Interview: Jim Wunderman Shares Insights on Regional Stewardship, Coalition Building

In a wide-ranging interview with VerdeXchange Conference organizers, Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman recently reflected on his 20-year tenure and how the Council grew into one of California’s most influential civic organizations.

For 18 years, VerdeXchange has been a premier event bringing together industry leaders across clean, green, and blue technologies — including water, advanced vehicle manufacturing, software and hardware development — as well as public policymakers, innovative financiers, and environmental stewards. This annual gathering unites key stakeholders “under one roof” to assess what’s currently in market, what’s emerging, and what’s needed to accelerate the global, multi-trillion-dollar verde economy.

In this informative and engaging interview, Jim discusses the politics of state-led housing reform, highlighting the Council’s sponsorship of SB 79 (transit-oriented development), and argues that interim and recovery housing must become central to California’s ongoing homelessness response efforts. On San Francisco’s much-publicized struggles, Jim credits new mayoral leadership with restoring public confidence and advancing pragmatic reforms. He also introduces New California Coalition, a statewide effort he helped form to align statewide business, civic, and regional leaders around four urgent priorities: housing, homelessness, water and energy, and jobs and the economy.