To add to your comment about density of the transportation network itself, you also need housing/commercial density near those transit stops to feed people into

To add to your comment about density of the transportation network itself, you also need housing/commercial density near those transit stops to feed people into the transportation network. Real estate developers aren't going to lead the charge in areas where housing/commercial density doesn't yet exist without an incentive (demographics, transit, etc.) and in the case of transportation density there is arguably no better incentive for developers because they can be guaranteed that people will "show up," en masse, at mass transit stops like moths to flame. Not hard to justify building at those locations (note that there is a difference, one I don't have the ability to quantify/source, between bus stops every block or two and light or heavy rail stops with the latter being much more compelling to the developer). Specific to LA, here are a couple of projects where moths -> flame -> incentivized developers: https://urbanize.la/post/renderings-revealed-1200-unit-cumulus-development https://urbanize.la/post/renderings-revealed-1200-unit-cumul... http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2019/jan/22/1b-crossroads-hollywood-project-approved/ http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2019/jan/22/1b-crossroads-...