Since our founding as the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition in 1997, Transform has changed and adapted to achieve our mission in changing times. We’ve changed our organizational name and refined our operating structure. As we start 2026, we’re embarking on another big change: giving up our office space and becoming a Virtual-First organization. 

Remote but still rooted

Transform remains an Oakland-based organization focused on serving communities throughout the Bay Area. We will still maintain our deep community engagement throughout the Bay Area with needs assessments in Alameda and Hayward, Safe Routes to Schools in Alameda County, transportation education in Richmond, and our SPOT SJ project to reclaim public space in Santa Clara County. Our staff are all based locally, and that won’t change.

Giving up our physical office is a hard decision, but one that allows us to better allocate our resources to support our mission and staff. Plus, we knew we had a model that worked: like many organizations, Transform transitioned to a fully work-from-home model at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and only officially returned to two days a week in the office in 2023. 

Our staff values face time with each other as well as the community members we work with, so we’ll continue to gather regularly in person as an organization and with our partners.

Our values drive change, inside and out

Transform’s core values guide our work and our internal culture. That means lifting up all voices and valuing everyone’s perspective, from the newest hire to those with years of experience leading Transform.

We held our values at the center of our process: 

• To foster Trust in a new working environment, we developed Transform’s Virtual-First Guidance that covers everything from asynchronous tools and in-person meetings to confidentiality and safety at home. Its development was a collaborative effort led by our Operations Manager, Executive Director, and Deputy Director, with multiple input points from staff: breakout conversations at staff meetings, 1-to-1 feedback in supervisory meetings, an online all-staff feedback form, and management team discussions. 
• Throughout the process, we upheld Transparency. We gave regular updates to keep staff informed of key decisions and timelines, and we made sure that everyone was aware of roles and responsibilities for the transition. 
• The move was an exercise in Shared Leadership: our entire staff played a part in the change from an office to Virtual-First. Our office manager oversaw the many logistics of the move, our development and programs team organized our community engagement and education supplies, and our board even helped us with packing prior to its last meeting of the year. 

We know that change management doesn’t end now that we’ve transitioned to Virtual-First working. Because we want to learn what works and what doesn’t, we’ll continue Collaboration and Listening with staff feedback sessions and surveys to understand what adjustments will make our work stronger and more aligned with our values. 

The last time we moved offices in 2019, Usa Lee Prompongsatorn Farrant, Transform’s interim co-ED, wrote:

“Inclusion demands an intentional, continuous effort to balance each staff person’s unique needs with what is collectively needed for everyone. This requires a foundation of trust and an understanding of how structural, societal injustices play out within an organization.”

While a lot has changed in our organization, our foundational values remain the same. Moving to a Virtual-First workplace best positions Transform to continue our mission to reshape housing and transportation decision-making so all families can thrive.

Looking for an office space?

Our old office is now available! Check it out on LoopNet and email [email protected] for details.