In 2017, the California state legislature passed SB 35, providing a path for streamlining housing approvals in cities that have not met their housing targets. That bill, along with the threat of greater state legislation, is proving to be a catalytic lever in the local approvals process, especially at key Bay Area sites like Cupertino’s Vallco Town Center and the Brisbane Baylands. Hear about how this tool is being used from several stakeholders who are pushing housing development forward.  Find…

It is no surprise that so-called affordable housing units in the Bay Area are far from actually affordable, primarily due to the exorbitant costs associated with building them. In our current housing shortage, these escalating costs are at odds with our need to produce homes quickly. What stands in the way of truly affordable construction? Is it possible to escape these continually escalating costs through changes in policy, innovative construction materials or new architectural forms? Hear from architects and developers…

In 2018, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission convened a group of Bay Area housing experts and stakeholders to discuss housing solutions for the region. The result, the CASA Compact, is a package of policies being moved forward in 2019 with the goal of increasing housing production, preserving existing affordable housing and protecting vulnerable populations from displacement. Come learn more about the compact and what it might mean for Oakland and the East Bay. + Fred Blackwell / The San Francisco Foundation +…

After breaking ground in late 2017, construction on Second Street Studios, a new affordable housing development just a half mile from downtown San Jose, progressed posthaste. Its secret? Modular construction, which allowed units built off-site to be connected together like supersized Legos. The building, whose 135 units provide permanent supportive housing for extremely low-income households, also features over 9,000 square feet of retail space and is expected to receive LEED Platinum certification. Join us as we tour this important project.…