Meadowview Station parking lot, which has nearly 700 spaces but is rarely filled. The new transit-oriented development could include hundreds of affordable housing units in townhomes and apartment buildings up to five stories tall, as well as new restaurants and retail. SacRT believes the project could be eligible for state affordable housing grants to help offset the multi-million-dollar cost. On Monday, the SacRT board unanimously approved a planning study for the project, and the agency says it will begin vacating the northern part of the parking lot by the end of this year to solicit ideas from developers.

  • The Meadowview light rail station was extended 10 years ago.
  • SacRT plans to begin vacating the northern portion of the Meadowview Station parking lot by the end of 2026.

The players

Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT)

The regional transit agency that operates light rail and bus services in the Sacramento, California area.

Chris Flores

The chief of staff at SacRT.

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What they’re saying

“It is an underutilized parking lot, and so we want to see communities built on there.”

— Chris Flores, Chief of Staff, Sacramento Regional Transit

“You could step out of your house, immediately get on a train and head downtown without the worry of traffic, and it's super convenient.”

— Chris Flores, Chief of Staff, Sacramento Regional Transit

What’s next

SacRT says it will begin vacating the northern portion of the Meadowview Station parking lot by the end of 2026 so it can begin soliciting ideas from developers for the transit-oriented housing project.

The takeaway

The Meadowview Station redevelopment plan represents a creative approach to addressing California's housing shortage and reducing reliance on cars by transforming an underutilized park-and-ride lot into a new transit-oriented community. If successful, the project could serve as a model for other transit agencies looking to leverage their assets to boost ridership and provide more affordable housing near public transportation.