SB 375: CREATING GREAT COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA

The Opportunity

California has an unprecedented opportunity

Reform transportation and land use policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions AND

Advance public health, social equity, environmental sustainability, and economic growth

Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) of 2008

SB 375

Goal: To align regional transportation, land use and affordable housing plans to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions

Step 1: Set Targets

Step 2: Create Sustainable Communities Strategies

Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS)

Transportation investments + Land use patterns

Where will homes, job centers, open space, retail be located? More opportunities to drive less through increased public transit

and biking and walking options.

SCS + RTP = ↓ VMT, OMG!

MPO = Metropolitan Planning OrganizationCOG = Council of GovernmentsRTP = Regional Transportation PlanSCS = Sustainable Communities

StrategyVMT = Vehicle Miles TraveledGHG = Greenhouse Gases

San Joaquin Valley is Key

Source: Paving Paradise, AFT, 2007Source: California Regional Progress Report, CalTrans, 2010

Source: H+T Affordability Index, Center for Neighborhood Technology; 2008 gas pricesData for Fresno region; other regions' data available at http://htaindex.cnt.org/

Transportation is a big part of household budgets: often even bigger than housing

Percent of Monthly Income in the Fresno Metro Region

30%

36%

34% HousingTransportationOther

Building and Demonstrating Broad Support for Good Growth

Our work in the SJV

SB 375 Community Equity Coalition Capacity Building

Community Education and Organizing Health Impact Assessment (Fresno and Kern) Developing relationships with MPO staff and

decision makers

Rural Communities At a Glance California Unincorporated: Mapping Disadvantaged

Communities in the San Joaquin Valley 3.6 million identified by Census Bureau Additional 2.8 million residents not previously captured 525 communities in the SJV 64% of households are low income 65% people of color

PolicyLink, 2013

Challenges to Overcome

Challenges to Overcome

Risks for Rural Communities Strong Urban Bias and Competing Interests

Where will investments go? Counties have encouraged disinvestment and growth

around and away from historic low income neighborhoods and communities

Systematically underserved in the overall allocation of public resources

Left out of local decision making processes

Opportunities

Improved Health Outcomes

Affordable Housing Improved Public

Transit Access to Services Funding for our

Region Farmland protection

and conservation

What’s it going to take to win

Strong, unified, and organized voice

Educate our decision makers to build political will and leadership

Create welcoming environments for public engagement

Sustained Civic Engagement

http://www.climateplan.org/