News - Bay Area Council

Member Spotlight: Automotus Accelerates Commercial Adoption of EVs, Improves Parking Turnover for Local Businesses

Oct 26 2021

Posted In: News,

Founded in 2017, new Bay Area Council member Automotus uses first-of-its-kind computer vision technology to help cities, a...

Campaign Seeks Hybrid Lane on Richmond Bridge

Oct 22 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

Advocates for less congestion on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge led by the Bay Area Council recently launched the Common S...

New Study Examines California’s Landmark Paid Family Leave Program Over 20 Years

Sep 21 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

California’s first-in-the-nation paid family leave (PFL) program is almost two decades old and a new in-depth Bay Area C...

Gov. Newsom Signs Council-Sponsored Bill to Close Major Housing Reform Loophole

Sep 16 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council today (Sept. 16) applauded Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing urgency legislation (AB 1174, Tim Grayson) i...

Statement on Gov. Newsom’s Recall Victory

Sep 15 2021

Posted In: Government Relations,

The Bay Area Council today (Sept. 15) issued the following statement on the resounding defeat of an effort to recall Gov. ...

Bay Area Council Urges Gov. Newsom to Sign Wildfire Bill

Sep 10 2021

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

For centuries, California’s indigenous residents used small, controlled fires to manage vegetation growth in forests and...

Jim Wunderman Answers Questions about Regional Ferry Service

Sep 10 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

As the Bay Area makes good progress in stamping out COVID and business activity picks up around the region, so has ferrybo...

Member Spotlight: Cal Water Proposes Over $1 Billion Investment in State Water Systems

Sep 10 2021

Posted In: Membership,

In July, Cal Water submitted its 2022-2024 infrastructure improvement plans for all of its California districts with the s...

Watch: Opportunities for U.S. Partnerships in China’s Greater Bay Area Region

Sep 10 2021

Posted In: China,

This week (Sept. 8), Bay Area Council Economic Institute Senior Director Sean Randolph presented the findings of

Economists Target Restrictive Zoning in Housing Crisis

Sep 3 2021

Posted In: Housing,

A report this week by the White House Council of Economic Advisors came at just the right time as two bills the Bay Area C...

Data Visualization Tool Highlights California’s Slowing Population Growth Since 1990s

Sep 3 2021

Posted In: Economy,

A new visualization tool created by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute tracking California’s demographic trends by ...

Bay Area Council Recommends COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for All Private Sector Employers, Businesses

Aug 31 2021

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council today (Aug. 31) announced it is formally recommending all private sector employers, businesses and ot...

Big Win for Housing

Aug 27 2021

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

Breaking the stranglehold of single-family zoning on California’s housing landscape has long been seen as a critical par...

Survey: As Delta Variant Surges, Employers Delaying Return to Office Plans

Aug 27 2021

Posted In: Healthcare,

The fast-spreading COVID-19 delta variant appears to be causing some Bay Area businesses to pull back slightly on their pl...

Bay Area Council Helps Plan Sea Level Rise Defense

Aug 27 2021

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

How will the Bay Area pay for defending its shoreline from rising sea levels? How can we speed projects to ensure action i...

Council CEO Jim Wunderman Again Named to Capitol Weekly Top 100

Aug 27 2021

Posted In: Government Relations,

We’ve frankly lost count of the number of times Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman has been named to the state’s most-...

Bay Area Council Calls for State Forestry Stimulus to Fight Wildfires

Aug 20 2021

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

With record wildfires again sweeping California and state and federal agencies struggling to manage California’s 33 mill...

Council Asks Legislature to Help Silicon Valley Stave Off Drought Disaster

Aug 20 2021

Posted In: Water,

The Bay Area Council this week called on state legislators to appropriate $20 million to help Valley Water—Silicon Valle...

Housing and Homelessness Committees Meet

Aug 20 2021

Posted In: Homelessness, Housing,

The Bay Area Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committees this week welcomed Dr. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Sen...

All Aboard Bay Area Transit

Aug 20 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

The Bay Area Council is proud to support the newly-launched All Aboard Bay Area Transit campaign, a one-stop shop for info...

Attention Shifts to State Water Plan as Drought Worsens

Aug 13 2021

Posted In: Water,

Plans by state agencies to force water users in the Bay Area and elsewhere to leave more water in rivers and streams at th...

Picture Worth 1,000 Words – and Even More ADUs

Aug 13 2021

Posted In: Housing,

Member Spotlight: 49ers Elevate Bay Area Black-Owned Businesses

Aug 13 2021

Posted In: Membership,

Amid both the ongoing pandemic and the fight against social injustice, the San Francisco 49ers, a longtime member of the B...

How much would it cost to drought-proof the Bay Area?

Aug 6 2021

Posted In: Water,

Even a small risk of supply disruption warrants big investments in drought-proof water.

Bay Area Council Employer Survey: 40% Expect Return to Workplaces Just Three Days a Week Post-Pandemic

Aug 4 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

The Bay Area commute may never be the same again, but what that means for the region’s highways and mass transit systems...

Stage Set for 2021 Annual Dinner and Business Hall of Fame Presented by Kaiser Permanente

Almost 50% of Californians said they are seriously thinking of leaving the state in the next few years or are giving it so...

Transit Agencies Getting Aggressive to Promote Ridership

Jul 9 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

As the Bay Area economy reopens, the regional commute is also revving up. And while new data shows commuters are choosing ...

Council Helps Push Record State Investments to Fight Homelessness

Jul 9 2021

Posted In: Homelessness,

The budget Gov. Newsom signed last week commits a record $12 billion over the next two years to fight homelessness, and ca...

Climate Priorities Poised for Big Wins in State Budget – But Fight’s Not Over

Jul 9 2021

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change, Storm & Flood Protection,

The record budget Gov. Newsom signed last week includes nearly $8 billion for unspecified climate resilience, drought, and...

Partner Spotlight: CEO Action for Racial Equity

Jul 9 2021

Posted In: Membership,

Launched in October 2020, CEO Action for Racial Equity

Report: Rethinking Mexico and Its Ties to Silicon Valley

Jul 9 2021

Posted In: Economy,

The Bay Area Council Economic Institute recently released a report authored by Senior Director Dr. Sean Randolph exami...

WETA Launches New Alameda Seaplane Lagoon Route, Increases Other SF Bay Ferry Services

Jul 2 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

This week (July 1), the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the City of Alameda and Alameda Point Partne...

Berryessa TOD Project Advances in San Jose

Jul 2 2021

Posted In: Housing,

A mixed-use development directly adjacent to the Berryessa BART station in San Jose that proposes to create 3,450 resident...

Bernard J. Tyson’s Legacy Celebrated with Portrait Unveiling

Jul 2 2021

Posted In: Membership,

The Bay Area Council was honored to be included in a celebration of the legacy and contributions of Bernard J. Tyson this ...

Litigation Abuse Under CEQA Delays Yet Another Affordable Housing Project

Jul 2 2021

Posted In: Housing,

After an exhaustive review process with multiple public hearings and countless hours of community outreach and input, the ...

Bay Area Council Applauds BART for Restoring Service Hours Ahead of Schedule, Bolstering Economic Recovery

Jul 1 2021

Posted In: Press Releases, Transportation,

SAN FRANCISCO—On July 1, BART agreed to restore near pre-pandemic service four weeks earlier than originally planned, as...

Bay Area Council Implores BART Board to Add Additional Service to Aid California Economy

Jun 25 2021

Posted In: News, Transportation,

The Bay Area Council, in partnership with the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and Bay Area concert venues and performin...

Fighting Back Against Misguided, Ham-Fisted Federal Legislation to Hobble California’s Innovation Economy

Jun 25 2021

Posted In: News,

California’s innovation economy is under direct siege by misguided lawmakers in D.C. who want to dismantle some of the w...

Congressman Garamendi’s Strong Leadership Could Finally Make Hovercraft a Reality in the Bay Area

Jun 25 2021

Posted In: Press Releases, Transportation,

San Francisco—The Bay Area could finally add hovercraft to its arsenal of regional traffic-fighting too...

New Report Outlines $11.8 Billion Regional Strategy for Ending Bay Area Homelessness

Jun 3 2021

Posted In: Homelessness,

With the Bay Area accounting for 30% of the total rise in U.S. homelessness since 2017, the nation’s highest rate of uns...

Council Condemns Latest Anti-Asian Violence

May 14 2021

Posted In: News,

Another in a series of violent attacks against Asians left two San Francisco women seriously injured this week when a knif...

Gov. Newsom Unveils Record Budget

May 14 2021

Posted In: Economy,

Gov. Newsom today released his revised budget, a sweeping and historic $267 billion spending plan that is designed to get ...

Art Gensler: Architectural Visionary Transformed the Profession

May 14 2021

Posted In: Membership,

The Bay Area Council mourns the passing this week of visionary architect and good friend Art Gensler. The outpouring of re...

State Audit Highlights Calbright College’s Potential

May 14 2021

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Calbright College, California’s first statewide online community college, got off to a bumpy start but deserves the oppo...

#MeetLocalSF Can Help Speed Up Economic Recovery, Boost Jobs

May 14 2021

Posted In: Economy,

What is one way businesses can help boost the local economy and get us back on the road to recovery? By meeting local! As ...

Bay Area Council Poll: Homelessness Dominates Concerns

May 4 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

Housing Costs and Affordability Remain Top Concerns, while Concerns Soften about the Bay Area’s Notorious...

Northern California Apprentice Network Launches

Apr 30 2021

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

As the Bay Area and the greater Northern California megaregion begin the recovery process, increasing equitable opportunit...

Google’s Bold San Jose Mixed-Use Transit Village Clears Key Hurdle

Apr 30 2021

Posted In: Housing,

Google’s bold plans for creating a mixed-use transit village west of downtown San Jose took a big step forward this week...

Tax Increase Legislation Advances on Questionable Voting Practice

Apr 30 2021

Posted In: Economy,

Even with Gov. Newsom pledging not to sign any legislation that would raise taxes, a bill to do exactly that is moving for...

Member Spotlight: Blue Shield of California Sets NextGen Sustainability Goals

Apr 30 2021

Posted In: Membership,

Climate change is an urgent public health issue. According to a recent

Bay Area Council Poll Finds Huge Support for Merging Caltrain and BART

Apr 30 2021

Apr 9 2021

Posted In: Membership,

United Airlines, the only major U.S. airline to own a flight school, has begun accepting applications as it embarks on an ...

Finally, It’s Infrastructure Week

Apr 2 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

President Biden this week unveiled his $2.3 trillion proposal to invest in upgrading and expanding the nation’s crumblin...

Analysis Shows Lifting SALT Cap Would Create Thousands of CA Jobs

Apr 2 2021

Posted In: Economy,

A new analysis by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute suggests that restoring the full state and local tax (SALT) dedu...

Council Urges Consideration of Alternative Water Plan as Drought Worsens

Apr 2 2021

Posted In: Water,

For the second straight year, California’s Sierra snowpack is far below the historic April 1 average, according to the s...

Bay Area Council Applauds WETA’s Pandemic Recovery Program

Apr 2 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

Yesterday (April 1) the WETA Board of Directors, chaired by Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman, unanimously approved its

As Concerns Grow of New COVID Surge, Bay Area Council Poll Finds Troubling Pockets of Vaccine Hesitancy

Mar 31 2021

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

As concerns grow about a possible fourth COVID surge and public health officials race to roll out vaccines, the 2021 Bay A...

Council’s D.C. Week Comes at Key Time, Helps Deepen Important Relationships

Mar 26 2021

Posted In: Government Relations,

With the recent passage of the federal COVID relief package and ahead of an expected federal infrastructure bill, the Bay ...

Whoa, Not More Taxes

Mar 26 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

The Bay Area Council has joined over 3...

Member Spotlight: A’s Hit Key Milestone on Waterfront Ballpark

Mar 5 2021

Posted In: Membership,

The city of Oakland on Feb. 26 released its Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), which offers an incredibly thorough ...

Council Endorses Legislation for $6.7 Billion Climate Resilience Bond

Mar 5 2021

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change, Storm & Flood Protection,

Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (San Mateo) joined the Bay Area Council’s Water and Climate Resilience Committee recently fo...

Waiting for Economic Point of No Return Not an Option

Mar 5 2021

Posted In: Economy,

The Bay Area Council didn’t coin the term “exodus” to describe anecdotal stories of companies, jobs and investment l...

New Housing Report Studies Regional Initiatives That Can Be Replicated Statewide

Feb 26 2021

Posted In: Housing, News,

The Bay Area isn’t the only region in California facing a housing crisis. In every corner of the state, housing advocate...

Council Congratulates New MTC Chair Alfredo Pedroza

Feb 26 2021

Posted In: News, Transportation,

The Bay Area Council congratulates Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza on being named this week (Feb. 24) Chair of the ...

Council Announces New Partnership to Deepen Board, Executive Diversity

Feb 19 2021

Posted In: Economy,

Despite years of hard work, women and communities of color continue to be underrepresented in the highest echelons of busi...

Council Meets with Governor’s Senior Counselor on Housing and Homeless

Feb 19 2021

Posted In: Housing,

The Bay Area Council’s Housing Committee this week welcomed Jason Elliott, Senior Counselor to Gov. Newsom on Housing an...

Celebrating the Year of the Ox

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: China,

The Bay Area Council wishes you a happy, healthy and prosperous Lunar New Year. We are optimistic that the Year of the Ox ...

Liccardo: Don’t Blame Tech for Exodus

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: Economy,

As the Bay Area Council moves quickly to advance our Business Climate Initiative, we were encouraged to read a powerful co...

Council Co-Sponsors Water Innovation Bill

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: Water,

The Bay Area Council is proud to partner with the California Municipal Utilities Association in sponsoring SB 351 which au...

Terner Center Study Affirms Value of Housing Reforms

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: Housing,

Legislation (SB 35) the Bay Area Council supported has been effective in reducing housing costs and streamlining productio...

State Audit Details “Disjointed” Homeless Response

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: Homelessness,

California’s approach to addressing homelessness is disjointed between siloed state agencies, and the entity tasked with...

George P. Shultz: An Appreciation

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: Membership,

With the recent passing George P. Shultz, who served as U.S. Secretary of State from 1982 to 1989, America lost perhaps it...

Partner Spotlight: California Competes

Feb 12 2021

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

In California there are 6.8 million adults ages 25–54 who graduated high school but have not completed a postsecondary d...

Council Joins Campaign to Deepen Board Diversity

Feb 8 2021

Posted In: News,

Despite years of hard work, women and communities of color continue to be underrepresented in the highest echelons of busi...

Statement on Passing of George P. Shultz

Feb 7 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council today (Feb. 7) issued the following statement on the passing of George P. Shultz.

Troubling New Data Highlights Urgency of Addressing Bay Area Jobs Exodus

Feb 5 2021

Posted In: Economy,

Newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the first glimpse of the pace of recovery in regional e...

Council Calls for Passage of National Apprenticeship Act of 2021

Feb 5 2021

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Congress today (Feb. 5) was expected to pass the

Partner Spotlight: Revolution Foods

Jan 29 2021

Posted In: Membership,

More than 11 million children in the U.S. live in food insecure homes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (US...

Bay Area Council Helps California with Wildfire Resilience

Jan 29 2021

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

The Bay Area Council met recently with senior members of the Newsom Administration to discuss ways the private sector can ...

Rep. Speier Reintroduces Legislation to Restore San Francisco Bay

Jan 29 2021

Posted In: Storm & Flood Protection,

Congresswoman Jackie Speier on Thursday (Jan. 28) reintroduced the San Francisco Bay Restoration Act, a bill to provide in...

Mourning the Passing of Katherine Strehl

Jan 29 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

The Bay Area Council mourned the passing this week of Katherine Strehl, a former Council staff member and a widely respect...

Progress in Bringing Ferry Service to Silicon Valley

Jan 29 2021

Posted In: Transportation,

Plans to bring ferry service to Redwood City are moving forward. The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), whic...

New Report: Making the Megaregional Case for a New Transbay Rail Crossing

Jan 27 2021

Posted In: Press Releases, Transportation,

A new transbay rail crossing between San Francisco and the East Bay would not only ease congestion along one of the Bay Ar...

Council Advocacy Helps Approval of UCSF Parnassus Heights Project

Jan 22 2021

Posted In: Housing,

Yesterday (Jan. 21), the UC Board of Regents voted to approve a project by UC San Francisco (UCSF) to modernize the univer...

Statement on Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris

Jan 20 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council today (Jan. 20) issued the following statement on the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice Pr...

Fighting to Keep Jobs in California

Jan 15 2021

Posted In: Economy,

The stories continue to mount about California’s worsening business climate and the exodus of key companies, investors a...

Keeping Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream Alive More Important Than Ever

Jan 15 2021

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Like few periods in recent memory, the past year has exposed our country’s continuing struggle to address painful, long-...

Statement on AB 71 to Raise Taxes on Struggling Businesses

Jan 13 2021

Posted In: Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council today (Jan. 13) issued the following statement in response to the introduction of AB 71, proposed le...

Take Action: Support UCSF Parnassus Heights Plan

The Bay Area Council applauds Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appointment today of Dee Dee Myers, former Warner Brothers e...

With Release of Feasibility Study, Bay Area Council Encourages WETA to Bring Hovercraft Services to the Bay

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

On Thursday, students and job seekers from throughout the region gathered (virtually) to hear from some of the region’s ...

Damning Report Highlights Need for Affordable Housing Reforms

Nov 20 2020

Posted In: Housing,

A damning

Bay Area Comes Out on Top as Project Homekey Wraps

Nov 18 2020

Posted In: Homelessness, News,

Governor Gavin Newsom has finished announcing Project Homekey grants. How did the Bay Area do? The Bay Area accounts for r...

Replay: UC President Michael Drake in Conversation with Council CEO Jim Wunderman

Nov 13 2020

Posted In: News,

New University of California President Michael V. Drake, MD joined Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman this week (Nov. 12) ...

Council-Backed Housing Near BART Station Approved

Nov 13 2020

Posted In: Housing, News,

More than 750 units of new housing near the West Oakland BART station that the Bay Area Council endorsed have been approve...

Hire Together 2.0 Virtual Career Fair

Nov 13 2020

Posted In: News, Workforce of the Future,

One week until the second Bay Area virtual career fair! The Bay Area Council is excited to provide a platform for leading...

Economic Profile: Bay Area Leads California in H1-B Visas

Nov 13 2020

Posted In: News,

Foreign workers and immigrants have always been significant contributors to the Bay Area’s and California’s economies....

Replay: Doctors Creating CA’s COVID Vaccine Guidelines Discuss Process

Nov 13 2020

Posted In: Healthcare, News,

As multiple potential COVID-19 vaccines enter larger-scale efficacy trials, hopes are growing for a release of one or more...

California Voters Appear to Reject Big Tax Increase on Business, Spike Rent Control and Back Gig Economy

Posted In: News,

Stories are legion of fearful parents of Black children having to caution them about how to conduct themselves in encounte...

Council-Endorsed Affordable Housing Project Approved

Oct 30 2020

Posted In: Housing, News,

A 72-unit affordable housing development in Castro Valley that the Bay Area Council endorsed won approval from the Alameda...

Call to Participate in Bay Area Council Focus Groups on Returning to Transit

Oct 30 2020

Posted In: News, Transportation,

The Bay Area Council invites employers to participate in focus groups to have in-depth conversations about returning to wo...

Council Says “Whoa!” To New Taxes in Latest Ad

Oct 30 2020

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area Council this week unveiled the third in a series of hard-hitting video ads to bring attention to the harmful ...

MUFG Union Bank Grant Supports Council’s Workforce of the Future Initiative

Oct 30 2020

Posted In: News, Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Initiative has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the

COVID Recovery: Bridge Traffic Near Normal Levels as Commuters Avoid Transit

Oct 30 2020

Posted In: Economy, News, Transportation,

New data analyzed by the Bay Area Counc...

The Port of Oakland is Open for Business

Oct 30 2020

Posted In: News,

On October 22, the Bay Area Council and the Jiangsu Department of Commerce co-hosted a semi-virtual trade seminar to intro...

Prop. 15 Will Add to California’s Economic Hardship

Oct 29 2020

Posted In: Government Relations,

Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman co-authored the following OpEd with Greater Sacramento Economic Council CEO Barry B...

How We’re Preparing for More Wildfires and the Big One

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change, News,

California’s hotter and drier climate, paired with a century of fire mismanagement, has created an explosive combination...

Court Ruling Highlights Urgency of Passing Prop 22

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: News, Transportation,

A state appeals court ruling Thursday (Oct. 22) threatened the existence of app-based ride-hailing companies in California...

11th Economic Profile Highlights Sluggish Recovery

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area Council Economic Institute on Thursday (Oct. 22) released its 11th Bay Area Economic Profile, mark...

Bay Area Council Sues Trump Administration to Block New H1-B Visa Restrictions

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area Council this week (Oct. 20) filed suit to block the Trump Administration from implementing harmful new restri...

Council Unveils Second Ad in Tax Impact Campaign

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area Council this week began airing the second in a series of ads highlighting how a raft of proposed general tax ...

Housing Committee Welcomes Sen. Wiener, Talks 2021 Legislative Strategy

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: Housing, News,

This week, the Bay Area Council’s Housing Committee met to shape our legislative strategy for 2021. The meeting was kick...

Regional Housing Allocations Adopted

Oct 23 2020

Posted In: Housing, News,

The Association of ...

Member Spotlight: Blue Shield

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Find out on October 22nd by joining us for our Biennial Economic Profile Virtual Launch Event presented by Fifth Third Ban...

Opportunity for All Summit Highlights Affirmative Action, White Allies, and more!

Oct 2 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Affirmative action has had a controversial history in California. Despite various attempts to overturn the ban enacted by ...

Council Members Share Deep Concerns Over Work from Home Mandate

Oct 2 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Bay Area Council members shared their specific concerns regarding the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s proposed ...

25th Anniversary Bay Area Business Hall of Fame

Oct 2 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

It’s virtually the best event you will attend this year. The Bay Area Council is gearing up for our 25th Anni...

Council Fights Cockamamie Work from Home Mandate

Posted In: News,

New data released this morning (Sept. 18) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows California’s unemployment rate in Au...

Council Hails Signing of Paid Family Leave Legislation

Sep 18 2020

Posted In: News,

Governor Newsom on Thursday (Sept. 17) signed legislation the Bay Area Council helped create and bring to the finish line ...

Council’s Advocacy Helps Secure $1.2 Billion for BART

Sep 18 2020

Posted In: News,

Gridlock may rule the day in Washington, D.C., but that didn’t stop the Bay Area Council from helping unlock $1.2 billio...

CRC Spotlight Series: Gateway Cities Council of Governments

Sep 18 2020

Posted In: News,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the

Scary Skies Call for Urgent Climate Resilience Action

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: News,

The skies over the Bay Area and much of the West Coast took on an apocalyptic hue this week as record wildfires poured thi...

Save The Date: Opportunity for All Summit: Affirmative Action in California

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: News,

On Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to 12noon, the Bay Area Council will be hosting the Opportunity for All Summit presented by Kaiser ...

Council Urges Governor’s Signature on Key Bills, Including Hard-Fought Reform for Nurse Practitioners

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: News,

After eight long years of focused advocacy, the Bay Area Council joined with other supporters in applauding the hard-fough...

Member Spotlight: Waymo

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: News,

Waymo is a technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going. ...

RSVP: San Francisco Crisis Point or Turning Point?

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area Council is pleased to partner on the San Francisco Business Times’ annual signature event San Fran...

CRC Spotlight Series: Strengthening Western Riverside County Energy Resilience

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change, News,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the

Council Welcomes New Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Chairs

Sep 11 2020

Posted In: Gender Equity, News,

The Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee this week (Sept. 9) announced the appointment to new co-chairs, including J...

CRC Spotlight Series: Greening the City of Watsonville

Sep 4 2020

Posted In: News,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the California R...

New Resilience Challenge Video Highlights Launch of Round 2

Sep 4 2020

Posted In: News, Water,

Following up the wild success of our 2020 California Resilience Challenge, the Bay Area Council Foundation has completed p...

Legislature Heads Home after Failing to Advance Significant Housing Reform

Sep 4 2020

Posted In: Housing, News,

Claims that this would be the year of housing quickly fizzled when the Legislature’s lack of action left many important ...

Fighting Back Against Ill-Timed Taxes

Sep 4 2020

Posted In: News,

As if we needed another reminder of California’s battered and fragile economy, a prominent social media company made sur...

Council Urges Supporters to Send Governor Newsom Letters Backing Housing Bills

Posted In: News,

This week (Aug. 26) we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th am...

Big Apple Shares Lessons on Right to Shelter and COVID Response for Homelessness

Aug 28 2020

Posted In: News,

Shortly after the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) moved quickly t...

Supporting Wildfire Relief and Response

Aug 28 2020

Posted In: News,

Wildfires are once again wreaking havoc on Northern California, displacing thousands of residents and causing untold damag...

Council Delivers 57,000 COVID Masks to South Bay Homeless Services Provider

Aug 28 2020

Posted In: News,

After several months of delays due to backlogs in international shipping, the Bay Area Council China Initiative team this ...

CRC Spotlight Series: Fighting Fire with Incentive in San Diego

Aug 28 2020

Posted In: News,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the

Council Joins Members in Making Clean Air Day Pledge

Aug 28 2020

Aug 21 2020

Posted In: News,

California's new Housing and Community Development Director Gustavo Velasquez and Zillow Sr. Economist

Council Partners with Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Bay Area Community College Consortium on First-of-its-Kind Virtual Career Fair

Aug 21 2020

Posted In: News, Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future program has partnered with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, the Bay A...

California Resilience Spotlight Series: Extreme Flooding in the San Joaquin River Basin

Aug 21 2020

Posted In: News,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the California R...

Council Secures Critical PPE Face Masks for Communities in Need

Aug 21 2020

Posted In: News,

As reopening schools and businesses join hospitals and government agencies in efforts to procure masks and PPE, shortages ...

New Franklin Templeton-Gallup Survey Gives Key Insights for Restaurant Industry on Road to Recovery

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the California R...

Science, Innovation Consortium Helps Secure $185 Million for Energy Research

Aug 14 2020

Posted In: Science and Innovation,

A consortium of the Bay Area’s leading science and technology institutions led by the Bay Area Council and our Economic ...

Member Spotlight: Oakland Zoo Reopens, Needs Your Support

Aug 14 2020

Posted In: Membership,

Outfitted with robust health and safety protocols, the Oakland Zoo has reopened its doors to provide stir-crazy Bay Area r...

Council-Backed Housing Reforms Hitting Home

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Housing,

A raft of housing reforms that the Bay Area Council has played a leading role in getting through the legislature in recent...

Council Hitting Back Against Dangerous New Taxes

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Economy,

Dangerous new legislation, AB1253, surfaced last week in Sacramento proposing a massive new personal income tax increase t...

Caltrain Funding Measure Gets OK for November Ballot

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Transportation,

The Bay Area Council applauds an agreement hammered out this week by leaders in Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Mateo ...

Expanding Apprenticeships Can Fuel Equitable Economic Recovery

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

In the past five months, we have faced a pandemic, record unemployment, and nationwide protests over the killing of George...

Council’s Sustainable Transportation Bill (SB 288) Advances

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Transportation,

Legislation the Bay Area Council is co-sponsoring to fast track sustainable transportation projects this week cleared a ke...

Cutting Red Tape to Advance Green Projects

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

In 2016, behind the leadership of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Bay Area voters overwhelmingly approved regional Measure AA to ra...

California Resilience Challenge Spotlight Series: Resilient Communities at Clear Lake

Aug 7 2020

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change, Water,

This is one in a series of profiles of the 12 winners of the California Resilience Challenge, a first-of-its-kind stat...

ICYMI: How COVID is Impacting Commercial Real Estate

Jul 17 2020

Jul 2 2020

Posted In: China,

With travel still restricted across the globe, entrepreneurs and investors are searching for new ways to connect for cross...

Council’s Leadership Helping Expand Paid Family Leave

Jul 2 2020

Posted In: Gender Equity, Workforce of the Future,

Legislation (SB 1383, Jackson) the Bay Area Council was instrumental in drafting to expand paid family leave (PFL) to more...

Council-Backed Housing Project Gets OK in Mtn. View

Jul 2 2020

Posted In: Housing,

A little-used parking lot will be repurposed to build 303 new homes as part of a mixed-use project the Bay Area Council en...

First-Of-Its-Kind Regional Housing Authority Takes Flight

Jul 2 2020

Posted In: Housing,

A new regional housing financing authority—the first of its kind in California—that the Bay Area Council helped create...

Bay Area Council Hails Court Ruling in Favor of Regional Measure 3

Jun 29 2020

Posted In: Press Releases, Transportation,

The Bay Area Council today hailed a state Court of Appeal ruling rejecting a legal challenge to Regional Measure 3 (RM3), ...

Top Leaders Join Bay Area Council Webinar on Racial Inequity in the Time of COVID

Posted In: Membership,

On June 18, Union Bank committed $10 million to launch a Community Recovery Progr...

Member Spotlight: Biocom Study Examines Life Sciences

Jun 26 2020

Posted In: Membership,

Biocom recently released its 2020 Economic Impact Report featuring the most recent data about California’s life science ...

Bay Area Council Statement on President Trump’s Plan to Extend Restrictions on Foreign Workers

Jun 22 2020

Jun 16 2020

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

Once the source of epic traffic jams, new data-visualization shows travel between Silicon Valley and San Francisco is lagg...

Listening, Taking Action on Racial Justice, Equity

Jun 12 2020

Posted In: Community Engagement, Gender Equity,

The horrific killing of George Floyd ignited nationwide protests to end police brutality against Black Americans, but it h...

Replay: Virtual Pacific Summit Videos Now Available

Jun 12 2020

Posted In: Events,

What?! You missed the Bay Area Council’s first-ever Pacific Summit presented by TMG Partners? Then you’re in luck. Vid...

Council Initiative to Unveil Winners of $2 Million Climate Challenge

Posted In: Community Engagement,

During these unprecedented times, Visit California is working on initiatives to inspire community support and begin safe a...

Racial Justice, COVID-19 Focus of 2020 Pacific Summit

Jun 5 2020

Posted In: Events,

A powerful lineup of business and elected leaders and national political commentators joined the Bay Area Council’s firs...

Interest Growing in Economic Recovery Bond

Jun 5 2020

Posted In: Government Relations,

California cities, counties and school districts could avoid drastic cuts to vital public services under a proposal by Bay...

Statement on Protests in Wake of George Floyd’s Death

Posted In: Housing,

Three development projects that include a combined almost 1,700 units of housing this week earned the endorsement of the B...

New CEO Survey Finds Dramatic Workplace Changes in Response to COVID-19

May 15 2020

Posted In: Press Releases,

The Bay Area can expect a dramatic shift in where employees work as shelter-in-place orders slowly lift and the economy re...

Bay Area Council Statement on Agreement Between Tesla and Alameda County

May 13 2020

May 1 2020

Posted In: Homelessness,

Providing hotels and other innovative housing solutions for California’s homeless population is key to stopping the spre...

Member Spotlight: pymetrics Revolutionzing Talent Acquisition

May 1 2020

Posted In: Membership,

As employers across the country, and especially in the Bay Area, are confronted with endless changes brought about by COVI...

Bay Area Council Survey Finds Growing Pressure to Reopen Economy

Apr 28 2020

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

Strong support for shelter-in-place restrictions, but economic toll mounting as growing number of business ...

Council Mourns Passing of Linda Bidrossian

Apr 24 2020

Posted In: News,

On Saturday, April 18, the Bay Area Council received the crushing blow when our beloved Linda Bidrossian - the Senior Vice...

Council Helps Secure Large Shipment of Masks for Port of Oakland

Apr 24 2020

Posted In: News, Uncategorized,

A large shipment of surgical masks the Bay Area Council sourced from a manufacturer in China and helped clear customs and ...

Announcing Virtual 2020 Pacific Summit on June 5

Apr 24 2020

Posted In: Events,

We’re extremely excited to announce that the 2020 Pacific Summit is going virtual, with an incredible line up of speaker...

Bay Area Awarded $160 Million for Key Transportation Projects

Apr 24 2020

Posted In: Transportation,

The California State Transportation Agency this week

Member Spotlight: Alaska Airlines Foundation Supports Vulnerable Nonprofits

Apr 24 2020

Posted In: Membership,

The Alaska Airlines Foundation is awarding $315,000 to 23 nonprofits in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington....

ICYMI: Is China Getting Back to Business?

Apr 24 2020

Posted In: China,

As part of the Bay Area Council’s continuing series of webinars on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we talked r...

Council Engaging National Effort to Save Thousands of Nonprofits Excluded from CARES Act

Are you a startup with a solution that can reduce the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, but need help commercializing ...

April 3 COVID-19 Response Update

Apr 3 2020

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area Council is continuing to work with our members, partners, and local, state and federal government officials o...

Member Spotlight: Instacart to Add 300,000 Personal Shoppers

Mar 27 2020

Posted In: Membership,

As the economy and workforce begin to feel the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, Bay Area Council member Instacart is provi...

Federal COVID-19 Includes Billions for Homeless

Mar 27 2020

Posted In: Homelessness,

Following efforts by the Bay Area Council and AllHome to corral regional leaders behind a united ask for $5 billion in fed...

Keeping Essential Services/Businesses Operating

Mar 27 2020

Posted In: Housing,

While state and local shelter-in-place orders are helping stop the spread of COVID-19, they are also creating confusion am...

New Webinar Series Provides Expertise, Insights on COVID-19 Issues

Mar 27 2020

Posted In: Healthcare,

Accurate, timely information is among the key weapons in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, from understanding public ...

Bay Area Council Poll: COVID-19 Economic Concerns Soar

Mar 25 2020

Posted In: News,

Bay Area residents’ concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic rose dramatically over a one-week period in mid-March as the vi...

Message from CEO Jim Wunderman

Mar 20 2020

Posted In: News,

I hope this finds you all safe and healthy. These are unprecedented times. Our world has been turned upside down and insid...

COVID-19 Impacts Intensify, Widen; So Do Countermeasures

Mar 13 2020

Posted In: News,

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically worsened this week, with schools and other public institutions closing, ...

New “Missing Middle” Housing Bill Introduced

Mar 13 2020

Posted In: Housing,

The Bay Area Council’s 2020 housing priority is to pass legislation designed to boost housing production. While the stat...

One Step Closer to Redwood City Ferry Service

Mar 13 2020

Posted In: Transportation,

The future for ferry service in Redwood City is looking bright after the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) t...

Council Urges Reauthorization of Federal Transportation Funding Bill

Mar 13 2020

Mar 6 2020

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

It matters what your employees think. Pay equity and transparency continue to be essential in building a more equitable wo...

Member Spotlight: Bank of Marin Celebrates 30 Years

Mar 6 2020

Posted In: Housing,

Happy 30th Anniversary to Bank of Marin! Since 1990, the bank’s philosophy, “banking built on trust and relation...

Council Urges YES Vote on Prop. 13 to Benefit Colleges, Universities

Feb 28 2020

Feb 14 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

It’s no secret that building housing in the Bay Area is expensive, but new data shows just how jaw-dropping those costs ...

Deadline Near to Reserve Hospitality Space at 2020 PGA Championship

Feb 14 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Going, going, gone! Time’s almost up to reserve a private chalet for the upcoming

A Quiet Upzoning Revolution

Feb 7 2020

Posted In: Housing,

SB 50 may be dead, but a movement the Bay Area Council began championing almost five years ago is quietly doing what that ...

Unclogging the Talent Pipeline

Feb 7 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Many students confront significant obstacles to completing their college education and securing necessary certificates and...

Opportunity Zone Regulations Coming into Focus

Jan 31 2020

Posted In: Housing,

The long-awaited release of new federal regulations is bringing into focus what investors can expect from Opportunity Zone...

Member Spotlight: Microsoft Going Carbon Negative

Jan 31 2020

Posted In: Membership,

The scientific consensus is clear. The world confronts an urgent carbon problem. While the world will need to reach n...

Casita Coalition Earns National Recognition

Jan 31 2020

Posted In: Housing,

Co-founded by the Bay Area Council,

Will California Have the Talent It Needs to Compete Economically?

Jan 31 2020

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Are students and job seekers getting the education and training employers need to compete in a rapidly changing and global...

Momentum Gaining in Winning Housing Reforms, but Much Work Remains

Jan 24 2020

Posted In: Housing,

After years of relentless advocacy, housing leaders agree they’re starting to see the tide turn in the fight to refor...

Council Delegation Forges New Ties with India

Jan 24 2020

Posted In: Economy,

Expanding and deepening economic connections between California, the Bay Area-Silicon Valley and India was the focus of a ...

Lloyd Dean Named CEO of CommonSpirit Health

Jan 24 2020

Posted In: Membership,

Lloyd Dean, former Chair of the Bay Area Council, on Wednesday was named CEO of CommonSpirit Health, the largest nonprofit...

San Francisco Business Times’ 2020 Mayors Economic Forecast

Jan 21 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

What are the priorities and top issues being addressed by each Mayor in 2020? San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Oakland...

FASTER Legislation Advances in Sacramento

Jan 17 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

One of the Bay Area Council’s major 2020 priorities passed a legislative milestone this week. The Senate Transportation ...

Chief Diversity Officers Outline Broad 2020 Goals

Jan 17 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Chief diversity officers of Bay Area Council member companies met recently as part of an ongoing series of discussions on ...

Governor Announces New Actions on Homelessness

Jan 17 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday concluded a weeklong statewide homelessness tour in Oakland, where he announced $3...

Council Endorses Coastside Affordable Housing Project

Jan 17 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council Housing Committee this week endorsed a 71-unit affordable housing project that nonprofit MidPen Housi...

Bay Area Council Leads Delegation to India to Expand, Deepen Economic Ties

Jan 13 2020

Posted In: Press Releases,

California and the Bay Area-Silicon Valley are poised to reap significant benefits from deepening economic ties with India...

SF State University, United Airlines Partner on Career Advancement Program San Francisco State University and United

Jan 10 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

San Francisco State University and United Airlines have developed a unique new professional development program that offer...

Wunderman Takes Gavel at First WETA Meeting

Jan 10 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman on Thursday (Jan. 9) presided over his first Water Emergency Transportation Authority (...

BART Makes Game-Changing Investment to Modernize the System

Jan 10 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The BART Board of Directors on Thursday (Jan. 9) awarded a $798 million contract to Hitachi Rail STS USA, Inc. to design a...

Council Priorities Reflected in Governor’s Draft Water Resilience Portfolio

Jan 10 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Top Bay Area Council priorities for water and climate resilience were included in Gov. Newsom’s long-awaited draft Water...

Bay Area Council Supports SB 50 to Address California’s Housing Crisis

Jan 7 2020

Posted In: Housing, Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council issued the following statement in support of legislation (SB 50) announced today (Jan. 7) by state Se...

New Research Supports Council’s Landmark ADU Initiative

Jan 3 2020

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Making more efficient use of the Bay Area’s already-developed urban and suburban areas to address the region’s housing...

Gov. Newsom Names Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman to Helm Water Emergency Transportation Authority

Jan 2 2020

Posted In: Press Releases, Transportation,

Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman has been named by Gov. Gavin Newsom to serve as Chair of the Water Emergency Transporta...

Bay Area Council Names New Leader to Head Its Economic Institute

Dec 16 2019

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council has named Jeff Bellisario Exec...

New Ferry Service Coming to Alameda Next Year

Dec 13 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

Following on the success of the new Richmond-San Francisco ferry service that launched earlier this year,...

FASTER Continues Regional Engagement in the East Bay

Dec 13 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

This week, FASTER presented to the AC Transit Board of Directors as part of an ongoing effort to engage with stakeholders ...

Housing Committee Celebrates Productive 2019

Dec 13 2019

Posted In: Housing,

The Bay Area Council’s Housing Committee met Monday to reflect on what has been a highly productive year, with passage o...

Carrying Subnational Panda Diplomacy in the 21st Century

Dec 13 2019

Posted In: China, Uncategorized,

This week, the Bay Area Council celebrated a longstanding Chinese foreign policy tradition by promoting dialogue and peace...

Check Your Blind Spots on Unconscious Bias

Dec 13 2019

Posted In: Gender Equity, Workforce of the Future,

Unconscious bias plays a central role in shaping our perspectives on those we work with and the people we surround ourselv...

Council Praises Agreement on USMCA

Dec 11 2019

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council praised Congressional leaders for reaching agreement this week on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

New Council Chair Mary Huss Outlines Her Vision

Dec 6 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council Board of Directors this week held its final meeting of 2019, taking stock of an extremely productive ...

California Resilience Challenge Announces Statewide Competition for Climate Adaptation Projects

Dec 2 2019

Posted In: Press Releases, Storm & Flood Protection, Water,

The Bay Area Council today launched the official request for proposals for the “California Resilience Challenge” — a...

Connecting Immigrants, Refugees to Tech Jobs

Nov 22 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

There are nearly 2 million immigrants and refugees currently in the U.S. who have college degrees from their home countrie...

Fighting to Keep Statewide Housing Reform

Nov 22 2019

Posted In: Housing,

A terrible and misguided court decision in San Mateo County threatens to undo and undermine a raft of recent legislation a...

Expanding Trade through Subnational Connections

Nov 22 2019

Posted In: China,

The Bay Area Council continued its support for subnational dialogue by co-hosting the Yangtze River Delta-California Coope...

Promoting Bay to Bay Technology Links

Nov 22 2019

Posted In: China,

As part of our recent China trade mission, the Bay Area Council participated in the 21st China Hi-Tech Fair with over 3,00...

Tri-Valley 2040 Visioning Summit

Nov 22 2019

Posted In: Economy,

On Monday, the Bay Area Council Economic Institute organized the Tri-Valley 2040 Visioning Summit in partnership with the ...

On Housing, Tech Companies Walking the Walk

Nov 8 2019

Posted In: Housing,

Bay Area Council member Apple became the latest tech company to put its money where its mouth is in addressing the region�...

Bigger is Better: Showcasing California at Massive Chinese Trade Exhibition

Nov 8 2019

Posted In: China, Uncategorized,

Representing the only U.S. state to participate in one the world’s largest import exhibitions, the Bay Area Council this...

Expanding Economic Opportunity to All Regions of the State

Nov 8 2019

Posted In: Homelessness, Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council this week brought its insights and expertise to the 2019 Cali...

Partner Spotlight: Visit California

Nov 8 2019

Posted In: Membership,

Tourism powers regional economies, and in the past decade in the Bay Area alone, tourism generated $37.8 billion in travel...

It’s Baaaack!

Nov 1 2019

Posted In: Housing,

The high-profile rejection of a fully-compliant housing proposal in San Bruno has been resurrected as a bigger and better ...

New Coalition Targets Traffic’s Stranglehold on the Bay Area

Nov 1 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

The Bay Area Council today announced it is forming a new coalition of transportation companies focused on dramatically exp...

Now is the Time to Invest in Early Childhood Education

Nov 1 2019

Posted In: Early Childhood Education,

Early childhood education is an issue of public safety, it is an issue of national security, and it is an issue of economi...

China Looks to the Bay Area on Deepening Regionalism

Nov 1 2019

Posted In: China,

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of China is looking to the Bay Area for insights on how to deepen regional ...

JPMorgan Chase Joins California Resilience Challenge

Nov 1 2019

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

JPMorgan Chase pledged $500,000 this week to the

Engaging the Region to Create a FASTER Bay Area

Nov 1 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

Congested roadways, packed and infrequent transit, and projects that run over-time and over-budget have become an unfortun...

Housing Committee Welcomes Assemblymember David Chiu

Oct 25 2019

Posted In: Housing,

The Bay Area Council Housing Committee this week welcomed Assemblymember David Chiu for a recap of this year’s housing l...

Creating Seamless School-to-Career Transitions

Oct 25 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that students are more likely to fall through the cracks in t...

Chief Diversity Officers Forum Advances Inclusive Workplaces

Oct 18 2019

Posted In: Gender Equity, Workforce of the Future,

Management plays a key role in advancing or damaging diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Chief Diversity Officers co...

New ADU Laws: Helping Homeowners and Cities Achieve Change

Oct 18 2019

Posted In: Housing,

On the heels of Governor Newsom’s signing of a package of Bay Area Council-backed accessory dwelling un...

Future of Work: How Employers Are Adapting to Changing Needs

Oct 11 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The future of work is upon us, and how employers adapt to changing needs in the workforce will be critical in maintaining ...

Protecting the Bay Against Rising Seas Means Amending Old Approaches

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

As a leader in workforce development in the region, the Bay Area Council has been asked to serve on California’s Career ...

Council CEO Honored with Prestigious JHC Legacy Award

Sep 20 2019

Posted In: News,

Over 800 guests gathered at the Oakland Museum last night to celebrate the city’s biggest salute to trailblazing busines...

Need for Speed Cited in Bay Restoration Efforts

Sep 20 2019

Posted In: Storm & Flood Protection,

The Bay Area needs to hurry efforts to restore Bay wetlands, according to a recent

President Napolitano’s Leadership Elevated the University of California

Sep 18 2019

Posted In: News, Press Releases, Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council today (Sept. 18) issued the following statement on University of California President Janet Napolitan...

Leaders Convene for Annual Meeting of Members

Sep 13 2019

Posted In: Membership, Uncategorized,

It was a double-header at the 2019 Annual Members Meeting this week (Sept. 9) as Bay Area Council members gathered at Orac...

Wunderman Receives Prestigious Honor in Shanghai

Sep 13 2019

Posted In: China,

For his leadership over more than a decade in building economic ties between the Bay Area and Shanghai, Bay Area Council C...

San Jose Students Get Inside Scoop on Aviation Careers

Sep 13 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized, Workforce of the Future,

A group of San Jose high school students this week learned about the diverse opportunities available to them in aviation d...

U.S. Bank’s Mahesh Kharkar to Co-Chair Workforce Committee

Sep 6 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee welcomes Mahesh Kharkar, US Bank Northern California Market Pre...

744 Housing Units Win Initial OK Behind Council Support

Sep 6 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Housing-starved San Francisco moved a step closer to adding 744 new units Thursday (Sept. 5) when the San Francisco Plann...

Housing Wake Up Call Coming for Regions, Cities

Sep 6 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

It was described at the time as a low-profile or “sleeper” housing bill in the midst of a raft of much higher profile ...

West Coast Leaders Explore Regional Solutions to Homelessness

Sep 6 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The Co-Chair of Gov. Newsom’s new Commission on Homelessness and Supportive Housing joined other top West Coast business...

All Aboard! ACE Train Expands Megaregion Rail Service

Sep 6 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Starting tomorrow (Sept. 7), ACE Train and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission wil...

Federal Grant a Boon for BART to San Jose Extension

Aug 30 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

The power of public private partnerships was on full display this week when the Federal Transit Administration announced $...

Summit Celebrates Key Milestone in U.S.-China Relations

Aug 30 2019

Posted In: China,

Hundreds of business, government and civic leaders gathered last week for a day-long event hosted by the Florence Fang Fa...

New Analysis: ADUs Are Good for Your Health

Aug 30 2019

Posted In: Housing,

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are good for your health, according to a new analysis by the California Budget & Polic...

Alaska Airlines Joins California Resilience Challenge

Aug 30 2019

Posted In: Storm & Flood Protection,

Alaska Airlines this week joined the California Resilience Challenge, pledging $10...

The James Irvine Foundation Helps Grow Bay Area Tech Apprenticeships

Aug 30 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future initiative has been awarded a $300,000 grant from The James Irvine Founda...

Regional Ferry Fleet Continues to Expand with Arrival of New Boat

Aug 23 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

In a fun series of tweets, the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA...

Trade War Not Deterring Council’s China Work

Aug 23 2019

Posted In: China, Economy,

The U.S.-China trade war continues to ratchet up, but it’s not deterring the Bay Area Council’s work to expand and dee...

Four Straight: Council’s Wunderman Named to Capitol Top 100

Aug 23 2019

Posted In: Government Relations, News,

Reflecting the Bay Area Council’s continuing strong influence in Sacramento, CEO Jim Wunderman was again named to the pr...

Heavy Hitters Convene in Sacramento to Talk Housing Solutions

Aug 23 2019

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

On Wednesday, the Bay Area Council’s Housing Committee convened in Sacramento to hear from the housing champions of the ...

Committee Focuses on Family Leave, Flexible Workplace Policies

Aug 16 2019

Posted In: Gender Equity, Workforce of the Future,

The importance of strong paid family leave policies in fostering a positive and productive workplace was among the key top...

UC Merced Marks Key Milestone

Aug 16 2019

Posted In: Education,

This week the Bay Area Council joined member UC Merced at its highly-anticipated ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the s...

Member Spotlight: DLA Piper’s Dean Fealk

Aug 9 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Gov. Gavin Newsom this week announced the appointment of Dean Fealk, a partner at Council member DLA Piper, to the Califor...

Cities Face Growing Legal Action over Housing

Aug 9 2019

Posted In: Housing,

Cities are coming under increasing legal fire to take action on the housing crisis. The latest example came this week when...

Study on Tearing Down Hetch Hetchy Misses the Mark

Aug 2 2019

Posted In: Water,

Jul 19 2019

Posted In: Housing,

A major initiative the Bay Area Council launched in 2016 to dramatically expand the construction of accessory dwelling uni...

Mary Huss Elected 39th Bay Area Council Chair

Jul 19 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Mary Huss, President and Publisher of the San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal, this week was ...

Council Advocacy Helps Move Housing Legislation Forward

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: Housing,

In a divide and conquer strategy, the Bay Area Council housing policy team this week zigzagged through the Capitol going f...

Preparing for Autonomous Vehicles

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

Autonomous vehicle technology is rapidly changing how cities and companies think about transportation infrastructure and t...

Bay Area Homelessness Up 24% Since 2017

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: Homelessness,

Three months after a Bay Area Council Economic Institute

Scaling Diversity and Inclusion Impacts in the Workplace

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council recently convened chief diversity officers from throughout the region to address the challenge of mea...

Community College Chancellor Deserves New Term

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: Education,

The California Community College (CCC) system under the leadership of Chancellor Eloy Oakley has embarked on a bold and in...

Council-Led China Delegation Hailed as Great Success

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: China,

A group of entrepreneurs and business leaders hailed as a major success a one-week tour through China the Bay Area Council...

Governor Signs Far Reaching Energy and Wildfire Bill

Jul 12 2019

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

Major new legislation aimed at helping energy utilities grapple with increased wildfire risks sailed through the legislatu...

Major Housing Contributions Underscores the Need for State Action

Jun 28 2019

Posted In: Housing,

Google announced a $1 billion contribution towards the housing crisis, aiming to deliver 20,000 Bay Area homes. Days later...

Apprenticeships Gaining Steam as a Strong Pathway for Talent

Jun 28 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Professional apprenticeship programs are growing, both in the Bay Area and nationwide, and are proving to be a valuable wa...

Council Advocacy Helps Restore Calbright Funding

Jun 14 2019

Posted In: Education, Workforce of the Future,

Funding for the California Online Community College District (Calbright College) has been restored after a strong advocacy...

Come One, Come All!

Jun 14 2019

May 31 2019

Posted In: Economy,

A threat by President Trump to impose tariffs on goods coming from Mexico has huge implications for California. The Bay Ar...

Council Endorses Stanford University Expansion Plan

May 31 2019

Posted In: Housing,

Stanford University, the fountainhead for Silicon Valley innovation, is advancing a bold, 20-year vision for expanding the...

Council Advocates for Higher Education Funding in State Budget

May 31 2019

Posted In: Education, Government Relations,

Education is critical in preparing California’s workforce for current and future jobs. That’s why the Bay Area Council...

A’s Waterfront Stadium, Development Offers Big Economic Benefits

May 31 2019

Posted In: Economy,

A proposal by the Oakland A’s to build a privately financed waterfront ballpark at Howard Terminal near Jack London Squa...

Driving Toward an Autonomous Vehicle Future

May 31 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

Technology and innovation are key driving forces for the Bay Area economy. A new horizon for these forces is the world of ...

Council to D.C.: Release $1.25 Billion BART Funding

May 31 2019

May 17 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The future of work is increasingly gaining traction among business leaders, educators, and government officials alike. Th...

More Work to Do to Make Workplaces Family Friendly

May 17 2019

Posted In: Gender Equity, Workforce of the Future,

California has work to do to improve conditions for working moms, according to a recent ranking by

New SFO-Tel Aviv Flights Highlight Strong Bay Area-Israel Connections

May 17 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

Underscoring the strong and growing connections between the Bay Area and Israel, El Al Israel Airlines this week began new...

Addressing Growing Demand for Skilled Construction Workers

May 10 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

The Bay Area continues to grow both economically and geographically. That growth puts big demands on the construction labo...

Council Welcomes Budding Leaders

May 10 2019

May 10 2019

Posted In: Government Relations, Uncategorized,

More than 60 Bay Area Council members led by Board Chairman Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, trave...

April Tax Showers Bring May Revenue for State Budget

May 10 2019

Posted In: Economy,

California’s soaring economy is giving Gov. Gavin Newsom more revenue, money he proposes using to prepare for a future d...

Curated Career Fairs Connect Local, Diverse Talent to Employers

May 3 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

A record 300 job seekers connected with 64 employers on Tuesday (April 30) at the latest in a series of career fairs organ...

New Report: Building a More Inclusive Bay Area Economy

May 3 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Through diversity and inclusion efforts, businesses can reap tremendous benefits while providing opportunities for young m...

Mourning the Passing of a Great Bay Area Leader

May 3 2019

Posted In: News,

The Bay Area, California and the nation lost a great leader this week with the passing of former Rep. Ellen Tauscher, who ...

New Report Explores How Bay Area Employers Can Build a More Inclusive Economy

Apr 30 2019

Posted In: News, Workforce of the Future,

Through diversity and inclusion efforts, businesses can reap tremendous benefits while providing opportunities for young m...

Tech Apprenticeships Building Momentum throughout the region

Apr 26 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

As the technology sector continues to grow its innovation footprint throughout the Bay Area, employers are examining new w...

Council Launches Statewide Casita Coalition to Promote ADUs

Apr 26 2019

Posted In: Housing,

The Bay Area Council has launched a new statewide coalition to expand construction of accessory dwelling units, aka “cas...

Big Plans for Expanding Regional Rail Service

Apr 26 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

Regional rail operators have big plans for the future of transit. Representatives from ACE Rail, BART, Caltrain, and Valle...

Council-Sponsored Homelessness Bill Advances

Apr 26 2019

Posted In: Government Relations, Homelessness,

Two weeks after releasing a groundbreaking report on homelessness in the Bay Area, a B...

Council CEO Skewers IPO Tax Proposal

Apr 26 2019

Posted In: Economy, Government Relations,

A proposal this week to tax IPO stock-based compensation brought swift condemnation from Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderma...

Economic Institute Insights: Regional Job Growth Surges

Posted In: Transportation,

The Bay Area Council brought together top employers in the Peninsula with local government elected leaders to openly engag...

Council Partners with James Irvine Foundation to Address Poverty

Apr 19 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized, Workforce of the Future,

Almost half of all California workers are struggling with poverty. Recognizing the inequities and challenges this poses fo...

Port of Oakland Delivering Big Economic Benefits

Apr 19 2019

Posted In: Economy, Uncategorized,

The Port of Oakland supports 84,144 jobs in the Bay Area and 20% of those jobs are Oakland-based, according to an

Member Spotlight: BPM Helping Low-Income Students Realize College Dreams

Apr 19 2019

Posted In: Membership, Uncategorized,

As stewards of the Bay Area, Bay Area Council members are constantly seeking opportunities to better serve the region we c...

Groundbreaking Report Shines Light on Regional Homelessness Crisis

Apr 12 2019

Posted In: Homelessness, Uncategorized,

The Bay Area’s homeless crisis ranks among the most severe in the United States, according to a groundbreaking new study...

Big Week in Sacramento for Council-Supported Legislation

Apr 12 2019

Posted In: Housing, Uncategorized,

Fanning out across hearing rooms in the state capitol, Bay Area Council policy leaders this week testified in support of f...

Encouraging Ruling in Regional Measure 3 Court Case

Apr 12 2019

Posted In: Transportation, Uncategorized,

Funding from an almost $5.6 billion regional transportation ballot measure that the Bay Area Council helped pass in 2017 ...

Paula Downey Goes Out on Top

Apr 12 2019

Posted In: Membership, Uncategorized,

The Bay Area Council congratulates Executive Committee member Paula Downey on her retirement last week as President and CE...

Announcing 2019 Pacific Summit with Gov. Gavin Newsom

Apr 10 2019

Posted In: Events,

Mark your calendar for one of the Bay Area Council's most anticipated and thought-provoking events of the year. The 2019 P...

Report: Bay Area Homeless Crisis among Worst in the Country

Posted In: Homelessness, Housing,

The Bay Area has one of the largest and least sheltered homeless populations in the United States, but does little to coordinate resources at a reg...

We Messed with Texas

Mar 22 2019

Posted In: Economy,

It was the Golden State against the Lone Star State on Thursday night at the Commonwealth Club, as Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman...

Council Sponsors Housing Legislation to Address Missing Middle

Mar 22 2019

Posted In: Housing,

State lawmakers are working furiously to push a suite of housing legislation encompassing over 200 bills and secure endorsements ahead of committe...

Ferry Service Coming to Berkeley?

Posted In: Government Relations, Workforce of the Future,

A move to modernize state labor laws could jeopardize millions of California jobs—from real estate agents to graphic designers—if changes now b...

Developing Regional Talent Development Network

Mar 1 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Education and training are critical elements in developing an inclusive and diverse workforce, but the connections between employers and educators/...

Advancing Workforce Digitalization and Economic Inclusion

Mar 1 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

As technology continues to impact the development of our workforce, big questions are emerging about maintaining and growing economic inclusivity i...

Council Applauds Gov. Newsom’s Action on Trade

Mar 1 2019

Posted In: China, News, Press Releases,

The Bay Area Council applauded Gov. Gavin Newsom’s action this week (Feb. 28) appointing Lt. Gov. and former U.S. Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis as ...

Searching for Solutions to Growing Homelessness Crisis

Mar 1 2019

Posted In: Homelessness,

Top leaders gathered in Sacramento this week (Feb. 28) in search of solutions to California’s housing and homelessness crisis at a summit convene...

Atmospheric River a Reminder of Bay Area Vulnerability to Extreme Storms

Mar 1 2019

Posted In: Storm & Flood Protection,

A second atmospheric river pummeled Northern California this week, bringing historic rain, flooding, snow and winds, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to...

Member Spotlight: Sutter Health Opens New CPMC Van Ness Campus in SF

Mar 1 2019

Posted In: Membership,

San Francisco residents now have a modern new hospital at their doorstep as Sutter prepares to open the doors to its new California Pacific Medical...

Construction Leadership Convenes to Grow Workforce Pipelines Across Region

Feb 22 2019

Posted In: Events, Housing, Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council convened top employers in the construction industry for the first-of-its-kind Occupational Council this week (Feb. 19) to addr...

Council and Community Partners Host President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Summit in Oakland

Feb 22 2019

Posted In: Events, Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council served on the local host committee for the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Rising! Summit held in Oakland this week...

Council Reviews Key Housing Legislation

Feb 22 2019

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

The LAO urged the Legislature to focus more on lower income housing than the “missing middle” where Governor placed a lot of emphasis. As Calif...

Chinese New Year Event Honors Legendary Florence Fang

Feb 15 2019

Posted In: China, News,

A packed room of Bay Area Council members, partners and friends gathered Wednesday (Feb. 13) to honor Florence Fang with the Global Leadership Awar...

Reports of Death of High Speed Rail Greatly Exaggerated

Feb 15 2019

Posted In: Press Releases, Transportation,

No, high speed rail in California is not dead. Despite some initial confusion over remarks in his state of the state address this week, Gov. Gavin ...

Council Works to Strengthen Healthcare Talent Pipeline

Feb 15 2019

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee recently conducted its first medical assistant Occupational Council 2019, examining ways...

Member Spotlight: Postmates

Feb 15 2019

Posted In: Membership, Workforce of the Future,

Postmates is exploring policy solutions with lawmakers to address workforce challenges in the gig economy. Last month, Postmates expressed support ...

Shape the Future of the Bay Area

Feb 15 2019

Posted In: Membership, News,

The Bay Area is a place of incredible innovation, transformation and progress. And for almost 75 years, the Bay Area Council has been the leading s...

Council Sounds Alarm Bell for Regional Action on Extreme Storms

Feb 13 2019

Posted In: News, Press Releases, Storm & Flood Protection,

An atmospheric river battering the Bay Area and Northern California should serve as a powerful reminder of the mounting risks and costs the region ...

Member Spotlight: Accenture Unveils New Innovation Hub

Feb 8 2019

Posted In: Membership,

Accenture this week (Feb. 6) opened a flagship innovation hub in the iconic Salesforce Tower. The hub is a state-of-the-art destination where cli...

Economic Forecast: Slower Growth a Good Thing?

Feb 8 2019

Posted In: Economy,

Is a looming recession about to hit? That question was on the top of everyone’s mind this morning as the Bay Area Council Economic Institute conv...

Homes, Not Walls

Feb 8 2019

Posted In: Housing,

An ill-advised attempt at humor by a Silicon Valley mayor brought a strong backlash from housing advocates this week and put a spotlight on the Bay...

Council Hears from State Water Board Chair on Controversial Cuts

Feb 8 2019

Posted In: Water,

Against a backdrop of lawsuits and accusations of water grabs, state Water Resources Control Board Chair Felicia Marcus addressed a packed house a...

BART Readies Early Bird Bus Service as Seismic Project Nears

Feb 8 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

As BART gets ready to begin a critical seismic retrofit of the Transbay Tube it’s ...

Bay Area Cities Dominate Best-Performing Ranking

Feb 1 2019

Posted In: Uncategorized,

Bay Area (and megaregion) cities again dominated an annual ranking of the nation’s best-performing cities. The ranking by the esteemed Milken Ins...

Member Spotlight: Auerbach International

Feb 1 2019

Posted In: Membership,

Gov. Newsom’s Proposed Budget a Good First Step for Addressing California’s Major Challenges

Jan 10 2019

Posted In: Economy, Education, Energy and Climate Change,

The Bay Area Council applauded Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2019-20 budget as a good first step in addressing California’s major challenges whi...

Former Council Chair Mendonca Named Chief Economic, Business Advisor to Gov.-elect Newsom

Jan 5 2019

Posted In: Economy, Government Relations, News,

The Bay Area Council today (Jan. 5) heartily applauded the appointment of its former chair, Lenny Mendonca, to serve as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom’s...

Seattle Shows Benefits of Increasing Housing Supply

Jan 4 2019

Posted In: Housing,

Funny how the whole supply/demand thing works when it comes to housing. A recent story in the —even as the region grows. It’s a message the Bay...

Another Milestone for Regional Ferry Service Expansion

Jan 4 2019

Posted In: Transportation,

For the second time in as many months, regional ferry service expansion will celebrate another important milestone. The Water Emergency Transportat...

Optimism, Anxiety over Water Plan and Bay Restoration

Jan 4 2019

Posted In: Water,

The Bay Area Council Water Committee received mixed news as state regulators continued their plan to reclaim water from the Bay Area and other regi...

Resounding Council YES to Denser Housing near Transit

Posted In: News, Storm & Flood Protection, Transportation,

The creation of the Bay Area’s modern-day regional water transit service may have all started with an earthquake and a helicopter ride. Renowned ...

Wiener Returns with New Housing-Transit Bill

Dec 7 2018

Nov 9 2018

Posted In: China,

The U.S. and China may be locked in a simmering trade war, but that didn’t dampen the warm reception the Bay Area Council received as it led a de...

Council Works to Address Aviation Maintenance Labor Shortfall

Nov 9 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Airline officials met this week with faculty from five Bay Area community colleges for the last of a series of Occupational Councils the Bay Area C...

Members Making News: Sutter Health, Heller Manus

Nov 2 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement, Economy, Healthcare,

Sutter Health’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center recently announced the launch of a new groundbreaking approach to avoid delays in treating ...

As Election Day Nears, No Time for Complacency

Nov 2 2018

Posted In: Government Relations,

With the election just days away, new polling shows voters siding with the Bay Area Council on two of the most hotly contested propositions on the ...

Council Welcomes New Chinese Consul General

Nov 2 2018

Posted In: China,

Sino-American relations may be strained, but that isn’t interfering with the Bay Area Council’s long-standing work to advance regional economic...

California’s Housing Horrors

Nov 2 2018

Posted In: Housing,

California is producing just seven units of housing for every 10 new households, according to a report by Up for Growth that was the focus of a dis...

Member Spotlight: Claremont Club & Spa

Nov 2 2018

Posted In: Membership,

The historic Claremont Club & Spa perched in the verdant Berkeley hills was the sett...

Bay Area – Germany Dialogue on Smart Manufacturing / Industry 4.0

Nov 2 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement, Economy, Events,

From November 7 – 9, the Bay Area hosts a German delegation of Smart Manufacturing / Industry 4.0 leaders, including the recipient of the Frost &...

Highways to Hell

Oct 26 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Transportation,

On the remote chance Bay Area commuters weren’t aware how awful their commutes are, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission this week released...

Strengthening Career Pathways for Community College Students

Oct 26 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Construction in the Bay Area is booming, which is presenting serious challenges for many companies that badly need workers for a variety of importa...

So Much for the Demise of Silicon Valley

Oct 26 2018

Posted In: Economy,

While some outsiders see a decline of Silicon Valley, a major announcement by JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon suggests the news of its death may be...

ANNUAL DINNER: TICKETS NOW ON SALE, TABLES SELLING OUT

Oct 26 2018

Posted In: Events,

Don't miss the business leadership event of the year! Tables are going quickly - and tickets are now on sale - for our 73rd Annual Dinner & Bu...

New Data: Bay Area’s Roads Worst in the Country

Oct 19 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Transportation,

With absentee ballots arriving in mailboxes and election day just a few weeks off, new data released this week on California’s deteriorating road...

Leaders Share Ideas on Family-Friendly Workplaces

Oct 19 2018

Posted In: Gender Equity,

How do companies create family-friendly workplace policies to advance gender equity? The Bay Area Council on Wednesday (Oct. 17) hosted the Future ...

Employers Weigh In on Creating an Inclusive Workforce

Oct 19 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Business giants Airbnb, Genentech, Nibbi Brothers General Contractors, and Salesforce joined the Bay Area Council on Monday (Oct. 15) at Airbnb to ...

As Ferry Ridership Grows, a New Vessel Commissioned

Oct 19 2018

Posted In: Transportation,

There’s more good news in the push to accelerate the expansion of regional ferry service. The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) thi...

Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Dismantle Hetch Hetchy

Oct 19 2018

Posted In: Water,

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday (Oct. 17) pounded yet another nail in the coffin of a misguided effort to tear down the system that provi...

Election 2018: Where the Council Stands

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: Government Relations,

Political campaigns are heating up. Absentee ballots are arriving. Votes are being cast. There are critical issues on the November ballot that will...

Trip Highlights Potential of Hovercraft on the Bay

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: Transportation,

The gate opened at the bow of the vessel, a black skirt draped around its hull. We boarded and took our seats. Within minutes, the boat rose quickl...

Tracking Rebuilding Progress One Year after North Bay Fires

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement,

On the one-year anniversary of the horrible North Bay fires, Bay Area Council Economic Institute President Micah Weinberg joined KQED Forum this we...

Career Fair Focuses on Highly Skilled Immigrants and Refugees

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

In the United States, two million skilled immigrants and refugees currently face under-employment or unemployment. In partnership with Upwardly Glo...

SF Business Times Names Its Most Admired CEOs of 2018

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: News,

You'll never guess who was named one of the San Francisco Business Times outstanding CEOs of 2018? That's right. We are thrilled to announce th...

Member Spotlight: United Airlines Flexes Economic Muscle at SFO

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: Membership,

United Airlines recently held its SFO Family Day to show off its United San Francisco maintenance facility that includes 15 buildings on 144 acres,...

Partner Spotlight: CA Competes Report Examines College Dropout Problem

Oct 12 2018

Posted In: Education,

California Competes today released its latest report, Back to College...

Dismal Grades for California’s Bridges, Roads and Transit

Oct 5 2018

Posted In: Transportation,

Good thing California’s bridges, roads and transit aren’t trying to get into a top tier college. More likely, they’d be placed on academic pr...

Merced Visit Highlights Megaregion, Public-Private Partnerships

Oct 5 2018

Posted In: Economy,

The important role of Merced and UC Merced in the growing Northern California megaregion was the focus of a recent trip the Bay Area Council made t...

Council-Backed Bills Provide New Tools to Combat Homelessness

Oct 5 2018

Posted In: Housing,

This year’s legislative session closed with Governor Brown signing three Bay Area Council-backed bills aimed at easing California’s spiraling h...

Career Fairs Focus on Increasing Workforce Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion

Oct 5 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Career fairs the Bay Area Council helped support and organize in the past several weeks with partners LeadersUp and Work2Future connected hundreds ...

Member Spotlight: Alaska Airlines Goes Back to School

Oct 5 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement, Membership,

In celebration of “Back to School,” Alaska Airlines along with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and the San Francisco Police D...

Learning from Portland’s Regional Governance Model

Sep 28 2018

Posted In: Economy,

A Bay Area Council delegation of business and government leaders traveled to Portland, Ore., this week to see what we can learn about that region�...

City Manager Resignation Highlights Housing Frustration

Sep 28 2018

Posted In: Housing,

The city manager of tony Lafayette submitted his resignation this week in a move that reflected the growing frustration many in the Bay Area feel a...

Road Funding Repeal & Rent Control Ballot Propositions Trailing

Sep 28 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

Two key California propositions that the Bay Area Council has made mission critical for the November election appear to be trending favorably, acco...

Major Water Districts Join California Resilience Challenge

Sep 26 2018

Posted In: Energy and Climate Change,

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Santa Clara Valley Water District today (Sept. 26) announced they have joined the

Housing Advocacy Paying Off

Sep 21 2018

Posted In: Housing,

There was encouraging news on the housing front this week as several projects the Bay Area Council was supporting won approval. It may not end a cr...

Getting a First Hand Look at North Bay Fire Recovery

Sep 21 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement,

The deadly and devastating fires were long ago extinguished, but the difficult work of recovering and rebuilding continues in the North Bay. To und...

Can the Bay Area Hover Its Way Out of Traffic?

Sep 21 2018

Posted In: Transportation,

In the 1930s, a fleet of ferry boats carried about 55 million passengers a year in the Bay Area (adjusted for population, twice the ridership of BA...

Combatting Toxic Workplace Cultures

Sep 21 2018

Posted In: Gender Equity,

We Said Enough and #MeToo movement leader Adama Iwu, Vice President of State and Community Relations for Visa, joined the Bay Area Council Gender E...

Member Spotlight: AIM Addresses Looming Aviation Maintenance Worker Shortage

Sep 21 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

As a wave of retirements threatens a labor shortage in the aviation maintenance industry, Bay Area Council member Aviation Institute of Maintenance...

Warriors’ Rick Welts Adds Hall of Famer to His Title

Sep 14 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement,

Rick Welts hasn’t scored a single point, made a single steal or grabbed even one rebound since he began an almost 50-year career in the NBA in 19...

Council Members Take Center Stage at Global Climate Summit

Sep 14 2018

Posted In: Storm & Flood Protection,

Gov. Jerry Brown convened leaders from around the world in San Francisco this week for the Global Climate Action Summit and many Bay Area Council m...

Career Fair Focuses on Opportunities for Youth of Color

Sep 14 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee this week (Sept. 20) partnered with Work2Future on a San Jose career fair that focused o...

Closing the Skills Gap across Industries

Sep 7 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Fierce demand and competition for workforce talent is steering a growing number of tech companies, including Google, Amazon, IBM and Tesla, to buil...

Leveraging Tech, Innovation to Address Regional Challenges

Sep 7 2018

Posted In: Economy,

The Bay Area Council this week was thrilled to partner with member company TechCrunch on Disrupt SF 2018, one of the technology industry’s bigges...

CA Faces Staggering $1 Trillion Infrastructure Funding Gap

Sep 7 2018

Posted In: Economy,

California’s vibrant economy and communities rely on an extensive infrastructure network of highways, bridges, ports, levees, rail lines, schools...

Hetch Hetchy Tour Highlights Latest Threat to the System

Sep 7 2018

Posted In: Water,

Bay Area Council Water Committee Chairs Andy Ball and Jim Levine this week led a coalition of business leaders on an overnight tour of the Hetch He...

Gavin Newsom Outlines Priorities at Council Forum

Aug 31 2018

Posted In: Government Relations,

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the Bay Area Council on Tuesday to talk about his bid to become California’s next governor and share his insights o...

SF Mayor Breed Addresses Council Members at Annual Meeting

Aug 31 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Membership,

It was a double-header at the 2018 Annual Members Meeting this week (Aug. 27) as Bay Area Council members gathered at AT&T Park to hear from ke...

Council Urges Governor’s Signature on Key Bills

Aug 31 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

It ain’t over until Gov. Brown signs, but the Bay Area Council this week was still cheering one of its most successful legislative campaigns in r...

Council Hosts India’s Technology Minister

Aug 31 2018

Posted In: China, Government Relations,

On August 28 the Bay Area Council hosted a private dinner in Palo Alto with the Hon. Ravi Shankar Prasad, India’s Minister of Electronics, IT, La...

Flawed Plan Would Decimate Bay Area Water Reliability

Aug 31 2018

Posted In: Water,

(This opinion piece ran in the San Francisco Chronicle on Aug. 28, 2018) By Jim Wunderman Apart from a famous Mark Twain quote involving...

Stupski Foundation Grant Propels Occupational Councils

Aug 31 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Innovative Occupational Councils (OCs) the Bay Area Council launched this year to address workforce gaps in key industries have exceeded expectatio...

Key Council-Backed Housing Legislation Advances

Aug 29 2018

Posted In: Housing, News, Press Releases,

Legislation (SB 1227, Skinner) the Bay Area Council sponsored to address a critical statewide shortage of affordable student housing is headed to G...

Council-Backed BART Housing Bill Clears Senate

Aug 24 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

Legislation the Bay Area Council is supporting that would usher in tens of thousands of new housing units near BART stations passed the Senate this...

Pushing Back on Business, Jobs Taxes

Aug 24 2018

Posted In: Economy, Government Relations,

A number of Bay Area cities are teeing up new taxes on the November ballot aimed at jobs and business that will hurt the region’s economic compet...

Member Spotlight: UC Merced Celebrates Completion of First Phase of ‘2020 Project’

Aug 24 2018

Posted In: Membership,

The University of California, Merced — the newest campus in the 10-school University of California syste...

JP Morgan Chase Grant Fuels Innovative Workforce Program

Aug 24 2018

Posted In: News, Workforce of the Future,

JPMorgan Chase & Co. continues its commitment to the Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future program with a $100,000 grant. These funds wi...

Partner Spotlight: 42 Silicon Valley

Aug 24 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council's Workforce of the Future Committee is always looking for organizations to partner with that are committed to expanding access...

Council Partners on Leading Tech Industry Conference

Aug 24 2018

Posted In: Events,

The Bay Area Council is partnering with TechCrunch on its biggest, most-anticipated event of the year. Disrupt SF 2018 will be held September 5-7 i...

Council Works the Capitol Halls as Legislative Deadlines Near

Aug 17 2018

Posted In: Government Relations,

State lawmakers were working furiously this week to wrap up the current legislative session and the Bay Area Council was working furiously to ensur...

Council CEO Again Named to Top 100 Influencers List

Aug 17 2018

Posted In: News,

For the fourth straight year, Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman was named to the

New Report: Expanding Rent Control Hurts Local Coffers

Aug 17 2018

Posted In: Housing,

Expanding rent control will chill investment in new and existing housing and reduce local tax revenues by tens of millions of dollars annually, acc...

Bad Roads Costing Bay Area Commuters Thousands

Aug 17 2018

Posted In: Transportation,

Bad roads and highways cost many Bay Area commuters upwards of almost $3,000 a year in wasted time, vehicle repairs and other costs, according to a...

Mentorship Programs Valuable for Growing New Leaders

Aug 17 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

Mentorships are a valuable way for employers to grow leadership from within their ranks, while building employee satisfaction through repeated enga...

Breakfast with Ravi Shankar Prasad

Aug 17 2018

Posted In: Economy, Events, Government Relations,

The California Business Roundtable, California Chamber of Commerce, Bay Area Council, DLA Piper, and The Westly Group, in partnership with NASSCOM,...

A Bay Area-Europe Collaboration on Cybersecurity Education

Aug 10 2018

Posted In: Community Engagement, Cybersecurity, Economy,

EIT Digital and Bay Area Council member UC Berkeley have joined forces to launch Cybersecurity...

Council Urges Stronger Police Response to BART Crime

Aug 10 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Transportation,

Despite a spasm of violent and deadly attacks on BART, wavering confidence in the system and a depleted police force, the mass transportation agenc...

As Housing Crisis Grows, Council Convenes Top Leaders to Identify Solutions

Aug 10 2018

Posted In: Government Relations, Housing,

The Bay Area Council Housing Committee on Wednesday (Aug. 8) convened a powerhouse group of elected, labor, government and industry leaders at our ...

Sen. Feinstein Leads Landmark Shoreline Restoration Project Launch

Aug 10 2018

Posted In: News, Water,

Sen. Dianne Feinstein led a group of local, state and federal officials in a ceremony Friday in San Jose’s Alviso neighborhood launching the Sout...

Advanced Manufacturing: Gears are Turning

Aug 10 2018

Posted In: Workforce of the Future,

The Bay Area Council’s Workforce of the Future Committee convened its first Advanced Manufacturing Occupational Council on Wednesday, August 1 to...

New Report: Overcoming CA’s $1 Trillion Infrastructure Deficit

Aug 10 2018

Posted In: 21st Century Infrastructure, News, Transportation,

With California facing a $1 trillion infrastructure deficit between now and 2050, a new Bay Area Council Economic Institute report explores how pub...

Council CEO Calls for Regional “Mutual Aid” Response for BART

Aug 8 2018

Posted In: News, Press Releases,

Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman today (Aug. 8) called for an immediate regional “mutual aid” response by Bay Area law enforcem...

New Tariffs to Escalate Construction Costs Impacting Bay Area’s Housing Production and Prices

Aug 3 2018

Posted In: Economy, Government Relations, Housing,

Tariffs of 20% the Trump administration imposed last year on imports of Canadian softwood lumber, and more recent tariffs of 15% and 10% on steel a...

Bay Area Cities Approve, Deny New Taxes on Business

Aug 3 2018

Posted In: 21st Century Infrastructure,