Public Transit Archives

San Jose Dia de Los Muertos Will Be Spooky and Sustainable

April 14, 2025/in Blog, Transportation/by Julia Gerasimenko

Transform is excited to announce our partnership with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and the School of Arts and Culture (SOAC) at the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza) through the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Grant Program. Our collaboration aims to enhance sustainable transportation options and reduce car dependency for the annual Avenida de Altares event hosted by SOAC in East San Jose.

TOC grant aims for culturally competent transit encouragement

The VTA’s TOC Grant Program is designed to foster equitable, mixed-use, and mixed-income communities within a half-mile of transit stations and hubs. The program seeks to:

Increase activities that promote transit-oriented communities
Improve accessibility to transit stops
Address community challenges with equitable outcomes
Strengthen community identity and inclusivity
Boost community support for transit-oriented investments
Align with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Transit-Oriented Policy requirements.

By funding projects that align with these objectives, the VTA aims to increase transit ridership, reduce car trips, and support vibrant, walkable neighborhoods around transit facilities.

A festive night of art and culture

Avenida de Altares (Avenue of the Altars) is a cultural celebration hosted at La Plaza in San Jose, attracting over 3,000 attendees. Save the date and join us on November 1, 2025!

This free cultural event celebrates Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at La Plaza. It’s an immersive experience centering on a curated altar walk that spans from the intersection of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road all the way to the entrance of Highway 101, culminating inside La Plaza.

After taking in the cultural sights and sounds on the Avenida de Altares, community members are invited into La Plaza for a wide variety of activities. This includes Day of the Dead-themed face painting, private tarot readings, local artisans and makers selling original creations, and a picturesque cemetery installation.

Public transit enhances the celebration

Recognizing the potential transportation challenges associated with such a large event, Transform will develop a comprehensive Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan in partnership with SOAC to:

Promote sustainable transportation: Encourage attendees to utilize public transit, biking, and walking to access the event.
Reduce traffic congestion: Implement strategies that decrease reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, thereby alleviating parking demand and roadway congestion.
Enhance accessibility: Ensure that all attendees, including Spanish-speaking and limited-mobility individuals, have convenient and equitable access to the event.
Foster community partnerships: Strengthen collaborations between Transform, the School of Arts and Culture, VTA, and other stakeholders to support the event’s success.

As part of creating the Transportation Demand Management plan, Transform will document existing conditions through walk audits, focus groups, and surveys. We will explore potential incentives and benefits to encourage sustainable travel choices. To help people navigate to and from the event on transit, our project will enhance wayfinding, education, and outreach, ensuring that all information is presented in a culturally relevant format that supports the spirit of the event.

The Avenida de Altares project will allow Transform to create a model for sustainable event transportation that can be replicated for future community events. Through thoughtful planning and community collaboration, we can enhance the attendee experience while promoting environmental sustainability and community well-being.

We will share updates as the project progresses and invite the community to join us in making the Avenida de Altares event a success through sustainable transportation options.

Who’s Riding Transit Today?

April 9, 2025/in Blog, Transit/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) conducted a quick-turnaround survey in 2024 to give a snapshot of today’s Bay Area transit riders. MTC collected data from 16,500 passengers to create the report. Here’s what it found.

Rider demographics

Transit riders are more likely to be Black or Latine than the Bay Area as a whole and less likely to be White or Asian than before the pandemic. They are four times as likely to live in poverty as the average Bay Area resident and tend to be lower income.

About 8% of transit riders surveyed have a disability that impacts their ability to get around. And 65% don’t have access to a private vehicle they could use if they weren’t able to ride transit.

These figures show how essential public transit is. Many riders would be stranded and have difficulty affording a car or rideshare rides if they couldn’t take a train or bus to get where they need to go. Public transit is also a lifeline for people who can’t drive due to a disability. And the data shows the critical role transit plays in lifting people out of poverty by providing affordable mobility to educational and employment opportunities.

Where people are going

The share of people taking transit to work is down from pre-pandemic numbers. Currently, around 50% of riders are commuting to a job; before 2020, that figure was 60%.

Still, almost 60% take transit at least five days a week. And that number isn’t likely to go down; 91% in the survey expected to take transit the same amount or more next year. Transform is working on a regional transit measure to ensure Bay Area operators have the funding they need to keep these vital services in place.

Room for improvement

While a majority of transit riders (58%) feel safe or very safe on transit, survey respondents have a vision for a better transit system. The number one improvement riders would like to see is increased frequency. When trains and buses come more often, transit becomes a more reliable mobility option, which then increases ridership in a virtuous circle. More frequent transit also increases safety, because riders aren’t waiting at a bus stop or on a train platform for as long. Transform’s Ride Fearlessly report highlighted frequency, as well as cleanliness, another requested improvement.

Riders would also like to see lower fares and more reliable service. Reliability is another key to improving safety, as riders can count on a bus or train arriving on time and not being stranded for an uncomfortably long time waiting for a bus or train that doesn’t arrive.

Transform is currently working on a white paper to address transit affordability. Our goal is not only to preserve our current transit systems but to transform them into the dependable, efficient, and accessible public transportation Bay Area residents want and need.

Read the survey report.

4bi_25-0247_Summary Sheet_Transit_Passenger_Snapshot_Survey Download

Transform, Partners Demand $2 Billion for the Bus

March 10, 2025/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

A coalition of transit advocates, providers, and unions is urging California’s Senate and Assembly leaders to put $2 billion for transit operations and capital improvements into the state’s budget. The coalition is requesting the funds over a two-year period, starting with the 2025-26 budget, to prevent fiscal collapse in the state’s vital transit agencies.

Tell your state representatives to put $2 billion for the bus (and train) into the budget.

Transit danger zone

Many transit agencies are facing shortfalls due to factors they could not control, such as inflation, the rising cost of living, and declines in fare and parking revenues, rather than fiscal mismanagement. Providers that rely heavily on fares have suffered some of the biggest shortfalls, and they include BART and Caltrain, the Bay Area’s two biggest transit agencies. They, along with Muni and AC Transit, could face cutbacks as soon as 2026, if more funding isn’t found.

While many transit agencies are working toward new revenue sources, nothing is certain. The Bay Area is working toward a ballot measure to fund transit, but it will need a two-thirds majority to pass. And, even if ballot measures pass, funding might not arrive in time to save this essential public amenity from a death spiral.

Public transit is a climate and housing solution

All Californians benefit from public transit, whether or not they ride the bus. Transit provides affordable transportation for low-income families, allowing people to reach jobs that we all rely on. It also moves people to schools and essential services, powering upward mobility.

When transit becomes too infrequent to rely on or buses and trains break down because of deferred maintenance, people are forced to drive more. That leads to congestion and pollution, taking a toll on Californians’ health and time.

In the larger picture, our state will not meet its climate goals for reduced emissions without reducing driving. Allowing transit collapse would increase driving, pushing us farther and faster toward climate catastrophe.

California has enacted numerous housing policies to streamline and encourage building near transit hubs, recognizing the climate benefits of co-locating transit and infill housing. However, if transit service is less reliable, it erodes the benefits of these policies, compounding our state’s housing crisis.

The eyes of the world will be on California

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics, and the 2026 World Cup will be held in and around Los Angeles. The city promised a car-free games, but it needs to invest in transit infrastructure and operations to make that happen.

These international events will bring an influx of travelers throughout California. Will they see a state that’s putting its money where its values are, supporting a climate-friendly and equitable renaissance in public transit? Or will they see a state in decline, at the mercy of fossil fuel interests and short-sighted budget priorities? This year’s budget could make the difference.

Read the letter.

March 5, 2025 – $2 Billion Budget Request Transit Funding Download

Movement Forming Against Highway Widening

January 28, 2025/in Blog, Climate Change, Policy, Transportation/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

On January 21, 2025, Transform was one of 61 nonprofits that joined together to send a message to California agencies in charge of transportation, housing, and air quality: We urgently need to lower our transportation emissions now. Transform was a central member of the group drafting the letter, which outlines concrete steps the agencies must take to ensure California meets its transportation emission targets.

Transform’s work advocating for transportation and housing policies to avert climate change has never been more crucial. The wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles are just the latest in a string of climate disasters to rock our state, threatening the lives and livelihoods of Californians. Yet our state agencies and elected officials often act as if changing our driving habits and petroleum addiction would be more harmful than fires and floods that wipe out whole towns and communities.

We can’t afford to push climate action to some fuzzy date in the future. We need concrete, significant action now. The strong and determined coalition united behind this letter is demanding just that.

No help from Washington

One of the biggest sticking points for climate action is money. It costs money to ensure transit systems have robust operating budgets. Building infill housing near transit hubs takes funding. Creating bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly streets requires infrastructure spending that most California communities can’t take on without support.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and other infrastructure legislation passed during the last administration sent a large influx of money to the states to fund climate-resilient infrastructure. Unfortunately, even under a supportive administration, California used the funding on projects that will lead to a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

But, as the letter notes, we can’t expect support from the federal government under the current administration, which has already signaled its intent to prioritize oil production and strip EV mandates. The good news is that California has the money it needs for transportation transformation.

Stop building highways

Transportation emissions are the largest single source of GHGs in California, and the state has developed excellent policies to reduce tailpipe emissions. However, while our state’s transportation spending includes some funding to support active and public transportation, we’re still spending too much money on highway expansion.

Every mile of state-controlled highway is a debt against the future. Although planners widen highways to reduce congestion, it’s empirically evident that widening roads only eases traffic flow for a few years. In the long term, it leads to more driving, more pollution, more climate-killing emissions, and even worse traffic jams. And, every highway mile California builds is a future maintenance cost. New highways are money pits that drag climate stability down with them.

The coalition letter demands that the agencies controlling California’s transportation budget take steps to ensure we follow established laws and policies for reducing driving. Plus, simply shifting the money allocated for new freeway miles would free up a significant amount of money that could be used to shore up struggling public transit systems and build low-stress bike networks and walkable neighborhoods.

Strength in numbers

ClimatePlan headed the coalition that sent the letter. The group included environmental advocates like NRDC, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Sierra Club. Regional and statewide active transportation groups signed on, including local bicycle coalitions in Santa Monica, San Diego, the East Bay, and Los Angeles, as well as CalBike and California Walks. The Coalition for Clean Air, the American Lung Association, and the Central California Asthma Collective are part of the coalition, as are climate action groups, including Climate Action California, 350 chapters, and Elders Climate Action. Transit, housing, and street safety groups also signed on.

The diversity of the groups coming together to advocate for a shift in California’s transportation spending reflects the seriousness of the issue. Changing the focus of our transportation policies from moving as many cars and trucks as possible as fast as possible to clean, efficient, and safe alternatives affects every facet of our lives. Spending more on bike lanes and sidewalks creates safer streets, reducing traffic fatalities and injuries. Making transit more efficient reduces air pollution that causes a myriad of diseases, from lung cancer to Alzheimer’s.

A coalition with voices from so many diverse interest areas will be heard in Sacramento. Transform is proud to join forces with allies across disciplines to unite around our shared interest in moving California back from the climate abyss.

The steps we take to wean California from its carbon addiction are crucial to protect our communities from the worst ravages of climate change. But those same actions also improve health and well-being in a variety of ways. Reimagining our transportation systems is an opportunity to create a future that’s human-centered, efficient, cost-effective, and healthy, for the planet and the creatures who depend on it.

Read the letter:

Accelerate Transpo Emissions Reduction 20250121 Download

Governor’s Proposed Budget Falls Short on Housing, Transportation, and Climate

January 14, 2025/in Blog, Housing, Policy/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

As we review Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, it’s becoming clear that, once again, proposed expenditures are not in alignment with California’s climate goals. With the first balanced budget in three years, the governor is missing a massive opportunity to commit additional resources to vital housing and transportation programs that will reduce climate emissions.

Affordable housing and transportation are essential for Californians

Affordability was clearly a big theme in the 2024 election, and investments in housing and transportation are a fundamental part of the solution. On average, Californians spend 62% of their income on combined housing and transportation costs. The state has the power to increase transit service and double down on the production of affordable housing, but Governor Newsom’s budget fails to do so.

We need more funding for new affordable homes to combat the rising cost of housing and the increasing number of homeless residents. We’re intrigued by the creation of a new Department of Housing and Homelessness and will continue to track that closely, but we remain disappointed that the governor didn’t appropriate new funds for housing.

Californians also need affordable transportation options. In too many communities, people are trapped in their cars and forced into long commutes to reach workplaces. While it’s notable that, for the first time in three years, the governor didn’t try to pull money from the tiny Active Transportation Program, the transportation budget still puts too many dollars toward highway projects and not enough into public transit and biking and walking infrastructure.

Climate investments are critical

Voters approved a $10 billion climate bond in 2024, which will positively impact California’s ability to put state monies toward projects that mitigate climate change. However, the bond is a fraction of what’s needed to make our communities climate-resilient. Our climate budget must find funding beyond the bond to make those investments now. Instead, the budget pulls money from existing programs that were funded by the bond.

With the reauthorization of California’s Cap and Trade program on the table this year, Transform is focused on identifying additional funding for climate solutions. As recent climate disasters such as the LA fires show, we don’t have a moment to spare to reduce emissions.

MTC Indecision on Regional Transit Funding Measure Leaves Riders in the Lurch

December 9, 2024/in Blog, Press Releases, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

For immediate release

Contact: Abibat Rahman-Davies, [email protected], 510-740-9303

SAN FRANCISCO – After months of deliberation, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) failed to identify a clear path forward for a much-needed regional transportation measure.

“We can’t let the unthinkable happen and let transit services collapse. It will be a domino effect, stripping the Bay Area of the public transit that’s the lifeblood of our region,” said Transform Transportation Policy Director Zack Deutsch-Gross. “Everyone suffers when transit service goes away. But low-income and BIPOC people, who often have the fewest transportation choices, will bear the brunt of diminished or absent public transit, with reduced access to jobs, education, and necessary services.”

The Bay Area’s transit agencies face a fiscal crisis, with massive service cuts expected if the region doesn’t secure an additional revenue source by 2027. BART could be forced to reduce train frequencies to once an hour during off-peak times, while Muni would suspend up to 20 routes, and AC Transit would have to cut their entire service by up to 30%.

Time is running out to develop a unifying vision for a regional transportation revenue measure that can be approved by the legislature in 2025 and go on the ballot in 2026. With today’s vote to advance two different funding concepts — both lacking full-throated support from the Commission and select committee — Bay Area residents are entering the 2025 legislative cycle without a clear path forward to keep their buses and trains running.

One of the scenarios (1a) would not even fully address the fiscal cliff for Muni or AC Transit, despite the fact that these two agencies carry approximately 75% of the transit ridership in the Bay Area.

Both scenarios are funded through a regressive sales tax. A sales tax measure would further burden low-income residents, especially in Alameda County, which already has the highest sales tax in the Bay Area.

“Affordability is a top concern for voters, but a half-cent sales tax would burden those with the least ability to pay without fully addressing the fiscal cliff,” said Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies. “It’s incredibly disheartening to see civic leaders like the Bay Area Council threaten to kill any measure that is not a sales tax.”

The Bay Area cannot give up on regional transit. If any of our transit systems is forced into drastic service cuts or ceases operation, we will lose a vital link in a transit chain, stranding residents from throughout the region. As a member of Voices for Public Transportation, Transform will continue to work with MTC, Bay Area transit operators, and the state legislature to advance authorizing legislation to support a robust, vibrant, connected transit future for our whole region.

Transform Responds to MTC Select Committee Inaction on Regional Transit Funding

October 22, 2024/in Blog, Press Releases/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

For immediate release

Contact: Abibat Rahman-Davies, [email protected]

SAN FRANCISCO – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) select committee tasked with developing a proposal for a funding mechanism for public transit has failed to come to a consensus. Now, the full commission will take up the task — and it must not fail.

“We can’t let the unthinkable happen and let transit agencies fail. It will be a domino effect, stripping the Bay Area of the public transit that’s the lifeblood of our region. Everyone suffers when transit service fails. But low-income and BIPOC people, who often have the fewest transportation choices, will bear the brunt of diminished or absent public transit, with reduced access to jobs, education, and necessary services,” says Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies. “It’s time for the commissioners to think big and take their responsibility to provide a stable funding source for the whole region seriously.”

The Bay Area’s 27 transit agencies face a fiscal crisis. An additional funding allocation from the legislature in 2023 will run out soon, and Bay Area legislators and MTC have struggled to find a solution acceptable to all stakeholders that could win enough support at the ballot box. Most recently, MTC created a select committee to craft a measure with broad support.

We recognize this is a daunting task. Counties and cities have different priorities. Business interests and labor unions want specific provisions. But the members of the select committee, rather than providing certainty amidst the dissent, have not shown the leadership we need in this moment. Members have been focused on parochial interests and swayed by special interests. Today, as the MTC Special Select Committee mandate ended, they failed to reach a true consensus.

The Bay Area cannot give up on regional transit. As a member of Voices for Public Transportation, we have been working for years toward a vision for a more robust, vibrant, connected transit future for our whole region. If any of our transit systems is forced into drastic service cuts or ceases operation, we will lose a vital link in a transit chain, stranding residents from throughout the region.

We are not giving up. We call on MTC to quickly develop a funding proposal where no one is left behind, meaning that it is regional, fully funds the transit operator gap, and contains projects that reduce emissions. Any projects that increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) should be strictly mitigated.

Reliable transit protects our climate from an emissions catastrophe and our roadways from endless gridlock. It’s time for MTC to step up, make hard decisions, and show it’s up to the challenge of leading the way for Bay Area transportation.

Transform 2024 Ballot Proposition Guide

October 17, 2024/in Blog, Housing, Policy, Transit, Transportation/by Transform Staff

Climate crisis mitigation, affordable housing, public transportation, and racial equity are all on the November 2024 ballot. Below, we offer Transform’s positions on relevant propositions and measures that move our mission forward and help move the needle on these crucial, urgent issues. This guide includes statewide measures and local ballot initiatives in each region of the Bay Area.

As a 501(c)3, Transform can take positions on ballot measures but cannot endorse candidates. We worked with the Transbay Coalition and other allies to gather candidate questionnaires on sustainable transportation. You can find links to the questionnaires here.

How to vote

You can confirm your voter registration and track your ballot in the mail. You can also sign up for text alerts to find out when your county election office processes your ballot. As a reminder, you have until Tuesday, November 5, to turn it back in or vote in person.

Important dates to keep in mind:

October 21 is the last day to register to vote.
November 5 is Election Day, and polls are open 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Find your polling place.

Short list of Transform positions on ballot propositions

Statewide

Yes on Prop 4

Yes on Prop 5

Yes on Prop 33

No on Prop 34

Local

SAN FRANCISCO Yes on Prop B Yes on Prop G Yes on Prop K Yes on Prop L	SOUTH BAY Yes on East Palo Alto Measure JJ Yes on San Mateo City Measure T
EAST BAY Yes on Albany Measure C Yes on Berkeley Measure BB No on Berkeley Measure CC No on Berkeley Measure EE Yes on Berkeley Measure FF Yes on Berkeley Measure W	NORTH BAY No on Fairfax Measure I Yes on Fairfax Measure J Yes on Larkspur Measure K Yes on Petaluma Measure Y Yes on San Anselmo Measure N Yes on San Anselmo Measure O

Detailed breakdown of Transform’s ballot measure positions

STATEWIDE

Yes on Prop 4: $10 billion for climate crisis mitigation
- Transform officially endorsed the Yes on Prop 4 Campaign early on. Prop 4 will make urgent investments in proven solutions for mitigating the deadly and destructive impact of the climate crisis. Without clean air and drinking water, people can not walk, bike, and roll safely. Vote yes on Prop 4. Supported by the California Green New Deal Coalition.
Yes on Prop 5: Lower the approval threshold needed for funding affordable housing and public infrastructure
- Transform officially endorsed the Yes on Prop 5 Campaign early on as well. Prop 5 will lower the voter approval threshold from 66% to 55% on housing and public infrastructure bonds. We urgently need to lower the systemic barriers to building new affordable housing and safer street infrastructure and this bond achieves that goal. Supported by Urban Habitat, Bike East Bay, East Bay Housing Organizations, and the California Green New Deal Coalition, among others. Vote yes on Prop 5, and please tell your friends to vote yes as well — this measure is crucial to allowing California communities to build a brighter future.
Yes on Prop 33: Remove limits on cities’ ability to adjust rent control regulations
- Voting Yes on Prop 33 repeals the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995. The Act currently prohibits municipalities’ ability to adjust rent control policies such as imposing rent control on new developments built after 1995. Prop 33 will also prohibit the state from passing future restrictions. The proposition does not impose any rent control provision but merely frees local jurisdictions to enact renter protections that work in their communities. While rent control alone is not the ultimate panacea for our region’s housing crisis, it is an important tool that has improved the material conditions of the most vulnerable communities by protecting them from displacement. Supported by East Bay Housing Organizations and the California Green New Deal Coalition
No on Prop 34: Restrict how the AIDS Healthcare Foundation can spend funds
- This proposition targets a single entity: the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). The organization has taken strong positions on tenant protections, earning the ire of the real estate industry. The requirements in this measure that nonprofit healthcare providers spend more on patient care might seem reasonable, but the qualifications written into the measure would apply to only one organization: AHF. It’s an attempt to stop AHF’s housing advocacy, and whether or not you agree with the organization’s positions, it’s a misuse of the proposition system that should not be rewarded with support. Opposed by East Bay Housing Organizations and the California Green New Deal Coalition. Vote No on Prop 34.

SAN FRANCISCO

Yes on Prop B: Funding for safer streets and shelter
- This bond measure would provide funding for public amenities, including community health centers, street and sidewalk safety, and more shelter or interim housing space. Supported by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition because of the funding for infrastructure improvements. Vote yes on Prop B.
Yes on Prop G: City funding to keep rental units affordable
- This would amend San Francisco’s charter and require the city to make annual contributions to an Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund for Seniors, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. The city already provides supplemental payments to landlords to create affordable housing units. We urgently need more, and this dedicated funding will help ensure San Francisco maintains affordable rentals. Vote yes on Prop G.
Yes on Prop K: Convert Upper Great Highway from a road into a park for people
- Prop K will create a permanent car-free space on the Upper Great Highway by Ocean Beach, allowing a safer and more joyful experience for people enjoying San Francisco’s shoreline. Advocates have fought hard for this critical amenity since a COVID-era closure was rescinded. Supported by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Vote yes on Prop K.
Yes on Prop L: Tax ride-hail and autonomous vehicle businesses to fund crucial transit operations
- SFMTA is facing an existential crisis due to a lack of funding. Prop L would contribute an estimated $25 million to critical transit operations, preserving Muni services and allowing people with disabilities, low-income families, and older adults to continue to travel around the region. Supported by Urban Habitat and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Vote yes on L.

EAST BAY:

Yes on Albany Measure C: Approve tax funding for sidewalks and pathways
- More funding is urgently needed that is specifically dedicated to safer street infrastructure. Supported by Bike East Bay. Vote yes on Measure C.
Yes on Berkeley Measure BB: Fund housing retention programs and expand tenant protections
- This measure, supported by Berkeley renters and the city’s Rent Control Board, strengthens renter protections and lowers the cap on rent increases. Urban Habitat joins us in supporting a yes vote on Measure BB.
No on Berkeley Measure CC: Limit and change tenant protections
- The mirror image of Measure BB, CC raises the cap on rent increases slightly and limits the power of Berkeley’s Rent Control Board. Urban Habitat urges a no vote on Measure CC and so do we.

*If both Berkeley Measures BB and CC pass, the measure with the most votes will win.

No on Berkeley Measure EE: Competing with Measure FF with less funding, no guarantees for safer street infrastructure
- Measure EE is in direct contention with Measure FF. Transform encourages you to vote no on Measure EE as it does not include a guaranteed dedicated revenue for safer street infrastructure and would also bring in less funding than Measure FF. We need to push for maximum funding for safe streets, not settle for potential scraps that are subject to political will. Bike East Bay opposes this measure. Vote no on Measure EE.
Yes on Berkeley Measure FF: Parcel tax to fund safer streets for all
- Measure FF is a proposed Berkeley parcel tax of 17¢ per lot square foot residential and 25¢ commercial that will fund paving activities across the city and require bike/walk plan implementation to ensure that smoother streets don’t just lead to more speeding. Bike East Bay supports this measure. Vote yes on Measure FF.

*If both Berkeley Measures EE and FF pass, the measure with the most votes will win.

Yes on Berkeley Measure W: Parcel taxes to support homeless services
- In 2018, Berkeley voters adopted Measure P, which raised the transfer tax on properties sold for over $1.5 million, with the revenue going to support homeless services. Measure W changes the formula. The tax increase, from 1.5% to 2.5% starts at $1.6 million and the rate increases progressively for higher-dollar real estate transactions. Supported by East Bay Housing Organizations. Vote yes on Measure W.

SOUTH BAY:

Yes on East Palo Alto Measure JJ:
- This measure would divert revenue collected from an existing 2.5% tax on gross receipts from a general fund to instead go towards rental assistance for tenants and other types of housing assistance such as affordable home ownership, affordable housing preservation, protecting residents from displacement or homelessness, and administrative expenses. The San Mateo Anti-Displacement Coalition and Urban Habitat support this measure. Vote Yes on Measure JJ.
Yes on San Mateo City Measure T: Allow San Mateo to build more housing by Caltrain and along key corridors like El Camino Real
- A great opportunity to rebuke outdated zoning and build more housing near transit, a key strategy to curbing intersectional climate and housing crises.

NORTH BAY:

No on Fairfax Measure I:
- This measure would repeal Fairfax’s current Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and Rent Stabilization Ordinance passed in 2022 and replace it with the state standards put forth in the Contra-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Opposition includes Canal Alliance, Public Advocates, Urban Habitat, and Tenants Together. Vote no on Measure I.
Yes on Fairfax Measure J:
- This measure would allow for investment in safer street infrastructure, with dedicated investment in protected bike lanes and safer crosswalks by schools. This funding would also unlock millions in additional federal grant support needed to continue to design and build safer streets for all roadway users. Supported by Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure J.
Yes on Larkspur Measure K: Establish rent control in Larkspur
- Grassroots organizing brought this measure to the ballot. It will cap rent increases at 3%, or 60% of inflation — whichever is lower — and establishes other tenant rights. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure K.
Yes on Petaluma Measure Y: Extend Petaluma’s urban growth boundary
- This measure preserves farmland and encourages the kind of dense, infill development the North Bay needs to combat climate change. Sprawl is a major driver of climate-killing emissions; vote yes on Measure Y.
Yes on San Anselmo Measure N: Establish rent control in San Anselmo
- This measure caps rent increases for buildings with three units or more at 60% of inflation or 5%, whichever is less. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure N.
Yes on San Anselmo Measure O: Affirm tenant protection in San Anselmo
- This ballot measure confirms tenant protections already in place, such as compensation for evictions without just cause and rent control. Vote yes on Measure N to protect sensible tenant protections. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates.

Please share this guide with your network, and don’t forget to vote by Tuesday, November 5th!

Transform Transportation Advocate Speaks on Transit Month Panel

October 14, 2024/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Laura McCamy

On September 24, 2024, Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies was part of a panel on gendered perspectives on transportation advocacy and activism. The panel was part of a series hosted by the Transbay Coalition in honor of Transit Month and was moderated by Thea Selby, Co-founder of the San Francisco Transit Riders and Voices for Public Transportation. The other panelists were Lian Chang, a proponent of Prop L: Fund the Bus who has previously supported transit lanes through Faster Safer Geary, and Haleema Bharoocha (MPP), who helped lead Phase One of BART’s “Not One More Girl” campaign and spearheaded Transform’s Ride Fearlessly report on reimagining transit safety.

The panelists come to transit advocacy from different perspectives. Chang is a non-driver and a grassroots activist for transit, biking, and walking, while Rahman-Davies worked for a policy nonprofit and on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., before joining Transform. Bharoocha has worked extensively with youth through the Alliance for Girls and has often seen transit through a gendered lens.

Experience, advice, and hope

Bharoocha encouraged advocates not to focus too much on technical details and forget human issues such as navigating transit with a disability or a stroller. It’s okay to be a troublemaker and push on what’s important to you, even if it’s not well-received. Rahman-Davies concurred, noting that just because you’re the lone voice on something, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong.

Chang noted that, in the San Francisco advocacy community, which tends to skew White and cis male, it’s easy to feel like there’s only one way to do public comment, and that can be a barrier to participation. She learned to participate in ways that feel comfortable to her. That included making a casket for a model of a BART car and having a transit funeral, using her artistic skills to make an impact.

Chang offered a mom hack: recording a public comment from her son and playing it when it was her turn to speak. That gave her slightly shy child a chance to speak without hanging around for hours waiting to comment.

Rahman-Davies emphasized the importance of centering the people your advocacy is meant to lift up. “Never lose the north star of who you’re trying to help,” she said, and don’t cut deals just to get a result. Change takes time, and the results we want don’t always happen right away.

Bharoocha noted that there is space for everyone in transit advocacy. “We need you in this movement,” she said, referring to Deepa Iyer’s social change ecosystem map.

The panelists touched on a range of other topics, sharing experience and advice. Watch the full webinar.

September Is a Time to Celebrate Public Transit

September 4, 2024/in Blog, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

September is Transit Month, and it will be marked this year by events around the Bay Area. Transform’s Transportation Policy Advocate, Abibat Rahman-Davies will participate in a panel on transit advocacy as part of a series on gender and transit sponsored by the Transbay Coalition. Transit Month events include contests, transit to trail hike and bike rides, a pub crawl on Muni, a BART state concert, and much more.

But first, it’s worth looking at how public transit benefits everyone, even those who don’t use it.

Public transit is the backbone of the Bay Area

In our dense, congested Bay Area, public transit provides an inexpensive and efficient way to get around without worrying about traffic or parking. And those who do travel by car can thank transit riders for reducing congestion and easing the pressure on local streets and highways.

In 2024, 163,000 people ride BART on an average weekday. While BART’s ridership has taken a dip from pre-pandemic levels, it is on the rebound as ridership numbers continue to increase each year. That ridership represents less smog, fewer vehicle miles traveled, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and less need for parking at office buildings, destinations, and venues around the region.

About half a million people ride San Francisco’s Muni; about 135,000 ride AC Transit; and 23,000 ride Caltrain on an average weekday. VTA doesn’t have daily statistics, but it carried 21.4 million riders in 2023.

Ways to celebrate Transit Month

In addition to the many transit-centered fun activities planned for Transit Month, you can celebrate our rich transit ecosystem any day of the week. If you’re on the bus, thank your driver! Additionally, if you don’t normally take transit, try substituting the bus or train for your next outing.

See you on the bus!

Tag Archive for: Public Transit