TEMPE, AZ — If you think you need a car to live in Arizona, hundreds of people in Tempe are out to prove you wrong.
Tempe resident Carl Parrish hasn't owned a car in nine years.
“People assume if you don’t have a car in America, especially in Arizona, it’s because you can’t afford a car,” said Parrish.
But for him, it’s a choice.
“I knew it was healthier. I knew I had a better feel for my community when I walked around it. I knew I had more contact with my neighbors. So from a stress, economic, and health perspective, this was the right thing to do.”
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Parrish says this lifestyle is only possible because of the unique design of his community.
Culdesac Tempe, which opened more than a year ago, currently houses 250 residents.
It’s a neighborhood with zero parking spots, designed entirely around walkability and alternative transportation.
According to Ryan Johnson, the CEO of Culdesac, the idea faced skepticism early on.
“When we started in 2018, we got laughed out of the room. People said cities wouldn’t want this, and the demand wouldn’t be there. That has really changed.”
Johnson says the community’s popularity has grown since those early days, and Culdesac Tempe is expanding, aiming to reach 1,000 residents in the next couple of years.
Plans are also in place to build more car-free communities throughout the Valley and beyond.
“Transportation is evolving,” Johnson explained. “Waymo is doubling every six months. There’s been a proliferation of e-bikes. Our residents’ number one mode of transport is the light rail, and this portfolio of transportation works and creates a wonderful life.”
Construction is already underway on new units at Culdesac Tempe as well as more retail and amenities in the neighborhood.
And while the neighborhood is designed for those who prefer walking, biking, or public transit, visitors are still welcome.
For those who aren’t ready to give up their cars, Culdesac does have a visitors parking lot.
