Issue: Climate Justice
Topic: State Climate Policy
Background
We have launched a climate justice advocacy campaign that will bring low-income voices to the table and shape SB 375 implementation to achieve equitable transit and affordable housing for low income communities of color. Without advocacy, watch dogging and effective collaboration, we fear that not only will the opportunity for equitable land use and transportation reform be squandered, SB 375 could make things worse for our constituent communities.
Specifically, SB 375 could lead regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations to shift even more resources to higher income “choice riders” and to suburban rail expansion; it could also generate urban development patterns that displace low income residents of color to the distant reaches of our regions. Our campaign will protect against these risks and seize the opportunities for reform and coalition-building that SB 375 presents.
We are actively involved in the statewide advocacy networks monitoring SB 375 implementation. For instance, we have urged the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to incorporate social equity considerations (such as the amount of affordable housing near jobs and transit) into the GHG target-setting process. One of our key recommendations is for CARB and MPOs across the state to apply a Jobs-Housing Fit metric to their analysis of GHG reductions. We are also facilitating conversations among equity organizations in other regions (e.g., San Diego, LA, Orange County, and Sacramento) to share best practices and lessons learned around SB 375-related advocacy.
