HOUSING, TRAFFIC LEAD DISCUSSION WITH LEGISLATORS

The Bay Area Council’s Government Relations Committee, under the leadership of Co-Chairs Andrew Giacomini, Managing Partner with Hanson Bridgett LLP, and Peter Brightbill, Senior Vice President with Wells Fargo, on Thursday (Dec. 17) met with state Sen. Bob Wieckowski (Fremont) and Assemblymember Mark Stone (Santa Cruz) at our San Francisco headquarters to discuss recommendations from our recent Roadmap for Economic Resilience report. The Committee is working on the Council’s 2016 legislative agenda. Among critical bills the Council is working on is AB 378, which we developed with Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (San Mateo) to accelerate several projects that will provide significant relief to the badly congested Highway 101 corridor linking San Francisco and San Jose. To engage in our Government Relations Committee, please contact Policy Manager Cornelious Burke.

Also yesterday, Housing Committee Co-Chair Denise Pinkston of TMG Partners traveled to Sacramento with Council staff to meet with state Controller Betty Yee on possible legislative and administrative solutions for removing local barriers and disincentives to creating housing. The discussion included identifying changes to fiscal policies related to land use, zoning policies related to infill development and financial mechanisms that reward cities for meeting their housing obligations. The team also met with the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and shared housing recommendations from our Roadmap report. The LAO earlier this year issued a damning report on California’s housing shortage and is preparing a follow-up that will include recommendations for addressing the problem. To engage in our Housing Committee, please contact Senior Vice President Matt Regan.