blog.bayareametro.gov | News, Views and Analysis from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments

Headlines

Headlines for September 16, 2019

September 16, 2019 By Library

A white bird perches and spreads its wings on the grass marsh of the Alviso Slough.

‘Flight shaming’ could help unleash billions in airline cash to protect the Amazon and other tropical forests [San Diego Union Tribune]
What Passed? What Didn't? Catch Up With the California Legislature as Session Ends [KQED]
Bernie Sanders lays out an ambitious plan on affordable housing [Washington Post]
California legislature passes Sen. Dodd's bill on Napa Pipe housing [Napa Valley Register]
Trump’s proposals to tackle California homelessness face local, legal obstacles [Washington Post]

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Environment

Senate designates September 14-21, 2019 as National Estuaries Week

September 13, 2019 By Tommy Alexander

Mark Prado

San Rafael Bay.

Last month, the U.S. Senate adopted a resolution designating September 14-21, 2019 as the seventh annual National Estuaries Week. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for September 13, 2019

September 13, 2019 By Library

Suisun Bay. The water is a blue-green-brown color; there are some docks and a boat in the foreground, and brown hills covered in dark green trees in the background.

Heat wave expected to peak Friday, and then rain enters the forecast [San Francisco Chronicle]
Sacramento’s rent control law goes into effect today. What renters, landlords need to know [Sacramento Bee]
Number of people living in cars, RVs and tents increases in Berkeley [Berkeleyside]
Neighbors raise parking, traffic concerns at public meeting on new SRJC housing [Press Democrat ]
Mission Bay comes of age [San Francisco Chronicle]

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Transportation

Throwback Thursday Video: BART started service 47 years ago this week

September 12, 2019 By Mark Prado

BART's first day of service, Sept. 11, 1972.

Contrary to what some might think, BART didn't always exist. In fact, service started in 1972, although decades of planning and construction preceded trains rolling. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for September 12, 2019

September 12, 2019 By Library

Green trees and grass along a pond or lake, and the blue sky above, cast a near-perfect reflection on the still water below.

A heat wave is here: How hot is it going to get? [San Francisco Chronicle]
Costs soar for shoreline protections as SFO plans for higher sea-level rise [San Francisco Examiner]
West Coast whale entanglements reduced by half this season, but reason why is debated [Mercury News]
California lawmakers move to reinstate, revamp local affordable housing program [Los Angeles Times]
Editorial: San Rafael takes steps to increase housing [Marin Independent Journal]

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Services

Restaurant coming to Sales Force Transit Center

September 11, 2019 By Mark Prado

Noah Berger

Known for moving thousands of bus users in and out of San Francisco every day, the Sales Force Transit Center will be getting a new restaurant in the coming months, according to news reports. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for September 11, 2019

September 11, 2019 By Library

Some California Housing Markets More At Risk Should Recession Hit [Capital Radio]
Napa County Open Space District opposes housing; wants all of Skyline Park preserved [Napa Valley Register]
Fremont council chooses homeless navigation center location [Mercury News]
Tenants forced out as East Bay apartments become low income [Mercury News]
East Oakland tenants face devastating rent hike [Mercury News]

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Transportation

SF Transit Week in peak

September 10, 2019 By Mark Prado

Mark Prado

We are in the middle of Transit Week 2019, an event sponsored by the San Francisco Transit Riders group. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019 By Library

Marin County's eastern shore, with the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco in the background.

California lawmakers challenge Trump’s bid to expand oil drilling and fracking statewide [Los Angeles Times]
Water interests are fighting California’s bid to block Trump’s environmental rollbacks [Los Angeles Times]
SF rents soar as much as 18 percent in five years [Curbed SF]
SF judge allows construction on waterfront homeless shelter to continue [San Francisco Examiner]
Can’t buy a house? 2020 Democrats say they’ll push cities to build more homes [Sacramento Bee]

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Headlines

Headlines for September 9, 2019

September 9, 2019 By Library

The front of a BART train and a sign that reads WELCOME TO WARM SPRINGS / SOUTH FREMONT, inside a BART station.

Conservation areas back for Board of Supervisors decision [Fairfield Daily Republic]
Bart Board To Vote On Proposal To Spend $227M For New Hq Site [San Francisco Chronicle]
SANDAG unveils spending blueprint for traffic-prone commuter corridors, vexing backers of freeway expansion [San Diego Union Tribune]
Take the scenic route: now you can get to SFO via ferry [San Francisco Chronicle]
American Canyon weighs its greenhouse gas reduction efforts [Napa Valley Register]

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Headlines

Headlines for September 5, 2019

September 5, 2019 By Library

A windmill and the rolling hills of Alameda County.

Ending sales of new gas-powered cars is part of Kamala Harris’ climate change plan [McClatchy]
California rent cap measure could have limited impact 2 [Marin Independent Journal]
City's Planning Director Announces Retirement After 11 Years Of Service [San Francisco Chronicle]
LA sued over plan to add denser housing near transit [LA Curbed]
Developer confident major East Bay apartment project will be built [East Bay Times]

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Headlines

Headlines for September 4, 2019

September 4, 2019 By Library

Looking down the tunnel and train tracks of an Amtrack train line, with a train on the right.

Democrats propose spending trillions fighting climate change [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
U.S. EPA awards $1.5 million to San Francisco Estuary Partnership to protect the Bay and its watersheds [Menafn]
Nearly 500 new homes going up in Rohnert Park’s W Section [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
Editorial: California’s struggle to contain the housing crisis [San Francisco Chronicle]
Concord weapons station has fraught history, but development concept has promise [San Francisco Chronicle]

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Headlines

Headlines for September 3, 2019

September 3, 2019 By Library

Cyclists and pedestrians take advantage of the carfree Embarcadero in San Francisco for Sunday's Streets.

California’s fight over tailpipe emissions, explained [Calmatters]
Our view: State is about to raise the bar for Bay Area housing [San Francisco Business Journal]
Schnur: California is experiencing a housing shortage. Why are housing permits down 20 percent? [Sacramento Bee]
Gavin Newsom, top Democrats strike deal to cap rent hikes in California [Sacramento Bee]
California governor announces deal to cap rising rent prices [AP News]

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Transportation

VTA brings you to 49ers

August 30, 2019 By Mark Prado

Mark Prado

The 49ers season begins soon, with the first home game in Santa Clara on Sept. 22. Public transit is a good option to get to Levi's Stadium. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for August 30, 2019

August 30, 2019 By Library

Battle renews over one of the Bay Area's biggest sites [San Francisco Business Journal]
Opinion: East Bay suburbs are feeling the housing crisis, too [East Bay Times]
2 Napa County sites on state housing list: parts of Skyline Park and Veterans Home [Napa Valley Register]
Marin home prices dip 3.6% in July [Marin Independent Journal]
Bay Area homes got slightly more affordable in July as prices and mortgage rates fall [San Francisco Chronicle]

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Transportation

Holy potholes! Runner busts leg landing in one

August 29, 2019 By Mark Prado

Miguel Tremblay via Wikimedia Commons.

Talk about about bad potholes. A Michigan runner said he broke his leg while stepping in one during a race in the city of Flint last weekend. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for August 29, 2019

August 29, 2019 By Library

Bicyclists on Ford GoBikes ride past the Fox Theater in Oakland's Uptown district.

What’s Killing California’s Sea Otters? House Cats [New York Times]
Gavin Newsom drops plan for California homelessness czar [San Francisco Chronicle]
Where can you afford to rent in California? [Los Angeles Times]
Seniors facing eviction fear homelessness and isolation as California’s housing crisis rolls on [Los Angeles Times]
Millennium Tower homeowners reach tentative settlement in lawsuits over sinking building [San Francisco Examiner]

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Transportation

Free transit? KC likes the idea

August 28, 2019 By Mark Prado

Anzacosf2010 via Wikimedia Commons.

Kansas City is seriously looking at free bus transit as a way to provide equity, improve the environment and smooth traffic. Read More

Headlines

Headlines for August 28, 2019

August 28, 2019 By Library

Alameda Island in the foreground, with the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge and San Francisco in the distance.

Researchers Press California to Strengthen Landmark Climate Law [KQED]
What Does '12 Years to Act on Climate Change' (Now 11 Years) Really Mean? [KQED]
California Challenges Trump Plan to Ease Review of Climate Impacts [KQED]
The Trump administration blow to wild salmon [San Francisco Examiner]
California needs to continue to set ambitious climate change goals. But let’s do our homework, too [Sacramento Bee]

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Resiliency

New research addresses equity and climate resilience

August 27, 2019 By Mark Prado

Mark Prado

Climate change. Sea-level rise. Resilience.

The terms are ubiquitous in the public realm, planning circles and among policymakers around the Bay Area. The topics are among the most vexing of our time. Read More

Headlines