Virtually out of nowhere and literally
overnight, electric scooters have
appeared on downtown sidewalks in cities
across the United States, and they continue to
spread at an astonishing rate. It’s a development
that has surprised both the public and private
sectors and, as local governments are scrambling
now to determine how to handle the onslaught, the
commercial real estate industry also is scrambling
to answer the question: Are electric scooters a
benefit to the community or a nuisance?
There’s no question that this is a significant
transformation. The term “micromobility” reflects
a trend that began with bikeshare programs,
accelerated with dockless bike services and then
exploded with the proliferation of electric scooters
(or e-scooters). While shared micromobility
trips have been on the rise for several years, the
e-scooter industry emerged as a force only since
2017. According to the National Association of City
Transportation Officials (NACTO), 85,000 e-scooters
now inhabit American streets in approximately
100 cities. When combined with bikeshare services,
micromobility accounted for an eye-popping 84
million trips in 2018. This represents nothing less
than a revolution in U.S. transportation.
E-scooter services are extremely easy to use,
thanks to technological advances, and they’ve
proven to be popular as a fun, convenient, affordable
option for short trips. There have been growing
pains in many communities, however, as some
scooter companies employed an “ask for forgiveness
later” strategy—blanketing cities with scooters prior to holding discussions with local governments
or other stakeholders. The results sometimes have
included considerable confusion and serious safety
concerns.
THE CRE COMMUNITY REACTS
As e-scooters proliferate, reactions from the commercial
real estate industry have covered the full
range of possibilities. One BOMA local association
president, Jay Dansbury, RPA, of BOMA/Nashville
with Hines, holds a completely negative view: “I call
them urban litter. They’re a complete nuisance.”
Others have a different impression. Matthew
Hargrove, senior vice president of Government
Affairs with the California Business Properties
Association, which advocates on behalf of BOMA
California, grudgingly came to appreciate Sacramento’s
e-scooters program. “I was nervous about
the launch of the scooter program, but those fears
haven’t materialized,” Hargrove says. “I find the
scooters extremely useful as I cruise around the
downtown core. This is a trend that’s only increasing
in popularity, so actively managing the devices—just
like you would cars coming onto your property—is
a smarter approach than not planning for them and
seeing complaints from tenants.”
According to the
National Association
of City Transportation
Officials (NACTO),
85,000 e-scooters
now inhabit
American streets in
approximately 100
cities.
Scooters are pervasive
in downtown Washington,
D.C., and Nicola Whiteman,
Esq., senior vice president
of Government Affairs at
BOMA/Metropolitan Washington
(AOBA), has conflicting
feelings. “The scooters
represent another transportation
option, and this
opens up opportunities,” she
explains. “However, challenges
remain, especially
relating to where scooters are placed or discarded.
Scooters parked near building entrances or in alleys
blocking traffic or trash collection are just a few of
the challenges property managers encounter.”
BOMA’S POLICY BRIEF
BOMA International has released a policy brief
to assist the commercial real estate industry in
navigating the tricky terrain of e-scooters, aimed particularly at helping to start discussions where
none have yet happened. The white paper lays out
the pros and cons of the scooter phenomenon, from
its affordability and environmental benefits to its
questionable safety record and unclear liability
situation. The paper also suggests some next steps,
regardless of whether you love e-scooters, hate
them or haven’t yet decided:
- Support sensible state and local regulations.
Determine whether a property needs to have an
e-scooter policy.
- Solicit feedback from the broader commercial real
estate industry.
- Engage with the scooter companies.
Download the policy brief on the State and Local Advocacy webpage on the BOMA International
website, and share your e-scooter stories and questions
with BOMA International’s Manager of State
and Local Affairs Maria Balzer-Pisciotta.
This article was originally published in the July/August 2019 issue of BOMA Magazine.