NPH Joins Assemblymembers David Chiu and Timothy Grayson to Announce Bill to Encourage Transit Oriented Development Near BART Stations

On Monday, March 5, NPH’s Policy Director, Michael Lane, participated in a press conference at the Concord BART station hosted by Assemblymembers David Chiu and Tim Grayson and BART Board of Directors Vice President Nick Josefowitz. The event centered around AB 2923, state legislation recently introduced to ensure that BART’s progressive and pro-affordable housing TOD guidelines (found here) are adopted expeditiously by local jurisdictions for BART-owned sites within .5 miles of a station entrance.

This is a big deal. As Katy Murphy, the state government reporter, noted: “In 2016, BART adopted a goal of building 20,000 homes throughout the system by 2040 — with 7,000 units, or 35 percent, to be offered at below-market-rate. But delays, community resistance and inertia threaten to undercut that vision, the bill’s proponents say.”

“Our members know from experience that it takes dynamic public-private partnerships and close alignment and coordination between BART and cities to deliver attractive transit-oriented affordable housing that will benefit local residents, improve neighborhoods and reduce traffic congestion. AB 2923 will ensure that optimal planning policies and progressive development guidelines are adopted and implemented to bring these developments to fruition. We thank Assemblymembers David Chiu and Tim Grayson and BART Director Nick Josefowitz for taking the lead on this critical effort and we are pleased to support it.”

–Michael Lane, NPH Policy Director

Find media coverage of the bill rollout in the links below and read the full press release here.

20,000 new homes by BART stations? a California zoning bill aims to speed building (Katy Murphy, The Mercury News)

Assemblymembers Grayson, Chiu float bill to encourage housing development near BART stations (Times-Herald)

Lawmakers introduce transit development bill for BART stations (Matt Keller, ABC News)

Plan To Build More Housing Near BART Stations to Reduce Congestion (5KPIX)

New Bill Would give BART Power to Set Zoning Rules at Stations (KQED)

Transit-village housing in Oakland’s Fruitvale going, after years of delays (J.K. Dineen, San Francisco Chronicle)

For more affordable housing updates and lightning-quick takes, be sure to follow Michael Lane on Twitter @michaeldlane