Major housing development begins at West Oakland BART station, eliminating commuter parking, tell me about this news in (https://www.ktvu.com/news/major-housing-development-begins-west-oakland-bart-station-eliminating-commuter-parking)

A major residential development has officially begun construction on the parking lot of the West Oakland BART station, bringing hundreds of new homes to the transit hub while gradually eliminating commuter parking.Here are the key details from the report:The Housing Project

• Scale: The overall project will create a 762-unit residential complex located directly next to the West Oakland BART station.
• Affordable Housing: Out of the 762 units, 240 are designated as affordable housing, and these units are scheduled to be built first.

Elimination of Commuter Parking

• Phase 1 Reduction: Construction is taking over a large portion of the station’s parking lot, immediately cutting 240 of the lot’s 440 parking spaces.
• Remaining Spaces: Only 200 parking spots remain available for commuters, operating strictly on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Full Elimination: In later phases of the development, the remaining 200 spots will also be removed, completely eliminating commuter parking at the station.
• Commuter Impact: West Oakland is a popular station because trains arrive frequently and commuters often park there to avoid driving across the Bay Bridge. BART officials noted that drivers frequently bypass other suburban stations with ample parking specifically to use West Oakland.

Community and Commuter Reactions

• Mixed Feelings on Transit Housing: While commuters acknowledged the benefit of building housing near transit, several felt BART should have supplemented parking by constructing a parking garage rather than removing spaces entirely.
• Affordability Concerns: Several commuters questioned whether the units will truly be affordable for local workers and minimum-wage earners, given rising living costs across the Bay Area.
• Historical Risks: The report noted local safety concerns stemming from a June 2012 incident, where an under-construction affordable senior apartment complex across the street was destroyed by arson just two months before opening, causing damage to the adjacent BART tracks.