A New Vision for the Region Reaches Final Stage

The Bay Area’s quality of life, the environment, and low-income families have taken a beating from the past two decades of growth. In large part, this is because new residents have been accommodated through very low-density, sprawling development.

With transportation and housing prices reaching crisis levels, we may finally find the political will to take on sprawl. For the first time in history, five regional agencies and a coalition of business, environmental and social equity organizations, including the Coalition, are working together to redraw the Bay Area’s map of projected growth. This collaboration is called the Regional Smart Growth Strategy, and a second round of public workshops are being held this spring in nine Bay Area counties.

Under current trends, sprawl will get much worse. Why? Because most new development will be in subdivisions, strip malls and corporate office parks, forcing residents to drive long distances for nearly every trip.

Three alternatives to these projected growth patterns were developed during the first round fall workshops. The alternatives will be refined into one new smart growth scenario during the county workshops this spring. Alternatives 1 and 2 would yield significant improvements over the current trend, including a huge reduction in open space development, much less air pollution, and a big increase in multi-family housing near transit. Alternative 3 would yield much smaller improvements. For example, over 34,000 acres of undeveloped space would still be paved for infill.

The Coalition’s Steering Committee voted to support Alternative 2 over Alternative 1. The greatest concern with Alternative 1 came from affordable housing advocates; trying to squeeze almost all future housing into just twenty Bay Area cities is not financially feasible. The result could be a continued decrease in affordable housing construction.

Alternative 1 does have some benefits though, in particular its focus on job creation and reinvestment in core cities and low-income communities. For this reason the Social Equity Caucus – a wide range of community groups convened by the Urban Habitat Program – is advocating for an “Alternative 1.5”; essentially an alternative that starts with the housing and job projections of Alternative 2, but focuses more capital investment and job creation into core cities and low-income communities. No matter which alternative you may choose to support, the important thing is to get to the remaining workshops and support the process.

Revisioning growth has also brought out the nay-sayers, especially a group of Daly City residents who had poorly designed, high density block-long buildings thrust upon them. These folks are an important part of the dialogue, for they remind us that high density with bad design can indeed be ‘dumb growth’. Smart growth, on the other hand, means buildings that fit in and enhance the community, new parks and civic plazas, and shops and restaurants within walking distance. It does not mean just increasing densities above today’s levels.

The other nay-sayers, as expected, are the sprawl developers who remind us that not everyone wants to live in townhouses or apartments. This is true. Yet 62% of Bay Area housing is already single family homes. Even if Alternative 1 was chosen, and new development over the next twenty years was higher density, single family homes would still dominate the landscape. Furthermore, surveys have found that only about one-third of Bay Area residents want to live in a suburban single family house with a yard if it means facing a long commute. Increasing the stock of well-designed multi-family housing for empty-nesters, young couples and others could invigorate our region’s town centers while freeing up single family homes for families with children.

We are hoping that Coalition supporters will come and help shape a final vision, then support it until it is adopted by the Association of Bay Area Governments in November 2002. But once a new vision for regional growth is agreed upon, the hard part will have just begun. Moving toward Smart Growth will also require changing the state tax system that currently promotes big box retail instead of housing, changing how we invest our transportation dollars, and allowing infill in local zoning.

By participating in your county’s workshop, you can help to ensure that plans for the region reflect your vision of how the Bay Area should grow. Learn more at: www.transcoalition.org/smartgrowth. Call ABAG at 510-464-7926, or to register online, go to: www.abag.ca.gov/planning/smartgrowth/registerworkshop. Read the article in this issue about the Transportation and Land Use Coalition’s demonstration program, called ‘Smart Growth Zones’ , which would provide tax incentives, grants, loans, and technical assistance to Bay Area cities seeking to reshape their land use policies. — Stuart Cohen

Zone Concept Moves Closer to Reality

Leaders from regional and state organizations convened in the fall of 2001 to develop a strategy the Coalition could champion that would help move a true Smart Growth agenda forward in the Bay Area.

They felt that the greatest need will be to promote downtown and transit-oriented infill projects. They also felt that supporting scattered, individual developments through incentives simply wasn’t enough — for without community-wide plans and standards, these projects would soon be surrounded by sprawl, reducing their livability.

The strategy is called ‘Smart Growth Zones’; communities can volunteer to meet certain smart growth criteria, and in exchange they are given funding for creating a community enhancement plan, and they are eligible for significant regional incentives.

Smart Growth Zones are voluntary—so the criteria can be fairly rigorous, to ensure that development is truly ‘smart growth’. The criteria are currently being defined, with input from Coalition members and supporters. The qualifying standards for density, parking, height, and other design factors will be high, in order to encourage local governments to enact real change in their development patterns. Development of the criteria will have to be done through a transparent and inclusive process, with perspectives from environmental and social equity groups, business, and local and regional governments. Following are the types of criteria being considered by the Coalition:

1. Encourages development on vacant and underutilized sites within currently developed areas.

2. Increases residential and employment density by a specified amount and requires a mix of uses within the downtown and along major transit routes.

3. Includes provisions to develop housing that accommodates a range of incomes, family sizes and ages, including low- and very-low income residents.

4. Requires bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, shopping areas and employment centers.

5. Ensures new jobs benefit local residents through provisions such as first-source hiring, living wage requirements, and opportunities for apprenticeships and job training.

6. Involves and supports local community-based organizations in planning processes and sets aside a percentage of commercial space for locally-owned businesses.

Once designated, local governments would be eligible to receive funds to conduct planning and environmental review. Also, the regional agencies would provide technical assistance to local governments as they undertake a Smart Growth Zone planning process.

This investment in planning will entice private and nonprofit developers towards new and rehabilitated housing, commercial, retail, and light industrial development within Smart Growth Zones. Any local governments in the nine-county Bay Area would be eligible to apply. Although local governments must initiate and lead the Zone process, it is expected that planning and development will include a wide array of private and nonprofit developers, business representatives, community organizations,neighborhood associations, and the Bay Area’s regional agencies.

Where Will the Money Come From?
Smart Growth Zones could be defined and implemented now at the regional level, using existing regional agency funds. For example, some amount of TLC (Transportation for Livable Communities) money could be designated for use only in Smart Growth Zones. The state could also provide financial incentives, without increasing the burden to taxpayers, by giving Smart Growth Zones higher priority for state housing, infrastructure and planning funds.

Once the Zone concept has proven itself, the state could designate Zones as eligible for local voter-approved funding, such as tax-increment financing and tax incentives. New local or regional funds could also contribute toward Smart Growth Zones. For example, if bridge tolls are raised, a portion of that funding could be set aside for Smart Growth Zones; and county sales taxes for transportation could have an ongoing set-aside for Smart Growth Zones.

What Can I Do To Help?
The Smart Growth Zone concept is being promoted by the Coalition. We need your help to develop this concept and get the word out! We can provide you with samples and key points for any of the following: ¨ Support the Zone concept at the county-level Smart Growth workshops this spring. ¨ Place an article in your organization’s newsletter. ¨ Ask your organization to endorse the Zone proposal. ¨ Join with the Coalition as we work to refine the proposal and have it adopted regionally. ¨ Send your comments and suggestions to the Coalition’s Smart Growth Campaign at smartgrowth@transcoalition.org —Stuart Cohen

Over 270 people assembled for presentations in the main Forum room The urban smart growth breakout session in action.

Activists at Summit See High Stakes for Smart Growth

Bay Area government agencies are leading the development of a high-stakes Smart Growth Strategy this year. The Coalition focused our 5th Annual Summit, held on March 23, on a discussion of how to ensure that the strategy will offer the greatest promise for a sustainable and equitable Bay Area.

Over 270 activists attended the event. According to some, the Summit “was excellent,” with “great people, great opportunity,” an “inspiring atmosphere [and] the feeling that there is a movement,” and “integration of diverse interests and communities into a coalition of common interest.”

All during the Summit, speakers and workshop participants kept the focus on Smart Growth and how it relates with key Coalition issues, such as sustainable transportation; walkable and bikeable neighborhoods; social equity; and affordable, transit-oriented housing.

Breakout groups also brainstormed criteria that will guide future Smart Growth Zone incentive programs. (See article above)

The Summit also featured the first Annual Awards Ceremony, to honor Bay Area groups or individuals who contributed to improving the Bay Area while supporting the Coalition’s mission, including:

¨ The Bay Vision Award, presented to James “Tim” Thomas for his inspiring and effective work on regional issues, as Executive Director of the Emergency Services Network of Alameda County.

¨ The Outstanding Elected Leader Award, presented to Contra Costa County Supervisor Donna Gerber for her courage and vision in office.

¨ The Local Motion Award , presented to both Kids First!, and Rev. Andre Shumake of the Richmond Improvement Association, for their outstanding efforts to implement a bus-pass program for low-income students in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

- Seth Schneider

Coalition Wins Excellence Award

On Tuesday, April 2, the Coalition received the Nonprofit Policy Council’s 2002 Public Policy Excellence Award for efforts to stop sprawl, improve transportation, increase density of housing in urban areas and restore the Bay Area’s quality of life. Legislative leaders and nonprofit groups from around the state gathered in Sacramento at the NPC event to honor outstanding nonprofits; CA Assemblywoman Dion Aroner presented the Coalition award.

The Nonprofit Policy Council is an independent public policy advisory body of the California Association of Nonprofits.

Jeff Hobson, Coalition Policy Director,
accepts the Public Policy Excellence Award
from Roccie Hill at state-wide
NPC Public Policy Award Ceremony
in Sacramento

Infill Incentive-Program Bill Advances

Receiving a ‘yes’ vote by the Senate Transportation Committee on April 2, the Infill Incentive Program bill, SB 1262 (Torlakson), is now scheduled for a hearing by the Senate Appropriations Committee! Many thanks for the letters, calls and e-mails from Coalition members!

This is a real accomplishment for the Bay Area. The model programs for this legislation were pioneered by successful housing- and transit-oriented development incentive efforts by San Mateo and Monterey counties and MTC.

This bill provides 5 percent of state transportation funding (STIP) as incentive grants for local governments that build infill housing and compact development. It establishes a critical connection between transportation and land use that can reduce regional traffic demand and congestion. It does not reduce funding for STIP or for local transportation projects.

It provides financial rewards to cities and counties that work hard to provide affordable housing near jobs and transit instead of relying on punitive measures. For example, under the San Mateo TOD incentive program a 400-unit housing complex in downtown Redwood City qualified for that city’s $700,000 grant towards a transportation project of their choosing.

For more information call the Surface Transportation Policy Project, (415) 956-7835, or read the detailed bill analysis at: www.transact.org/CA/stateleg2 - Kristi Kimball, STPP

Nominations for Board of Directors!

This summer, the Coalition becomes its own 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our Steering Committee is being converted to a Board of Directors, and we will be adding four new Board seats. Nominations are being accepted now, and voting will take place this summer. Nominees must represent a Coalition Member Group. For more information, or to submit a nomination online, go to www.transcoalition.org, or if you still need more information, call the Coalition at (510) 740-3150, or e-mail: info@transcoalition.org.