A Bold Future For Equitable Housing In California

A Series of Events on Affordable Housing Solutions  

Presented by PBF and SPUR

Sponsored by Meta and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Together we can build the power necessary to create solutions that prioritize the housing needs of our neighbors and ensure that people of all backgrounds and economic statuses can call the Bay Area home. Addressing the housing crisis requires reevaluating the interconnected challenges and prioritizing racial and economic equity. Partnership for the Bay’s Future (PBF) and the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) are excited to announce a series of forums to highlight innovative strategies and tactics that are advancing equitable pro-housing agendas across the Bay Area and California. From holding cities accountable for their housing needs to small scale housing to creating policies through community/government partnerships, we’ll visit a range of solutions for building a more equitable and affordable region.

HOLDING CITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS

Housing Elements Compliance and the Housing Readiness Report

March 7, 2023 – Watch the video below

As we move into a new cycle of housing production goals set by the state – known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) – we need to make sure that local governments are quickly approving housing to meet their communities’ needs. With all the housing laws passed in California over the past few years, and technical assistance offered through the California Housing California Department of Housing and Community Development as well as the Association of Bay Area Governments, we have more tools than ever to support cities to develop and implement their housing plans and meet their RHNA goals. Watch the full discussion from March 7th below to learn how to ensure your city is meeting its housing needs.

  • David Zisser, California Department of Housing and Community Development
  • Daniel Saver, Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Association of Bay Area Government
  • Kristy Wang, Community Planning Collaborative
  • Moderator: Khanh Russo, San Francisco Foundation

THE FUTURE OF SB 9: BUILDING SMALL SCALE HOUSING IN CALIFORNIA

Wednesday, April 5, 2023
5:30 pm Reception | 6:00 pm Panel Discussion

In an effort to respond to California’s growing housing crisis, legislators in Sacramento passed Senate Bill 9, a bill aimed at streamlining permitting and increasing housing density across the state. The impact of Senate Bill 9 could be enormous in expanding the supply of “missing middle” housing – a residential building or lot that contains multiple housing units. Until SB 9, small-scale housing had largely been illegal due to local zoning restrictions. Building off the success of recent ADU laws, we’ll discuss how SB 9 can be improved and implemented so that small-scale housing can be more easily constructed.

  • Muhammad Alameldin, Terner Center for Housing Innovation
  • James Pappas, San Francisco Planning Department
  • Alejandro Martinez, Coalition for Responsible Community Development 
  • Moderator: Anu Natarajan, Housing Initiative Lead, Meta

AN EQUITABLE PATH FOR BLACK DEVELOPERS

Tuesday, April 18, 2023, 6:00 pm

Black Developers have historically been kept out of the real estate development ecosystem through exclusionary employment practices in the real estate sector, and discriminatory patterns in the banking sector that place barriers to capital access and economic mobility for people of color. Leaders from the Black Developers Forum and the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative will discuss efforts to create a $500 million Regional Black Housing Finance Pool to address redevelopment, acquisition, and rehabilitation challenges and to support Black leaders who are serving the housing needs of Black communities.

*A recording will be available after the forum.

  • Nikki Beasley, Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services
  • Kenneth Jones, Local Alliance for Neighborhood Development and Integrated Services 
  • Donald Gilmore, Community Housing Development Corporation
  • Moderator: Melissa Jones, BARHII

PRESERVING HOUSING & CENTERING TENANTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO PURCHASE

A Playbook for TOPA/COPA Policies

Thursday, May 18, 2023, 12:30 pm

One critical solution to strengthen our communities and protect tenants from losing their homes is the Tenant or Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA/COPA), which is being proposed by cities and counties across California. We’re bringing together community organizers, policy makers, government officials and affordable housing experts who have been on the front lines of drafting and adopting TOPA/COPA. They’ll explore how they’ve combatted opposition and misinformation, how government and philanthropy can creatively support TOPA/COPA implementation, and how the lessons they’ve learned can assist other jurisdictions looking to adopt a similar act. 

*A recording will be available after the forum.

  • Maria Guerrero, SOMOS Mayfair 
  • Martha Escudero, TOPA4LA
  • Peter Ortiz, San Jose Councilmember
  • Moderator: Lydia Lopez, California Community Land Trust Network

TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY-GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS IN HOUSING POLICY

Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 6:30 pm

The pandemic was a stark reminder of the importance of relationships between local government and community. The need for the government to act swiftly and equitably was apparent, as the nation saw an explosion of activism around public health and safety, housing and homelessness, and economic and climate justice. These movements centered the needs of those most affected by the crises, but how can we ensure community voices are centered in policy-making processes?

This panel will discuss Partnership for the Bay’s Future’s innovative model of policy change that facilitates community and government collaboration. This model ensures community leaders have a seat at the table and can better understand the inner workings of government, while also providing resources and insight to government officials as they craft policy.

*A recording will be available after the forum.

  • Benjamin Toney, Partnership for the Bay’s Future
  • Chris Norman, Oakland Department of Housing and Community Development
  • Ellen Wu, Urban Habitat
  • Moderator: Aysha Pamukcu, San Francisco Foundation


In-Person @ SPUR Urban Center
654 Mission St, San Francisco
Register Today