Bay Area Alliance for Sustainable Communities

The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) represents cities, counties and regional agencies on the Steering Committee of the Bay Area Alliance for Sustainable Communities (Bay Area Alliance), a multi-stakeholder coalition established in 1997 to develop and implement an action plan that will lead to a more sustainable region. The Bay Area Alliance provides a unique and valuable forum in which government leaders and representatives of the three Es of Sustainable Communities (3 Es) - prosperous economy, quality environment, and social equity - come together to address major regional challenges.

In addition to ABAG President Dave Cortese, the members of the Steering Committee are: Juliet Ellis, Executive Director of Urban Habitat, Carl Guardino, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Robert L. Harris, Vice President Environmental Affairs of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Van Jones, Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Michele Perrault, International Vice President of the Sierra Club, Will Travis, Executive Director of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and Jim Wunderman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bay Area Council.

The members of the Bay Area Alliance are constituency-based public and private sector organizations that represent the perspectives of the Three Es and government as well as the civic, philanthropic and faith communities.

The Bay Area Alliance has adopted the following vision:

"We envision a Bay Area where the natural environment is vibrant, healthy and safe; where the economy is robust and globally competitive and where all citizens have equitable opportunities to share in the benefits of a quality environment and prosperous economy."

The Bay Area Alliance worked with more than 200 public and private sector stakeholders to develop the Compact for a Sustainable Bay Area. The Compact is an action plan intended to guide government, businesses, civic organizations and individuals in cooperative efforts to sustain and enhance the Bay Area's environmental, economic and social qualities for current and future generations. It is also a commitment by participating organizations to act now and over the next quarter century to put the Bay Area on a more sustainable path.

The following Ten Commitments to Action are the centerpiece of the Compact:

1. Enable a diversified, sustainable and competitive economy to continue to prosper and provide jobs in order to achieve a high quality of life for all Bay Area residents.
2. Provide housing affordable to all income levels within the Bay Area to match population increases and job generation.
3. Target transportation investment to achieve a world-class comprehensive, integrated and balanced multi-modal system that supports efficient land use and decreases dependency on single-occupancy vehicle trips.
4. Preserve and restore the region's natural assets, including San Francisco Bay, farmland, open space, and other habitats.
5. Improve resource and energy efficiency, reduce pollution and waste.
6. Focus investment to preserve and revitalize neighborhoods.
7. Provide all residents with the opportunity for quality education and lifelong learning to help them meet their highest aspirations.
8. Promote healthy and safe communities.
9. Support state and local government fiscal reforms.
10. Stimulate civic engagement.

The Compact contains recommendations for each of the 10 commitments. The proposed strategies and actions address some of the most difficult and intractable conditions affecting the region. Collaborative implementation of these measures can support public decision makers in their efforts to work with all stakeholders to find effective and lasting solutions.

The Bay Area Alliance initially presented the Draft Compact to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) General Assembly in April 1999, and surveyed participants on the ten commitments. The Draft Compact was revised to reflect input received from ABAG and other member organizations before being cir culated for broader review.

Presentations were made to city councils and boards of supervisors to solicit input and support. All 9counties and 66 of the region's cities took actions supporting the work of the Bay Area Alliance. The Bay Area Alliance also sought feedback through the Smart Growth workshops held in each county, media outreach, and a feedback quest ionnaire on its website.

The Bay Area Alliance used the input to enhance the Draft Compact before submitting it to the members f or approval. In November 2003, the final Compact for a Sustainable Bay Area was released.

Related Projects

Regional Livability Footprint Project

The Smart Growth Strategy/Regional Livability Footprint Project

The Bay Area Alliance pursues the objectives of the Regional Livability Footprint and related commitments in the Compact by advocating for legislative initiatives and incentives needed to spur smarter growth.

For more information on the Livability Footprint, please contact the Bay Area Alliance at (510) 464-7978.

Community Capital Investment Initiative

Indicators