Sam Tepperman-GelfantPubl ic Advocates Inc.

October 18, 2013

ENVISIONING EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE

REGIONS

1.History and Context – Sprawl and Inequity

2.San Francisco Bay Area – Envisioning and Advocating for A Better Future

3.Tools for Linking Transportation and Land Use

OVERVIEW

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Challenging the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination since 1971.

Strengthening community voices and achieving tangible legal victories

Advancing SOCIAL EQUITY in areas such as:EducationHousingTransit

PUBLIC ADVOCATES INC.

Vital building blocks of thriving communities

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1SUSTAINABILITY AND

SOCIAL EQUITY:HISTORY &

CHALLENGES

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Legislative goals:Decrease sprawl Increase

TOD/InfillPeople drive less…decreasing GHG

emissions

SB 375: SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AND CLIMATE PROTECTION ACT OF 2008

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Calls for GHG reduction targetsIntegrates disjointed regional planning

processesRegional Transportation PlanState Mandated Affordable Housing Plans, Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA)

…to create Sustainable Communities Strategy

SB 375

SCSTransit

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History shows us that climate change, sprawl, and social

equity issues share common origins

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BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION

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WHITE FLIGHT TO SUBURBS

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DISMANTLING OF LOCAL TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE

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CREATED UNSUSTAINABLE PATTERNS . . .

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. . . THAT PERSIST TODAY

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A HISTORY OF INVESTMENT. . . WITH DISPLACEMENT

DISPLACEMENT TODAY

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Median home price = $555,000 (on the way back to $700k+)

5+ minimum wage jobs needed to afford 2-bedroom apartment in most SF neighborhoods

Oakland lost 1/3 of African American population between 1990 and 2010

7 out of the 10 cities with highest African American population % are in in suburbs & exurbs

Marin County: 80% white (region: 52.5% white)

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: HOUSING

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Fare hikes and service cuts in transit

Households earning $20-50k devote 63% of budget to housing & transportation (highest % in U.S.)

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: TRANSIT

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Subsidies and Race of Riders

2ADVOCATING FOR

SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE REGIONS

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28-Year Transportation (RTP) and Land Use Plan

$292 Billion in Transportation Investments

2.1 Million Projected New ResidentsPlanning Process Began in 2010;Plan Adopted July 18, 2013

THE BAY AREA’S SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

STRATEGY

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6 BIG WINS FOR SOCIAL EQUITY

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Community Power

Investment Without

Displacement

Affordable Housing

Economic Opportunit

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Healthy & Safe

Communities

Local Transit Service

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Leading with Social EquityEmbracing a Range of Issues as Interconnected

Marrying Grassroots and Policy Organizations

Tackling Regional Systems, both Regionally and Locally

STRUCTURING FOR SUCCESS

2020

Equity, Environment, & Jobs Scenario

Photo credit: Paloma Pavel

Distribute Housing Growth Equitably: Increase quality affordable housing options in both urban areas and suburban job centers

Protect against Displacement: Ensure that lower-income communities are not displaced by TOD by regional grant incentives (OBAG)

Improve Local Transit Service:Fund more of the local transit service on which low-income riders of color depend

COMMUNITY VISION: POLICY PRIORITIES

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LOW-INCOME IN-COMMUTERS

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http://mappingregionalchange.ucdavis.edu/jobshousingfit2011

JOBS-HOUSINGFIT

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Investments and incentives strengthen and stabilize communities vulnerable to gentrification and displacement Plan based on community-identified needs Protect existing tenants and apartments Build new affordable housing Link economic development to local workforce capacity &

development Strengthen local public transit Promote and protect neighborhood-serving retail and services Track key indicators to detect gentrification and displacement

before it’s too latehttp://www.publicadvocates.org/document/a-bay-area-agenda-for-investment-without-displacement

ACHIEVING INVESTMENT WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT

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LOCAL TRANSIT: THE LIFE BLOOD OF TRANSPORTATION

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TRANSIT OPERATIONS:CO-BENEFITS

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• Every $10 million in transit operating investments yields $32 million in increased business sales.

• $1 dollar in service cuts resulting from operating deficits yields $10 in local economic harms, from lost wages and productivity and increased transportation costs.

• Taking public transit instead of driving on a 20-mile round trip work commute saves 4,800 lbs CO2/year – 10% of annual GHG emissions for a two-person two-car household. 27

INEQUITABLE TRANSIT INVESTMENTS

SUSTAINABLE PLANNING FOR WHOM?

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Low-income households will

be spending over 74% of their

incomes on H+T

36% of households in “communities

of concern” will be at high risk

of displacement.

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2012: STUDYING THE EEJ

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Strongest shift to non-auto travel 165,00 more transit boardings per day 83,000 fewer cars on the road 3.5 million fewer miles of auto travel per day

Greatest reduction in GHG and toxic air pollutants 1,900 fewer tons of CO2 emissions per day 568,000 fewer tons of GHG emissions per year Energy savings equivalent to 600,000 gal. of gas/day

Better for working families 42% lower risk of displacement Lower H+T cost Shorter commute times

2013: EEJ DECLARED THE “ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR

ALTERNATIVE”

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Education and Advocacy Day

Broadening Support

DATA + ORGANIZING = CHANGE

Media & Communications

Turnout & Testimony

KEY IMPROVEMENTS WON

Improvements to One Bay Area Grant program to link to local affordable housing and anti-displacement policies and reward local affordable housing approvals.

Commitment to inclusive regional public process to allocate Cap & Trade Revenues with at least 25% going to benefit disadvantaged communities

First ever commitment by MTC to develop a “comprehensive strategy” to focus on funding transit operations and maintenance

Studies of labor policies and best practices33

Progressive groups provide strong organizing and political mobilization in face of vocal right-wing anti-planning contingent

Substantial equity problems remainHousing growth concentrated in low-income areas

Insufficient funding programmed to maintain (or expand) local transit

HIGH LEVEL OUTCOMES

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3TOOLS FOR LINKING

TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE

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Weighting Social Equity Factors in Allocation of Transit Expansion Funds The Land Use rating factor includes the proportion of

existing “legally binding affordability restricted” housing within 1⁄2-mile of proposed station areas to the proportion of “legally binding affordability restricted” housing in the counties through which the project will travel.

The Economic Development Effects factor includes “plans and policies to maintain or increase affordable housing” in the project corridor.

The Mobility Improvements rating factor assesses the number of incremental trips taken on the proposed project, and assigns additional weight to “transit-dependent persons.”

FTA NEW STARTS CRITERIA, AUGUST 2013

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The Challenge: how to work regionally on advancing local policies

One solution: use regionally administered funds to incentivize local jurisdictions to enact equitable and sustainable policies

BUILDING A BETTER CARROT:THE ONE BAY AREA GRANT

PROGRAM

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The Implementation: The One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) program$320 Million over 4 years ($14.6 billion over 28 years)

HCD-certified Housing Element required50-70% of funding to Priority Development Areas

Affordable Housing and Neighborhood Stabilization policies used as evaluation criteria

Project selection and funding done at the county level

REQUIREMENTS & INCENTIVES:THE ONE BAY AREA GRANT

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Tying regional competitive funds to local affordable housing and anti-displacement policies incentivizes a race to the top In the first round of OBAG funding, local grants were contingent on local adoption of a state-certified housing element

Relatively small amounts incentivized the worst actors in the region to adopt affordable housing plans

OBAG Lessons and Next Steps

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Sam Tepperman-GelfantSenior Staff Attorney, Public Advocates Inc.stepperman-gelfant@publicadvocates.org

www.publicadvocates.orgFacebook: PublicAdvocatesTwitter: @publicadvocates

THANK YOU!

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