August 28, 2025
READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL MEETING NOTES HERE
Big News: the HWG is getting a new name!
The votes are in! Based on your feedback, we are working in collaboration with the Steering Committee (now ADU: Advancing Decisions Unit) on a rebrand and improvement of the HWG, which include the launch of a new new: Housing Opportunities Mobilizing Equity (HOME)!
Guest Spotlight: Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Todd Litman: Todd Litman is founder and executive director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transport problems.
Key Findings:
Among U.S. states there is a negative relationship between per capita vehicle travel and GDP. States with less driving are more economically successful.
Economic productivity declines with more urban roadway supply. This indicates that urban roadway expansions are often economically harmful because they degrade other types of travel, particularly walking, and they induce inefficient vehicle travel and sprawl. Policies that encourage compact development tend to increase productivity.
As non-auto travel in a community increases so does transportation affordability.
Walking, bicycling, micromodes and public transit are far more affordable than automobile travel. Equity requires favoring affordable transportation infrastructure over expensive modes.
Households that choose homes in central, multimodal neighborhoods spend less on transportation and invest more in housing, which builds much more long-term equity.
You can view the full slide deck here.
Sacramento Update
Friday, August 29, was Suspense day: A huge number of bills with fiscal tags were heard in the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees at the same time.
Member Bill Updates
AB 801 (Bonta): moved to a two-year bill, was double referred in Senate, so will have two committees and a floor vote in January.
SB 749 (Allen): (NPHS bill) was put on the Suspense file, and did not make it out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee
AB 413 (Fong): made it out of Appropriations and is headed to the Senate floor!
SB 79 (Wiener): SB 79 made it out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee with amendments from the author, and is headed to the Assembly floor.
Local Updates
Alejandra Alvarado, Rise Economy:
Financial Justice Roundtable: Organizing for Native Community Needs We are having a small gathering with Native/Indigenous leaders and groups in the Central Valley. This invite and space is limited to native leaders and community members, please share with folks who you may know would be interested.