The Bay Area Council is working to bring new investment to our waterfront to tackle our interconnected environmental, housing, and economic goals. Many of the region’s most beautiful and successful neighborhoods, job centers, and parks are right on the water, and we believe there should be more. As the Bay Area faces $110 billion in funding needs to adapt to sea level rise, the private sector has a critical role to play in building the shoreline of the future. By activating our waterfront, we can build vibrant and beautiful new centers for community and innovation while embracing climate resilience and preparing the region to weather the storms ahead.
2025 PRIORITIES:
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Sponsor and support plans and legislation at the regional, state, and federal level to activate our waterfront with new housing, jobs, recreation, transportation, and infrastructure.
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Develop an inspiring vision for the waterfront of the future through original research on the potential of different policy mechanisms to leverage private development to meet multiple climate and economic goals and fund shoreline adaptation and bay restoration needs.
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Partner with waterfront stakeholders to support specific projects and developments around the Bay Area that will contribute to the vitality of our waterfront and advance our goals of housing production, jobs creation, sustainable transportation, and public access to the Bay.
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Pursue permitting reform legislation to address barriers to housing development, sustainable transportation, shoreline resilience, and habitat restoration projects on the Bay shoreline.
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Lead coalition to expand water transit service on the Bay by advocating for funding for public ferry terminals and services and promoting new service concepts to access new markets.
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Advocate for revival of the region’s historic maritime industry to meet growing zero-emission ferry needs and prepare for maritime demands in energy and national security.
Waterfront Initiative Co-Chairs
- Seamus Murphy, SF Bay Ferry
- Enrique Landa, Associate Capital
- Geeti Silwal, Perkins&Will
Staff Leads
- Adrian Covert, Senior Vice President of Public Policy
- Emily Loper, Vice President of Public Policy
- Rigel Robinson, Consultant
Get Involved
The Waterfront Initiative is open to Bay Area Council members. In addition, we invite members and non-members alike to submit projects, proposals, or topics for discussion to the committee for review. For more information, contact Rigel Robinson (rrobinson@bayareacouncil.org).
