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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of San José’s outdoor dining initiative extended a critical lifeline to businesses and their patrons. The program continues to be a popular way to advance economic recovery and enliven streets. ���ϴ�����recommends four strategies for improving upon the Al Fresco Initiative and expanding it to businesses and neighborhoods citywide.

Coleman Avenue sits at the intersection of several plans for San Jose’s growth. Located near downtown, the airport, and Guadalupe River Park and Gardens, it will be critical to their future success. ���ϴ�����and JLP+D present a community-informed evaluation of the Coleman Avenue corridor and make the case that developing a strategic plan for the area will be critical to leveraging it as a key connector and gateway for the city.

���ϴ�����has signed on to this letter of support to help protect access to the financial and environmental benefits of rooftop solar and batteries for California renters. Last year, the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) gutted California's premier rooftop solar program for homeowners and businesses– Net Metering(NEM). Now the utilities are lobbying the CPUC to do the same for people who live in multi-family dwellings.

As MTC and transit operators are beginning outreach for Transit 2050+ Plan SPUR, Seamless Bay Area and Friends of Caltrain urge the project team to consider opportunities to improve the region's transit network in both the near- and long-term.

���ϴ�����submits joint comments with Seamless Bay Area, Transform and Friends of Caltrain emphasizing the importance of the Clipper BayPass Pilot. Clipper BayPass is a pilot transit pass program under development by MTC and transit operators that provides recipients with unlimited rides on all Bay Area transit systems.

Advocacy letter making recommendations for inclusion in Oakland's 2023 Safety Element (part of the General Plan update process). Recommendations were shared with Oakland Policy Board prior to letter submission to City of Oakland.

���ϴ�����recently submitted comments on the Draft Environmental Justice Element of the City of Oakland 2045 General Plan Update. Overall, ���ϴ�����feels that the EJ Element Draft is a thoughtful document that effectively uses data and demonstrates a clear commitment to evidence-based, inclusionary policy. The EJ Element is an important step toward addressing Oakland's past of inequitable city planning and ensuring that all Oaklanders have access to pollution-free air, clean water, a safe home, and other positive environmental factors. In our comments, ���ϴ�����offers recommendations on how the EJ Element can be improved to meet these goals.

Our organizations strongly encourage you to support the Legislature’s transit budget, which includes restoring $2 billion to TIRCP from the General Fund and a new, 3-year $1.1 billion appropriation to a Zero-Emission Transit Capital Program from various sources, including the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the General Fund, and the Public Transportation Account.

The Powering Up Californians Act by Senator Josh Becker would help accelerate connecting EV charging infrastructure, new development, and retrofitted buildings to the electrical grid - a process that's been plagued by prolonged delays that are slowing the state's transition to a clean, electric economy.

���ϴ�����supports the pedestrianization of San Pedro Street in Downtown San José. Enabling outdoor operations along San Pedro Street as part of the Al Fresco initiative allowed for an expansion of outdoor public life in the center of the city that has become a popular destination for residents and visitors alike. However, the proposed project should set a precedent of efficiently and effectively creating a public amenity, as well as preserving the central spaces for dining and social gathering given this project’s overwhelming community support. We ask the City to enshrine this pedestrianized public space for the benefit of Downtown’s economic and public vibrancy and to do so by ambitiously making sure that thoughtful planning, great urban design, and innovative project delivery steer this public amenity forward.

���ϴ�����submits this letter in regard to proposed changes to percentage allocations and the spending plan for FY 2023-2024 Measure E funds that will alter current policy by reallocating funds away from the existing balanced commitment to the creation of new affordable housing and homelessness prevention, support, and management. We ask that the City consider alternative policy measures that include current funding strategies for the creation of affordable housing to mitigate impacts from any changes to the FY23-24 Measure E percentage allocations and spending plan that would effectively zero funds toward the development of affordable housing.