Q3 Impact Report 2026
IN THIS ISSUE
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- Letter from the CEO
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- Big Legislative Wins
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- November 2026 Ballot Positions
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- Policy Highlights
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- Welcome New Members
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- Coming Up in Q4
LETTER FROM THE CEO
Dear Bay Area Council Members, Partners and Friends,
At the Bay Area Council, we measure success by the results we deliver, not the meetings we attend or the letters we sign. This Q3 Impact Report shows what that looks like.
When we pushed BART to replace its outdated fare gates, the payoff was real: crime is down 67%, ridership up 14%, and $10 million in recovered fare revenue. Legislation we co-sponsored cut security permit approvals from a year to just 19 days, and it has already helped more than 850 businesses. In Sacramento, Governor Newsom signed Council-sponsored bills to expand homeownership and to end a decade-long ban on state support for drug-free recovery housing. Our many decades of advocacy is also helping advance thousands of homes at Brisbane Baylands and the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.
We’re building for what’s next, too. We’re expanding AI for All, which has already served more than 6,200 residents, and we’re leading the Measure RTM campaign to protect the public transit system our economy depends on. These are just a few examples included in this report that showcase the important work we’re doing, the results we’re delivering, and the impact we’re having.
None of this happens without you. Your engagement, expertise and leadership on our committees give the Council its clout. Thank you for making this progress possible.
Sincerely,
Libby Schaaf
President and CEO, Bay Area Council
Big Legislative Wins
VETOED
SB 954 (Blakespear) – CEQA expansion for advanced manufacturing
Would have rolled back an incredibly valuable CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing that the Council succeeded in passing last year and would have added multiple new conditions and burdens on projects.
SIGNED
AB 2051 (Wicks) – Public resources: coastal resources: Coastal Resilience Permitting Working Group
Accelerates the permitting process for coastal resilience projects and provides an extension of the Coastal Commission approval for an affordable housing project in Santa Monica.
AB 1556 (Haney) – Recovery housing: funding.
Allows local governments to use state funding to support drug-free housing for individuals in recovery.
SB 1169 (Grayson) – Subdivision Map Act: tentative maps: expiration dates
Extends the validity of tentative maps issued pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act, giving developers more time and greater certainty when entitling land.
AB 1622 (Rubio) – Electrified security fences
Removes the sunset on regulations regarding electrified fences.
SB 328 (Grayson) – California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): exempt surplus land
Provides CEQA and SLA streamlining for the Concord Naval Weapons Station project, the single largest development opportunity in our region.
SB 830 (Arreguin) – Public Transit Revenue Measure District: revenue measure: election procedures
Changes election procedures for the Bay Area Public Transit revenue measure, including requiring the ballot label “Regional Transit Measure” in each county and altering how pro and con arguments are selected for county voter information guides.
Ballot Positions
San Francisco
Prop A (Support): Consolidation of San Francisco boards/commissions
Prop B (Oppose): Would create a public bank in San Francisco with no determined source of capital.
Prop C (Support): Increased contribution to the City Housing Trust Fund in return for a reduction in inclusionary housing mandates.
Prop D (Support): More rigorous requirements for qualifying measures for the ballot.
Prop E (Support): Rationalizes City procurement processes.
Prop F (Support): Gives Mayor more control over City Departments and Commissions.
Prop H (Support): San Francisco parcel tax to provide critical funding to avert drastic service cuts to MUNI railway operations.
Prop I (Oppose): Creation of an unaccountable slush fund for homeless programs that would deprive other services.
Oakland
Oakland Strong Mayor (Support): Oakland charter amendment to strengthen accountability and improve city operations and service delivery.
Menlo Park
Measure P (Oppose): Referendum to repeal affordable housing zoning.
Regional
Regional Transit Measure (Support): The Bay Area Council is leading the campaign for a five-county sales tax measure to avoid crippling cuts to vital transit service while requiring greater efficiency, better service, and stronger fiscal accountability.
State
Proposition 1 (Support): $11.25B State affordable housing bond for low-income and veterans housing. With many funding sources for affordable housing running dry, this is a vital source of financing to keep the affordable housing pipeline open.
Prop 2 (Support): Amends the state constitution to raise the rainy day fund (Budget Stabilization Account) cap from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenue, requires bigger deposits when revenues spike, and lets some of that money go toward paying down state debts, including the roughly $20 billion federal unemployment insurance loan balance.
Proposition 37 (Support): Financing assistance bonds for first-time homebuyers. As we work to advance market-based solutions to the longer-term systemic problems that have caused California’s housing shortage and affordability crisis, first-time homebuyers can’t wait for help. This measure would bring relief to struggling families and workers reaching for the American Dream.
Prop 38 (Support): Authorizes $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology/immunotherapy research, split between a UC-affiliated institute and a grant program; half must go to cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s research.
Proposition 40 (Oppose): California wealth tax. At a time when California is battling a stagnant economy, this misguided proposition would chase away new investment and jobs. And with high-income earners already paying more than 40% of California’s tax revenue and signaling they are ready to leave the state; it promises to blow an even bigger hole in a volatile budget already saddled with a massive deficit.
Proposition 41 (Support): Requires detailed audits of programs funded by new state special taxes and bars new state taxes that dodge the existing voter-approved spending limit — notably, this would apply to taxes on the same ballot in November.
Proposition 42 (Support): Bars new state taxes on personal property (including retirement accounts, business interests, IP) and bars retroactive state taxes — another measure seen as targeting Prop 40-style wealth taxes.
Proposition 45 (Support): Comprehensive CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) reform. This measure, placed on the ballot by the California Chamber of Commerce, would put an end to decades of CEQA abuses that have made building housing and all forms of critical water, energy and transportation infrastructure more expensive and slower than almost anywhere in the nation.
POLICY HIGHLIGHTS
Transportation
Leading the Campaign to Protect, Improve Regional Transit
The Bay Area Council is co-leading the Regional Transit Measure (Measure RTM) campaign to save public transit from financial collapse, enhance service, and improve the financial efficiency of operations. The Connect Bay Area campaign has secured the endorsement of over 200 elected officials — including some of the Bay Area’s most prominent elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels — and nearly 200 business, labor, and civic groups across the region.
Bay Area Council & Measure RTM Dominate Headlines
The Bay Area Council is dominating the news in the campaign we are leading to pass Measure RTM, with a strong endorsement from the SF Chronicle, an OpEd in the Mercury News/East Bay Times by CEO Libby Schaaf, an appearance by Libby on KQED Forum and a Mercury News story on the strong efficiency and accountability measures the Council included in the measure.
Committee Chairs
Shalonda Baldwin, WSP
Arielle Fleisher, Waymo
Rich Robbins, Wareham Development
Policy Lead
Emily Loper
Senior Vice President, Public Policy
eloper@bayareacouncil.org
Tech & Innovation
Championing Business Dynamism, Competitiveness
Company mergers help keep California’s economy dynamic and competitive. Proposed regulations would restrict mergers, discouraging investment and stifling growth. The Bay Area Council engaged with city leaders in San José and Hayward while leading a statewide business coalition opposing the proposed rule changes.
Leveraging AI to Ease the Scourge of Traffic
AI was used in a pilot project to dramatically reduce traffic at a badly clogged Marin County intersection. The Bay Area Council wants to bring such solutions to ease wasteful congestion across the region, and we recently convened AI industry experts, city officials, and transportation leaders to develop strategies for making it happen.
Advocating for Sensible Data Centers
Local-serving data centers attract investment, create jobs, and provide infrastructure for cutting-edge research and precision online services, while generating revenue for communities. The Bay Area Council is engaging with city leaders in San José and Hayward to guide sensible policies that address local concerns, avoid bans, and advance this critical innovation infrastructure.
Promoting California’s Quantum Leadership
Quantum technologies represent the future of innovation, and California needs to invest further in building a statewide quantum ecosystem. The Bay Area Council met with Assemblymembers Josh Hoover and Steve Bennett in advance of the California Quantum Conference to share insights and recommendations for how the Legislature can accelerate this sector’s growth.
Committee Chairs
Javier González, Google
Lauren Kimzey, PayPal
Mitra Rogers, AWS
Staff Lead
Peter Leroe-Munoz
SVP, Public Policy & General Counsel
pleroemunoz@bayareacouncil.org
Housing
Boosting Homeownership and Housing Affordability
California’s long-term economic success depends on making homeownership more affordable and accessible to more residents. Legislation (SB 1169, Grayson) sponsored by the Bay Area Council and signed by Gov. Newsom will do just that by removing restrictions on and encouraging investment in for-sale housing. And separate legislation (AB 2243, Wicks) the Council supported gives an additional density bonus for homeownership projects.
Delivering on Regional Mega Projects
Fighting for projects of regional significance is key to the Bay Area Council’s housing strategy, and we recently scored major victories on two mega projects for which we’ve been advocating for decades. Our advocacy helped advance the Brisbane Baylands project and its up to 2,200 housing units and project streamlining reform legislation we supported is easing the path for thousands of homes at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.
Committee Chairs
Andy Ball, oWow
Robin Baral, Hanson Bridgett LLP
Ann Silverberg, Related California
Staff Lead
Louis Mirante
Senior Vice President, Public Policy
lmirante@bayareacouncil.org
Workforce of the Future
AI for All Expands Impact and Reach
A free AI education and literacy program the Bay Area Council launched last year with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and JPMorgan Chase has served more than 6,200 residents at online and in-person workshops in San Jose and beyond and is poised to expand soon to Oakland, the East Bay and San Francisco.
Sector Specific Workforce Focus – Starting with Healthcare
Sector specific industry approaches in workforce development have an outsized impact on program participants, showing 14-40% higher earnings for workers in the first year alone. The Bay Area Council has launched our sector-specific work, starting with a Healthcare x Workforce working group with our five largest Bay Area healthcare employers at the table. Next up is Public Safety, focusing on apprenticeships for sworn and civilian positions.
Advancing Apprenticeships through Partnerships and Research
Building off our recent Apprenticeship ROI study, the Bay Area Council is working with the Aspen Institute, Careerwise, LAUNCH, Brookings, the Northern California Apprentice Network (NCAN), and Apprenticeships for America on several efforts to implement a robust Bay Area Council Apprenticeship system over the next 3 years.
Committee Chairs
Angelo Farooq, AlphaX RE Capital
Javier González, Google
Philip Minardi, BuildWithin
Erika Webb-Hughes, Pearson
Mattie Zazueta, OpenAI
Staff Lead
Kelly Cure
Vice President, Public Policy
kcure@bayareacouncil.org
Business Climate & Government Relations
Keeping Politics Out of Federal Grant Funding
Federal grants provide critical funding for Bay Area roads, housing, research and disaster recovery. But a proposed rule change would let political appointees cancel or pause grants for almost any reason, putting long-term projects at risk. The Bay Area Council fought back with intensive advocacy, activating the Bay Area Congressional delegation to stop the rule, resulting in a temporary pause.
Council Working to Unite the Bay Area’s Voice in Congress
The Bay Area gets more done in Washington when our region’s Congressional representatives work together. The Bay Area Council is in advanced talks to launch a formal Bay Area Congressional Caucus. The caucus would coordinate regional priorities, boost our region’s collective clout on Capitol Hill, and open a new line of communication between our delegation, the Council and our members, and other regional partners.
Fighting for Bay Area Federal Transit Funding
Federal transportation dollars help keep Bay Area buses, trains, roads and bridges running. With a key federal transportation law set to expire December 11 the Bay Area Council is pressing Congress for a strong new bill that protects our regional transit systems and funds every way Bay Area residents get around.
Council Champions Revival of Bay Area Maritime Industry
Reviving the Bay Area’s maritime industry would create thousands of good-paying jobs, diversify our economy, and draw investment that helps protect against flooding. The Bay Area Council is pushing aggressively for the SHIPS for America Act to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding and Council CEO Libby Schaaf carried that message to Rep. John Garamendi’s recent maritime summit at Cal Poly Maritime Academy.
Committee Chairs
Kathy Duong, Amazon
Papia Gambelin, United Airlines
Ariane Hogan, Genentech
Nick Johnson, Lyft
Ramona Prieto, Uber
Allison Rose, Autodesk
Staff Lead
Matt Regan
Chief Policy Officer
mregan@bayareacouncil.org
Public Safety
Council’s “Dogged Advocacy” for New BART Fare Gates Cuts Crime by 67%
Safe, clean trains and stations are key to bringing riders back to BART, which is why the Bay Area Council advocated for upgrading the system’s ineffective fare gates. One year after installation of new secure fare gates, crime across the BART system is down 67%, ridership is up 14%, and $10 million has been recovered in lost fare revenue. BART leaders credited the completion of the BART fare gates to the Council’s “dogged advocacy.”
Governor Signs Council Co-Sponsored Bill to Fast-Track Security Upgrades
Businesses need to secure their property against theft and break-ins but permits for electrified security fences and related infrastructure and alarm systems can take over a year. Legislation (AB 1622, Rubio) the Bay Area Council co-sponsored to streamline permitting was signed by Governor Newsom in August and has already reduced permit approval times from an average of one year to just 19 days and helped more than 850 businesses.
Empowering Oakland to Thrive, Attract Investment and Grow Jobs
Charter reform and clearer accountability is necessary for a safer, stronger Oakland, as identified in a 2025 report by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. That work led the Bay Area Council to become the first business group to endorse Measure EE, the Strong Mayor charter reform measure on the November ballot. In September, the Council convened SPUR, Revitalize East Bay, the League of Women Voters, Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s Office and other city leaders and stakeholders to unite the business community around the charter reform effort.
Committee Chairs
Tina D’Agostin, Alcatraz AI
Kristi McKenney, Port of Oakland
Jordan Sauers, Axon
Greg Suhr, Salesforce Tower
Staff Lead
Laura Hill
Vice President, Public Policy
lhill@bayareacouncil.org
Homelessness
Major Wins for Drug-Free Housing
Homeless residents battling addiction are getting a helping hand under a Bay Area Council-backed ordinance San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie signed in August that requires all new city-funded permanent supportive housing to be drug-free spaces. The ordinance was authored by Supervisor Matt Dorsey and responds to surveys of homeless residents which show a clear and unmet desire for drug-free spaces to support recovery from addiction.
In a major turning point in California’s approach to homelessness, Gov. Newsom signed legislation sponsored by the Bay Area Council and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to allow state homeless programs to support drug-free recovery housing . The bill (AB 1556, Haney) ends a decade-long prohibition on state support for drug-free housing.
Committee Chair
Elizabeth Funk, DignityMoves
Staff Lead
Adrian Covert
Senior Vice President, Public Policy
acovert@bayareacouncil.org
Healthcare
Addressing AI’s Impact on Healthcare Talent
With AI promising big changes in healthcare employment, the Bay Area Council is convening employers, educators, and philanthropic leaders to develop strategies that will ensure AI-driven transformation supports, rather than undermines, career pathways and workforce quality. Samuel Merritt University in September hosted the kickoff of our AI and Healthcare Workforce Working Group, which will focus on identifying where AI is likely to reshape clinical and administrative roles and which training pathways will best prepare workers for those changes.
Committee Chairs
Mike Bowers, Kaiser Permanente
Kara Carter, California Health Care Foundation
William M. Isenberg, MD, PhD, Sutter Health
Staff Lead
Patrick Kallerman
Vice President, Public Policy
pkallerman@bayareacouncil.org
Energy
Council-led Coalition Secures Governor’s Veto of Legislation to Repeal Streamlining for Advanced Manufacturing Projects
Governor Newsom vetoed legislation by Sen. Catherine Blakespear (SB 954) that would have repealed an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act for advanced manufacturing projects that was adopted by the legislature, and championed by the Bay Area Council, in 2025. Advanced research and manufacturing projects in Livermore, Goleta, and Long Beach are already taking advantage of the 2025 streamlining law (AB 130), and the Council successfully warned that SB 954 amounted to a repeal of AB 130 rather than a mere cleanup.
Small-Group Discussions with Top State Energy Policymakers
California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild joined the Council’s Energy & Climate Mitigation Committees on August 18th for a wide-ranging conversation on the state’s energy priorities and the path toward a cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable energy future. Members engaged Hochschild in a robust Q&A about the challenges accompanying this transition, with questions spanning energy affordability, reliability, battery safety, electrification, and the role of different energy resources in California’s future portfolio.
Committee Chairs
Dominic Aliano, Martinez Refining Company
Alex Makler, West Region, Calpine
Carla Peterman, PG&E
Policy Lead
Julian Lake
Senior Policy Director
jlake@bayareacouncil.org
Climate Mitigation
Explored Atlanta’s Blueprint for Energy Equity and Economic Growth
In September, the Bay Area Council led a delegation to Atlanta to explore how the Atlanta metropolitan area has successfully balanced strong economic growth with the equity and energy challenges that accompany rapid development. The delegation undertook an ambitious agenda, meeting with senior members of the mayor’s office, prominent business leaders, and key economic development organizations. These discussions highlighted a region that is both committed to accelerating economic opportunity and strategically positioning itself as the technology hub of the South. Equally evident was Atlanta’s emphasis on fostering close collaboration among energy providers, private industry, and public officials to support sustainable and inclusive growth.
Laid Groundwork for Extending Diablo Canyon Power Plant
The Council launched Diablo Canyon 2045, a coalition of business, labor, elected officials, and everyday Californians dedicated to extending operations of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s single largest source of electricity, including GHG-free electricity, to 2045 consistent with federal permits. The Council-led coalition published op-eds, spoke to the press, and presented to California’s bipartisan legislative Problem Solvers caucus. Though legislative action wasn’t taken this session, the coalition in place is better positioned to secure an extension in 2027.
Climate Mitigation Committee Chairs
Regina Donaldson, Bayer
Nathan Fleisher, Apple
Staff Lead
Julian Lake
Senior Policy Director
jlake@bayareacouncil.org
Water, Waterfront and Climate Resilience
Council Launches Major Shoreline Resilience Partnership
The Bay Area Council officially launched Strong Shoreline, a regional initiative backed by the State Coastal Conservancy to strengthen regional resilience to coastal flooding. The initiative will focus on expanding research, attracting investment in shoreline resilience, renewing a regional measure to fund resilience projects, and organizing major employers to engage with state and federal policymakers on shoreline vulnerabilities.
Council’s Coastal Resilience Permitting Reform Legislation Signed
To address the growing risks from rising seas and coastal flooding, state agencies must create a roadmap for reducing the time and cost of permitting construction of a wide range of coastal resilience infrastructure under legislation (AB 2051, Wicks) the Bay Area Council co-sponsored with the Bay Planning Commission and signed by Gov. Newsom.
Committee Chairs
Joshua Golka, Valley Water
Devyani Kar, Jacobs
Ellen Levin, SFPUC
Jason Willett, CSAA Insurance Group
Staff Lead
Adrian Covert
Senior Vice President, Public Policy
acovert@bayareacouncil.org
Global Business & Investment
Lagos–California Sister State Formalized
Stemming from work the Bay Area Council launched to strengthen economic ties with Africa, California and Lagos formalized a Sister State agreement that will open new doors for trade and investment. The Council also hosted Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for a business and investment forum connecting Bay Area companies with counterparts in in Lagos, Africa’s commercial capital and one of the world’s fastest growing markets.
New Report Maps Korea’s Growing Tech Partnership with the Bay Area
Korea is one of California’s top trading partners, with nearly $39 billion in two-way trade, and about 45% of Korean-founded U.S. startups are based in Silicon Valley. In August, the Bay Area Council Economic Institute released a new report on Korea’s growing partnership with the Bay Area, especially in AI and semiconductors. Korea’s Consul General and leaders from Samsung NEXT, Upstage AI and Principal Venture Partners joined a forum at the release to discuss where the partnership can grow.
Committee Chairs
Harshul Asnani, Tech Mahindra Americas
Florence Fang, Florence Fang Family Foundation
Dean Fealk, DLA Piper
Travis Kiyota, East West Bank
Kevin Xu, MEBO International
Policy Lead
Alex Foard
Vice President, Global Programs
afoard@bayareacouncil.org
Economic Institute
The Employer Case for Apprenticeships in California
Using 35 interviews with employers and apprenticeship intermediaries, this report shows that apprenticeships pay off for employers. Combined with a literature review, state data, original research, and field visits to Zurich and Colorado, it identifies the value California employers are realizing from apprenticeship investments, the program design choices that produce the strongest results, and the barriers limiting broader employer adoption. Read report>>
The Bay Area’s Quantum Ecosystem
This report shows the Bay Area leads in quantum assets but lacks the regional coordination to keep companies here as they scale. The region has 74 quantum entities, five federal labs, and six UC campuses; California has one-third of U.S. quantum jobs and half of national quantum venture funding. Read report>>
Multilingual Talent in the Bay Area
Employers need more multilingual workers but rarely pay or promote for language skills. Funded by Sobrato Philanthropies, this work is based on a survey of 42 employers, which found that 79% expect to need more multilingual staff within five years; but only 48% are recruiting for it. Read report>>
Korea and the Bay Area
The relationship between the Bay Area and Korea operates at multiple levels – trade, investment capital, talent circulation, R&D collaboration, and startup networks. Across each dimension, the trajectory is one of deepening ties. This report explores where Korea’s chip manufacturing and R&D pair naturally with Bay Area AI, software, and venture capital. Read report>>
Sonoma County’s Immigrant Workforce
Immigrant workers have historically contributed, and will continue to contribute, to Sonoma County’s economy, supporting an estimated $6.4 billion in annual economic activity, including $2.3 billion tied to undocumented workers. Among Sonoma County’s immigrant residents, 26.3% are undocumented, the highest share of any Bay Area county. Removing these workers from the Bay Area’s labor force could reduce public revenue that supports essential services including education, infrastructure, public safety, and health systems. Read report>>
Staff Lead
Jeff Bellisario
Executive Director, Bay Area Council Economic Institute
jbellisario@bayareacouncil.org
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Afretrade
American Conservatory Theatre
Ant International
Anthropic
Astera
Braven
California Rental Housing Association
CLEAR
Coastside News
DLHA Law
Essex Property Trust Inc.
FWT Logistics
Half Moon Bay Brewing Company
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Instructure
Joby Aviation
Kimley-Horn
Lakeside Group, LLC
Metropolis
Omidyar Network Services LLC
Ridgeline Pathways
San Francisco Health Plan
San Jose Water
Sunrun
Torres Strategies
COMING UP IN Q4
OCT. 15: Q4 Policy Review
OCT. 15: Navigating the Forces Shaping Business in 2027
OCT. 19: Housing Committee: What Should the Next Governor Do for the Bay Area
OCT. 22: 2026 SF Economic Outlook: Future of Education in California
OCT. 28: Women’s Impact Summit
NOV. 16-20: CA-Japan Housing Innovation Delegation
DEC. 8: Chair’s Holiday Reception (members only)
Contact our Membership Team
Kirsten Vernon
Chief Membership Officer
kvernon@bayareacouncil.org
Dana Jauco
Manager, Membership and Engagement
djauco@bayareacouncil.org
Josh Jacob
jjacob@bayareacouncil.org
THE HISTORIC KLAMATH
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