+ All Categories
Home > Documents > URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... ·...

URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... ·...

Date post: 14-Jul-2020
Category:
Upload: others
View: 0 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend
12
Stanford University Sustainable Cities Winter 2015 Winter 2015 Project Descriptions Stanford University URBANST164.STANFORD.EDU URBANST164 | EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLE CITIES
Transcript
Page 1: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 1  

Winter  2015  -­‐  Project  Descriptions  Stanford  University  

 U R B A N S T 1 6 4 . S T A N F O R D . E D U  

 

URBANST164  |  EARTHSYS160:  SUSTAINABLE  CITIES  

Page 2: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 2  

 Project  Title:     Women  and  Bikes  Initiative  Toolkit  for  San  Francisco    Project  Contact:     Janice  Li,  Community  Organizer  

San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  833  Market  Street,  10th  Floor,  San  Francisco  CA    94103  Phone:  415-­‐431-­‐BIKE  (2453)  Ext.  302  E-­‐mail:  [email protected]  

   Organization  Mission  For  over  forty  years,  the  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  has  been  transforming  San  Francisco  streets  and  neighborhoods  into  more  livable  and  safe  places  by  promoting  the  bicycle  for  everyday  transportation.  Through  our  day-­‐to-­‐day  advocacy,  education,  and  working  partnerships  with  government  and  community  agencies,  the  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  is  creating  safer  streets  and  more  livable  communities  for  all  San  Franciscans.  With  12,000  members,  we  are  one  of  the  largest  and  most  effective  bicycle  advocacy  groups  in  the  country.        Project  Description  As  the  mode  share  for  biking  continues  to  grow  in  San  Francisco,  women  comprise  of  only  33%  of  bike  commuters  in  the  city.  Nationally,  the  number  is  even  lower  at  only  24%.  This  is  in  stark  contrast  to  other  countries,  such  as  the  Netherlands,  where  27%  of  all  transportation  trips  nationwide  occur  by  bicycle,  and  women  account  for  a  majority,  or  55%  of  all  bike  commuters.1    The  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  recently  launched  a  Women  and  Bikes  Initiative  with  the  goal  of  increasing  bike  ridership  among  women.  The  purpose  of  this  project  is  to  create  a  toolkit  of  resources  that  both  our  organization  and  community  members  can  use  to  achieve  this  goal.  In  particular,  we  are  eager  to  reach  out  to  diverse  communities,  especially  women  who  are  “bike-­‐curious”  and  may  be  interested  in  biking  but  have  concerns,  such  as  convenience,  safety,  and  maintenance.  At  the  core  of  this  project,  this  initiative  aims  to  be  women-­‐positive  and  seeks  to  encourage  all  women,  transgender,  and  femme  people  to  get  riding  on  their  bikes.      While  there  are  some  initiatives  getting  off  the  ground  in  the  Bay  Area,  no  such  toolkit  exists  for  San  Francisco.  The  toolkit  could  consist  of  a  set  of  activities,  ideas,  and  how-­‐to  information  that  will  encourage  more  women  to  bike  and  could  be  produced  physically  and/or  digitally.  The  toolkit  should  be  tailored  specifically  for  the  San  Francisco  context  (topography,  routes,  demographics,  etc.)  and  will  be  informed  by  feedback  from  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  membership  as  well  as  best  practices  from  similar  initiatives  around  the  world.    As  an  organization,  the  SF  Bicycle  Coalition  will  add  to  these  resources  in  order  to  increase  awareness  around  women  about  biking  and  achieve  higher  bike  ridership  amongst  women.      Project  Tasks  Roles  and  tasks  will  include,  but  should  not  be  limited  to:  

• Participate  in  a  walking  and  biking  tour  with  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  staff  to  experience  existing  bicycling  conditions  in  San  Francisco.  

• Attend  at  least  one  public  event  hosted  by  the  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition.  • Research  existing  toolkits  that  address  strategies  for  increasing  bike  ridership  amongst  women  

and  summarize  how  these  lessons  are  applicable  to  San  Francisco.  • Review,  organize,  and  compile  a  summary  of  existing  feedback  from  SFBC  membership.  

                                                                                                               1  “Women  on  a  Roll”.  League  of  American  Bicyclists.  (2013).  http://bikeleague.org/content/new-­‐report-­‐women-­‐roll  

Page 3: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 3  

• Interview  SF  Bicycle  Coalition  members  and  other  community  groups  to  understand  challenges  and  opportunities  for  increasing  women  bike  ridership.  

• Design  and  complete  the  toolkit,  which  includes  choosing  the  best  format  (e.g.,  website,  published  report,  online  forum,  a  phone  app,  etc.)  and  choosing  relevant  content.  

   Project  Deliverables  

• Literature  review  of  existing  similar  toolkits  produced  in  other  cities.  • Compilation  of  existing  feedback  from  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition  members  and  new  survey  

information  in  a  visually  exciting  and  compelling  way.  • Design  and  create  a  toolkit  in  either  digital  and/or  print  format  that  San  Francisco  Bicycle  

Coalition  can  share  and  circulate  amongst  their  membership.  Working  with  staff,  students  should  need  to  determine  the  most  effective  format  based  on  initial  member  feedback.  The  baseline  deliverable  will  be  a  written  report  with  the  toolkit  resources.  

 Note:  An  initial  idea  is  to  foster  regular  meet-­‐ups  and  bike  rides  for  women  who  either  already  bike  regularly  or  have  an  interest  in  biking  more  regularly.  An  additional  deliverable  may  include  designing  an  interactive  map,  smart  phone  or  web-­‐based  application  for  women  to  see  and  sign  up  for  regular  commute  rides  or  events.  We  prefer  to  use  a  simple  and  intuitive  system,  such  as  Google  Maps  Engine.  

   Desired  Skills  Graphic  design  and  website  development  skills      Student  Learning  Outcomes  and  Skills  

• Understand  barriers  and  opportunities  of  increasing  bicycle  ridership  amongst  women.  • Learn  to  design  survey  methods  and  interview  a  variety  of  stakeholders.  • Engage  in  field  data  collection  and  observations.  • Ability  to  design  and  conduct  in-­‐person  interviews  and/or  online  surveys.  • Basic  proficiency  in  mapping,  data  visualization,  and  website  development.  • Develop  effective  oral,  written  and  visual  communication  skills.  

   Readings    “Women  on  a  Roll,”  League  of  American  Bicyclists:  http://bikeleague.org/content/new-­‐report-­‐women-­‐roll    Women  &  Bicycles  Workbook  and  Toolkit,  Washington  Area  Bicyclist  Association:  http://www.waba.org/programs/women-­‐bicycles/    Article  from  The  Guardian’s  Bike  blog:  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-­‐blog/2014/oct/03/the-­‐reason-­‐fewer-­‐us-­‐women-­‐cycle-­‐than-­‐the-­‐dutch-­‐is-­‐not-­‐what-­‐you-­‐think-­‐it-­‐is    Article  from  Los  Angeles  Times:  http://articles.latimes.com/2013/sep/22/local/la-­‐me-­‐psyco-­‐riders-­‐20130923  

Page 4: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 4  

 Project  Title:   Household  Hazardous  Waste  Program  Public  Engagement  Strategy    Project  Contact:     Lauren  Romanazzi,  Residential  Services  Specialist,  City  of  San  José    

200  E.  Santa  Clara  Street,  10th  Floor,  San  José,  CA  90113  Phone:  408-­‐975-­‐2609  E-­‐mail:  [email protected]  

   Organization  Mission  The  mission  of  the  City  of  San  José  Environmental  Services  Department  (ESD)  is  to  deliver  world-­‐class  utility  services  and  programs  to  improve  our  health,  environment,  and  economy.  ESD  has  established  a  national  reputation  for  environmental  leadership  and  innovation  with  award-­‐winning  recycling,  water  conservation,  water  quality  protection,  and  wastewater  treatment  programs.  With  over  450  employees,  ESD  is  one  of  the  City's  largest  and  most  visible  departments.  Its  major  initiatives  include:  healthy  streams,  rivers,  marshlands  and  bay  waters;  reliable  water,  garbage,  and  recycling  services;  clean  and  green  air,  land  and  energy  policy  development;  and  community  education  aimed  at  environmental  sustainability.  The  Integrated  Waste  Management  Division  (IWM)  is  an  operating  division  in  ESD,  which  develops  and  administers  various  programs  to  achieve  the  City  of  San  José’s  Green  Vision  and  Zero  Waste  goals,  and  manages  waste  collection,  processing,  and  disposal  contracts  for  the  City.        The  following  are  recent  IWM  achievements:    

• 2014  League  of  California  Cities  Helen  Putnam  Award  for  Excellence  in  Planning  &  Environmental  Quality  –  Bring  Your  Own  Bag  Ordinance  

• 2013  Governor’s  Energy  Environmental  Leadership  Award  –  Commercial  Waste  Management  System  

• 2013  Solid  Waste  Association  of  North  America’s  Recycling  System  Gold  Excellence  Award  –  Commercial  Waste  Management  System  

• 2012  Waste  and  Recycling  News’  Green  City  Award  –  Residential  Recycling  Program  • 2011  Save  the  Bay  Community  Bay  Steward  Award  –  Bring  your  Own  Bag  Ordinance  • 2009  Governor’s  Energy  Environmental  Leadership  Award  –  Special  Event  Zero  Waste  Program  • 2009  Solid  Waste  Association  of  North  America’s  Recycling  System  Gold  Excellence  Award  –  80%  

Waste  Diversion  from  Multi-­‐Family  Dwellings    Project  Description  The  City  of  San  José  is  the  third  largest  city  in  California  with  about  one  million  residents  generating  various  types  of  solid  waste  including  household  hazardous  waste  (HHW).    Examples  of  HHW  include:  paint,  household  cleaners,  pesticides,  electronic  waste,  compact  fluorescent  bulbs,  batteries,  medical  sharps,  and  pharmaceuticals.  Placing  these  unprocessed  items  into  the  waste  stream  threatens  our  environment  by  polluting  the  soil,  groundwater,  and  waterways.      San  José  participates  in  the  Santa  Clara  County  HHW  program  (www.hhw.org),  which  provides  residents  with  free  HHW  drop-­‐off  appointments  at  three  permanent  sites:  San  José,  Sunnyvale,  and  San  Martin.  San  José’s  permanent  HHW  facility  opened  in  September  2014,  and  is  located  at  the  Environmental  Innovation  Center2  (EIC),  which  also  houses  a  Habitat  for  Humanity  ReStore,  Prospect  Silicon  Valley  clean  tech  testing  laboratory,  and  serves  as  a  meeting  space.      The  new  HHW  facility  offers  a  convenient  location  for  San  José  residents  and  holds  eight  monthly  collection  events  for  residents,  but  the  program  needs  improvement  in  terms  of  outreach  and  community  engagement.  In  fiscal  year  2013-­‐14,  approximately  2.7%  of  San  José’s  323,000  single-­‐  and  multi-­‐family  

                                                                                                               2  SJEIC  site  map  available  at  http://www.sanjoseca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31539  

Page 5: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 5  

households  made  an  HHW  drop-­‐off  appointment  (8,717  appointments).    San  José  has  a  goal  to  reach  15,000  HHW  appointments  by  June  30,  2015.    The  Household  Hazardous  Waste  Program  Public  Engagement  Strategy  aims  to  raise  awareness  and  incentivize  San  José  residents  on  how  to  properly  dispose  of  their  household  hazardous  waste  materials.  San  José  is  a  majority-­‐minority  city  with  a  broad  range  of  community  members  from  diverse  cultural  and  ethnic  backgrounds.  Proper  disposal  of  HHW  at  approved  locations  will  target  the  goals  of  urban  sustainability,  environment  protection,  and  social  equity.    Project  Tasks  

• Develop  a  public  engagement  strategy  for  the  City  of  San  José  to  expand  HHW  outreach  to  various  residential  audiences  –  cultural  and  geographical,  age  groups,  apartment  dwellers,  etc.,  such  as  direct  interaction  with  residents  at  community  meetings,  workshops,  events;  door-­‐to-­‐  door  interactions;  and  developing  outreach  collateral  such  as  a  flyer  or  door  hanger.  

• Provide  recommendations  for  increasing  HHW  appointments  and  expanding  HHW  education  in  San  José,  such  as  current  HHW  appointment  system  and  existing  outreach  strategies.  

• Recommend  ways  to  use  the  EIC  and  HHW  facility  to  enhance  community  engagement.    Project  Deliverables  

• Written  public  engagement  strategy  report  analyzing  conditions  and  opportunities.  • Develop  outreach  collateral  for  diverse  audiences  (e.g.,  flyer  or  door  hanger)  to  increase  

awareness  of  the  HHW  program  and  incentivize  residents  to  make  an  appointment.  • Develop  and  pilot  community-­‐based  social  marketing  strategies  and  basic  marketing  principles  to  

improve  awareness  of  current  HHW  program.  • Develop  strategies  for  used  motor  oil  &  oil  filter  outreach  to  multi-­‐family  households  • Provide  direct  communication  to  residents  about  the  HHW  program.  • Participate  in  community  outreach  meetings  to  advertise  the  HHW  program.  

 Desired  Skills  Community  outreach/engagement,  graphic  design,  Spanish  and  Vietnamese  language  skills    Student  Learning  Outcomes  and  Skills  

• Understand  issues  of  waste  management  at  a  local  scale  in  the  City  of  San  José.  • Identify  challenges  and  opportunities  for  effective  educational  outreach.  • Research  and  test  best  management  practices,  community-­‐based  social  marketing  tactics,  and  

basic  marketing  principles  to  apply  to  household  hazardous  waste  outreach.    • Field  data  collection  (bilingual  Spanish  or  Vietnamese  speakers  a  plus)  and  observations.  • Survey  design  and  best  practices  in  gathering  feedback  from  community  stakeholders.  • Develop  oral,  written  and  visual  communication  skills  for  culturally  diverse  audiences.  

 Readings  EIC  Fact  Sheet  http://www.sanjoseca.gov/documentcenter/view/28291    San  Jose’s  Green  Vision  Goal  #5:  Zero  Waste  (starts  on  pg.  34)  http://www.sanjoseca.gov/documentcenter/view/27914    Santa  Clara  County  Household  Hazardous  Waste  Program:  www.HHW.org    

 CalRecycle’s  page  on  HHW  Outreach  http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/HomeHazWaste/Outreach/default.htm

Page 6: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 6  

 Project  Title:         Safer  Housing  for  Oakland:  Residential  Seismic  Retrofit  Program    Project  Contact:       Victoria  Salinas,  Chief  Resilience  Officer,  City  of  Oakland  

Address:  1  Frank  Ogawa  Plaza,  City  Hall,  11th  floor,  Oakland,  CA  94612  Phone:  510-­‐238-­‐3487  E-­‐mail:  [email protected]  

   Organization  Mission  The  City  of  Oakland  is  participating  in  the  100  Resilient  Cities  Initiative  spearheaded  by  the  Rockefeller  Foundation.    A  resilient  Oakland  is  one  in  which  all  residents  can  thrive  in  the  face  of  adversity,  including  shocks  such  as  earthquakes,  wildfires,  sea  level  rise,  riots,  and  infrastructure  failure;  as  well  as  chronic  stressors  such  as  crime  and  violence,  lack  of  affordable  housing,  poor  air  quality,  changing  demographics,  and  lack  of  social  cohesion.  As  part  of  this  initiative,  Oakland  is  addressing  challenges  to  the  City’s  ability  to  thrive  through  programs  such  as  the  new  seismic  retrofit  program  for  apartment  buildings  at  risk  of  collapse  in  a  major  earthquake.      Project  Description  20%  of  Oakland  residents  live  in  apartment  buildings  that  are  at  risk  of  collapse  in  a  major  earthquake.    The  Hayward  fault  that  runs  under  Oakland  is  likely  to  experience  a  major  earthquake  in  the  next  30  years.  Consequently,  retrofitting  buildings  such  that  people  survive  and  avoid  displacement  is  a  humanitarian  and  economic  imperative.    By  early  2015,  the  City  of  Oakland  seeks  to  complete  the  design  of  a  Seismic  Retrofit  Program  that  reduces  displacement  and  safety  risks  posed  by  wood-­‐framed  “soft  story”  apartment  buildings.    Through  this  project,  Oakland  seeks  to  (1)  conduct  policy  analysis  required  to  finalize  the  design  of  the  soft  story  apartment  retrofit  program,  (2)  verify  the  total  number  of  buildings  that  must  comply  with  the  new  program,  and  (3)  support  the  organization  and  facilitation  of  public  meetings  and  outreach.      Project  Tasks  1)  Policy  Analysis:    To  finalize  the  design  of  the  soft  story  retrofit  program,  these  issues  need  to  be  resolved:  

a) How  should  renters  and  building  owners  share  the  cost  of  retrofits?  Presently,  renters  and  owners  share  the  cost  of  capital  improvements  with  70  percent  of  the  cost  being  transferred  to  tenants  amortized  over  five  or  more  years.  In  San  Francisco,  100%  of  costs  are  passed  to  tenants;  in  Berkeley,  0%  of  the  cost  is  passed  on  to  the  tenants.  What  is  fair  and  reasonable  for  Oakland?  

b) To  ensure  that  low-­‐income  tenants  do  not  experience  financial  hardship  due  to  the  cost  share  of  retrofits  to  their  building,  what  kind  of  exemptions  should  be  designed?    How  should  these  be  implemented  to  ensure  that  low-­‐income  residents  are  not  displaced  by  potential  rent  increases  due  to  building  owners  undertaking  retrofitting?    

c) How  should  the  use  of  public  funds  be  prioritized?  Intuitively,  the  prioritization  should  be  based  on  multiple  criteria  (e.g.,  level  of  earthquake  hazard,  building  vulnerability,  number  of  units,  social  vulnerability  of  occupants,  ease  of  retrofit,  etc.).    What  are  all  possible  options,  and  how  do  we  weigh  the  pros  and  cons  of  each?  What  should  be  the  prioritization  approaches  for  Oakland?    

2)  Building  Assessments    This  portion  of  the  project  will  determine  which  buildings  are  actually  soft  story  buildings.  During  Phase  1  of  this  program  when  buildings  were  screened  to  see  if  they  were  potentially  soft  story  buildings,  some  property  owners  filed  for  exemptions.  Such  exemptions  made  it  possible  for  those  property  owners  to  avoid  undertaking  retrofits.  As  a  result,  it  is  now  necessary  to  determine  if  the  criteria  for  exemptions  is  reasonable  and  if  previously  exempted,  whether  these  buildings  should  be  required  to  retrofit  based  on  

Page 7: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 7  

building  standards  that  will  be  required  under  the  new  retrofit  program.  Assessing  the  buildings  that  were  initially  exempt  is  therefore  important  to  identifying  which  buildings  should  be  required  for  retrofit.        3)  Public  Outreach  and  Engagement      To  design  the  program  equitably,  the  City  will  conduct  an  outreach  campaign  to  tenants  and  building  owners.  Through  surveys,  the  City  expects  to  collect  additional  demographic  data  on  building  occupants  to  help  design  the  hardship  exemption  and  other  aspects  of  the  program.  The  community  meetings,  feedback  on  resource  prioritization,  and  other  potentially  controversial  issues  will  be  discussed.  Support  with  designing  the  survey  instruments,  analyzing  survey  response  data,  developing  community  outreach  materials,  and  facilitating  public  engagement  will  be  necessary.      Project  Deliverables  (Deliverables  will  depend  on  skills  and  interests  of  the  student  team):  

• Contribute  to  the  design  of  a  survey  instrument  that  provides  information  necessary  for  analyzing  various  approaches  to  the  retrofit  cost  share  between  renters  and  building  owners,  hardship  exemptions,  and  other  building  issues  that  should  be  addressed  as  part  of  integrated  support  to  building  improvements  (e.g.  apartments  with  mold,  opportunities  for  energy  efficiency  retrofits,  etc.).    

• Assess  whether  buildings  initially  exempt  from  the  Soft  Story  Retrofit  Program  should  remain  exempt  under  the  new  program.  

• Support  the  development  of  a  retrofit  funding  prioritization  scheme  that  maximizes  the  benefits  derived  from  public  funds.  This  will  relate  to  how  the  City  financially  contributes  to  individual  retrofits  based  on  set  criteria.  

• Support  and  produce  materials  for  community  outreach  and  meetings  about  the  soft-­‐story  program  (at  least  two  meetings  will  occur  during  the  10-­‐week  course).  

 Desired  Skills    Risk  modeling,  policy  analysis,  engineering,  risk  modeling,  Excel,  graphic  design  (for  printed  and  web  materials),  Geographic  Information  Systems  (GIS),  community  engagement/outreach          Student  Learning  Outcomes  and  Skills  

• Understand  policy  design  and  implementation  on  issues  of  resilience  and  sustainability.  • Conduct  policy  analysis  regarding  residential  retrofit  program  in  a  major  Bay  Area  city.  • Strengthen  field  data  collection  and  data  analysis  (risk  modeling  and  assessment  skills).  • Develop  mapping  and  data  visualization  skills.  • Design  effective  surveys  to  gather  feedback  from  community  stakeholders.  • Develop  oral,  written  and  visual  communication  skills.  

 Readings  Oakland  Soft  Story  Informational  Memorandum    http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/cityadministrator/documents/report/oak049788.pdf    SPUR  –  The  Resilient  City  (Multiple  articles)  http://www.spur.org/featured-­‐project/resilient-­‐city    Association  of  Bay  Area  Government  Regional  Resilience  Initiative  –  Policy  Agenda  for  Recovery:  http://resilience.abag.ca.gov/wp-­‐content/documents/resilience/Regional%20Resilience%20Initiative%20Policy%20Plan_March%202013.pdf    100  Resilient  Cities  -­‐  Oakland  http://www.100resilientcities.org/cities/entry/oaklands-­‐resilience-­‐challenge#/-­‐_/  

Page 8: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 8  

 Project  Title:       Mapping  the  Effects  of  Eviction  in  Silicon  Valley      Project  Contact:     Jason  Tarricone,  Directing  Attorney,  Housing  Program         Community  Legal  Services  in  East  Palo  Alto         1861  Bay  Road,  East  Palo  Alto,  CA  94303    

Phone:  650-­‐391-­‐0362  E-­‐mail:  [email protected]  

   Organization  Mission  Community  Legal  Services  in  East  Palo  Alto  (CLSEPA)  provides  legal  assistance  to  low-­‐income  individuals  and  families  in  East  Palo  Alto  and  the  surrounding  community.  Our  practice  areas  include  housing,  immigration,  general  civil  litigation,  and  anti-­‐predatory  lending.    Our  mission  is  to  provide  transformative  legal  services  that  enable  diverse  communities  in  East  Palo  Alto  and  beyond  to  achieve  a  secure  and  thriving  future.    There  is  currently  a  housing  crisis  in  the  Bay  Area,  and  Silicon  Valley  is  one  of  the  primary  areas  affected.    Rents  are  skyrocketing  in  San  Mateo  County,  having  risen  50%  on  average  over  the  past  four  years3,  while  homelessness  rates  have  risen  by  12%  since  20114.    San  Mateo  County  is  now  tied  with  San  Francisco  and  Marin  as  the  top  three  most  expensive  counties  in  the  United  States  for  housing.    As  a  result,  low-­‐wage  and  middle  class  workers  are  being  pushed  out  of  the  county  by  rising  rents,  or  choosing  increasingly  tenuous  housing  situations  in  the  county,  such  as  living  in  garages  and  RVs.        CLESPA’s  Housing  Program  works  in  San  Mateo  County  with  a  particular  focus  on  preventing  homelessness,  creating  healthy  and  safe  housing,  and  maintaining  affordable  housing.    We  represent  tenants  facing  evictions  in  order  to  keep  as  many  low-­‐income  tenants  in  their  homes  as  possible,  especially  in  East  Palo  Alto,  where  tenants  have  rent  control  protections  due  to  citywide  law.    We  negotiate  with  and  litigate  against  landlords  on  serious  housing  problems  that  affect  the  health  and  safety  of  residents,  particularly  families  with  young  children.  We  use  all  available  tools  such  as  policy  advocacy,  technical  assistance  to  tenant  organizers,  and  impact  litigation,  to  keep  housing  affordable  and  prevent  the  further  loss  of  affordable  housing.      Project  Description  Every  Thursday  housing  attorneys  and  volunteer  attorneys  from  CLSEPA  represent  tenants  at  settlement  conferences  taking  place  at  the  courthouse  in  Redwood  City.    These  tenants  are  all  involved  in  eviction  lawsuits  brought  by  their  landlords.    We  assist  tenants  to  either  remain  in  their  homes  or,  more  often,  delay  their  eviction  date  so  that  they  can  avoid  becoming  homeless.        The  Mapping  the  Causes  and  Effects  of  Eviction  in  Silicon  Valley  project  will  identify  and  examine  quality  of  life  and  sustainability  impact  on  individuals  and  families  after  eviction.  We  aim  to  survey  clients  whom  we  assisted  in  2014  to  ask  the  following  questions:  Do  they  become  homeless?    Do  they  stay  in  Silicon  Valley  or  do  they  move?  Do  they  and  their  families  change  jobs  and  schools?    How  long  are  their  commutes  if  they  had  to  move  away?      The  project  will  involve  conducting  short  telephone  interviews  with  about  100  former  clients  to  learn  more  about  what  happened  after  their  eviction  proceeding  and  also  what  led  to  their  eviction.    We  hope  

                                                                                                               3  San  Mateo  County  Housing  Indicators:  http://housing.smcgov.org/sites/housing.smcgov.org/files/September%202014%20Indicators.pdf  4  “County  Rents  Highest  in  Nation”,  The  Daily  Journal:  http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2014-­‐05-­‐01/county-­‐rents-­‐highest-­‐in-­‐nation-­‐average-­‐rent-­‐for-­‐the-­‐first-­‐quarter-­‐of-­‐year-­‐was-­‐2360/1776425122488.html  

Page 9: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 9  

that  this  information  can  be  used  to  prevent  future  evictions  and  to  educate  policymakers  and  business  leaders  in  Silicon  Valley  about  the  consequences  of  the  current  affordable  housing  crisis.    The  expected  deliverable  will  consist  of  a  series  of  interactive  maps  to  present  the  data  that  is  collected,  for  example,  showing  the  migration  patterns  of  low-­‐wage  workers  out  of  Silicon  Valley,  or  showing  where  people  now  live  compared  to  where  they  work.      Project  Tasks  

• Assist  attorneys  with  drafting  survey  questions  • Make  telephone  calls  to  former  clients  to  ask  survey  questions  • Strategize  and  implement  ways  to  increase  response  rates  to  calls  • Observe  one  eviction  settlement  conference  at  the  Redwood  City  Courthouse  (optional)  • Present  data  in  visually-­‐appealing  ways  (such  as  maps)  to  convey  a  coherent  public  narrative  • Analyze  trends  in  causes  and  impact  of  eviction  on  environmental,  social,  and  economic  

sustainability        

Project  Deliverables  • 1-­‐3  interactive  maps  describing  where  evictions  occurred  and  where  displaced  residents  move  • Data  sets  to  be  used  in  the  future  to  educate  policymakers  or  answer  questions  about  evictions  • A  short  policy  brief  describing  trends  in  the  data  and  suggestions  for  how  CLSEPA  could  better  

educate  tenants  at  the  settlement  conferences,  as  well  as  suggestions  for  how  city  and  county  governments  could  stop  evictions  before  they  start  (based  on  lessons  learned  about  the  causes  of  evictions)  

   Student  Learning  Outcomes  and  Skills    

• Learn  about  the  current  Bay  Area  housing  crisis,  and  how  it  affects  low-­‐wage  workers  • Learn  about  poverty  law  and  legal  approaches  to  combating  homelessness    • Learn  to  conduct  telephone  surveys,  and  learn  to  communicate  with  low  and  very  low-­‐income  

people  from  diverse  backgrounds  • If  applicable/interested,  learn  programming  skills  and  graphic  design  skills  for  data  visualization  • Develop  effective  oral,  written  and  visual  communication  skills  

   Readings  “In  Silicon  Valley,  a  New  Investment:  Eviction,”  Bloomberg  Businessweek,  John  Gittelsohn  and  Heather  Perlberg,  available  at  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-­‐04-­‐07/silicon-­‐valley-­‐cooks-­‐to-­‐housekeepers-­‐facing-­‐home-­‐eviction  (April  7,  2014)    “How  Burrowing  Owls  Lead  to  Vomiting  Anarchists  (or  SF’s  Housing  Crisis  Explained),”  TechCrunch,  Kim-­‐Mai  Cutler,  available  at  http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/sf-­‐housing/  (April  14,  2014)  

Page 10: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 10  

 Project  Title:                                           Clipper/Go  Pass  Fare  Integration  &  Equity  Analysis    Project  Contact:     Adina  Levin,  Executive  Director  

Friends  of  Caltrain  3921  E.  Bayshore  Road,  Palo  Alto,  CA  94303  Phone:  650-­‐646-­‐4344  E-­‐mail:  [email protected]  

   Organization  Mission  Friends  of  Caltrain  is  a  501(c)(3)  nonprofit  organization  with  a  member  base  of  over  3,500  residents  on  the  Peninsula  Corridor  from  San  Francisco  through  San  Jose,  including  over  800  in  San  Mateo  County.      Our  goals  include  stable  transit  funding,  a  modern,  connected  transit  network,  and  transit-­‐supportive  policies  on  the  corridor  to  increase  social  and  environmental  sustainability  in  our  region.  We  have  successfully  organized  to  prevent  drastic  service  cuts  to  Caltrain  service  and  advocated  successfully  for  projects  to  improve  service  (such  as  wireless  internet,  planned  but  not  yet  implemented),  and  improve  capacity  (in  the  works).      Project  Description  The  Bay  Area  transit  fare  structure  is  fraught  with  issues  of  fragmentation  and  equity  that  are  problematic  from  the  perspective  of  social  justice,  transit  ridership,  and  environmental  sustainability.  The  region  consists  of  9  counties  and  27  different  transit  agencies.    When  a  rider’s  route  takes  them  on  more  than  one  agency,  transfers  frequently  involve  paying  multiple  fares.  This  is  inconvenient  for  all  transit  users  and  poses  problems  of  equity  and  access  for  lower-­‐income  residents.  State  and  regional  policy  to  integrate  transportation  and  land  use  to  reduce  greenhouse  gas  emissions  strongly  favor  increased  use  of  transit,  which  would  be  fostered  by  fare  integration.  Research  shows  that  fare  integration  can  increase  transit  ridership,  providing  congestion  relief  and  environmental  benefits.        However,  there  are  significant  challenges  in  the  Bay  Area  that  have  hampered  fare  integration.    

• Clipper  is  a  regional  payment  system  that  allows  riders  to  use  a  single  card  to  pay  for  transit  on  multiple  agencies.  However,  the  current  goal  of  the  Clipper  system  is  seen  as  primarily  serving  the  needs  of  individual  transit  agencies,  rather  than  the  needs  of  customers,  whether  individual  transit  users,  or  institutional  customers  such  as  large  employers  and  the  Transportation  Management  Associations  (TMAs)  of  cities.  

• Past  efforts  to  achieve  Bay  Area  regional  fare  integration  have  foundered  based  on  transit  agency  concerns  that  transfer  policies  will  cause  some  transit  agencies  to  lose  revenue  (even  though  ridership,  congestion  relief,  and  environmental  benefits  may  increase  overall).  

• There  is  a  lack  of  data  showing  the  benefits  to  social  equity,  ridership,  and  environmental  sustainability  that  would  be  provided  through  improved  fare  integration.  

• Caltrain  issues  are  particularly  problematic,  since  Caltrain’s  deepest  fare  discounts  go  to  large  employers  such  as  Google  and  Stanford.    One  consequence  is  that  the  average  income  of  Caltrain  riders  is  $117,000,  higher  than  the  income  of  surrounding  areas.  Meanwhile,  the  San  Jose  Metropolitan  Area  has  the  highest  household  car  ownership  rate  in  the  country,  with  many  low-­‐income  households  carrying  the  cost  of  vehicle  ownership  and  maintenance.  

   The  Clipper/Go  Pass  Fare  Integration  &  Equity  Analysis  will  provide  necessary  data  and  analysis  at  a  granular  level  given  this  time-­‐sensitive  moment  to  address  this  issue  and  improve  matters.    

Page 11: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 11  

• The  Metropolitan  Transportation  Commission  (MTC)  is  planning  an  upgrade  to  the  Clipper  system  that  will  allow  more  flexibility  to  implement  fare  coordination.  

• Valley  Transportation  Authority  (VTA)  is  planning  the  next  phase  of  the  BART  Silicon  Valley  Extension  in  San  Jose  to  connect  BART,  VTA  bus  and  light  rail,  and  Caltrain.  

• Santa  Clara  County  is  planning  a  ballot  measure  in  2016  that  has  the  potential  to  fund  fare  integration  pilot  projects  for  the  county.    

There  are  other  regions  around  the  world,  particularly  in  Europe,  that  have  similar  multi-­‐jurisdictional  metropolitan  areas  with  a  multi-­‐agency  transit  system  that  have  achieved  effective  regional  integration  of  fares,  schedules  and  marketing,  using  cross-­‐agency  bodies  called  Transport  Alliances.  The  Around  the  Bay  Coalition  has  formed  to  organize  riders  and  institutional  customers  to  advocate  for  improved  fare  integration  in  the  context  and  timeframe  of  the  MTC’s  Clipper  upgrade.    Partners  include  Friends  of  Caltrain,  TransForm,  Working  Partnerships,  Urban  Habitat,  San  Francisco  Transit  Riders  Union,  and  the  San  Francisco  Bicycle  Coalition.  Other  organizations  cooperating  in  initiatives  to  foster  fare  integration  include  SPUR,  the  Bay  Area  Council,  and  the  Silicon  Valley  Leadership  Group.  This  project  will  help  inform  the  Coalition’s  work  and  advocacy.      Project  Tasks  

• Conduct  literature  review  of  regional  fare  structures  in  the  Bay  Area  as  well  as  other  regions  to  identify  successful  examples  of  fare  coordination  in  metropolitan  areas  such  as  Munich,  London  and  Seattle.  

• Survey  low-­‐income  Santa  Clara  County  residents  through  intercept  surveys  and  rider  focus  groups  to  identify  needs,  assess  opportunities  to  increase  transit  ridership  through  better  fare  integration,  and  test  concepts  for  integration  (with  Working  Partnerships).  

• Interviews  with  institutional  customers,  such  as  San  Jose  State  University,  Stanford  University,  and  Palo  Alto  Transportation  Management  Association  regarding  opportunities  for  fare  coordination  to  increase  ridership  and  mode  share.  

• Data  analysis  to  forecast  increased  ridership  with  fare  integration.  You  may  consider  using  GIS  to  conduct  travel  shed  analysis,  Census  data  to  identify  population  demographics  (income,  education,  etc.),  and  business  data  to  understand  job  access.  

• Identify  opportunities  for  pilot  projects  to  provide  increased  integration.  • Recommend  policy  and  program  elements  that  would  encourage  increased  integration.  • Consolidate  results  in  a  useable  format  for  key  stakeholders.  

   Desired  Skills  Geographic  Information  Systems  (GIS)  skills,  Spanish  language  skills      Project  Deliverables  

• Final  report  distributed  to  key  stakeholders:  MTC,  VTA,  partner  NGOs,  and  partner  cities  • Survey  data  would  be  displayed  visually  in  a  series  of  maps  and  data  visualizations  

   Student  Learning  Outcomes  and  Skills  

• Research  fare  integration  strategies  and  funding  mechanisms  to  achieve  a  sustainable  and  equitable  public  transportation  system  in  the  Bay  Area.  

• Understand  broader  issues  of  transportation  and  land  use  patterns  in  the  Bay  Area.  • Develop  mapping  and  data  visualization  skills.  • Design  and  implement  effective  surveys  to  gather  feedback  from  various  stakeholders.  • Develop  oral,  written  and  visual  communication  skills.  

Page 12: URBANST164|EARTHSYS160: SUSTAINABLECITIES!sustainablecities.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/3/... · Stanford)University) ) SustainableCities)Winter)2015) 3!! • InterviewSFBicycleCoalitionmembersandothercommunity)

Stanford  University     Sustainable  Cities  Winter  2015  

 12  

Readings  Trouble  at  the  Faregates:  Understanding  barriers  to  providing  seamless  regional  fare  payment  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  Area      http://www.slideshare.net/alevin/trouble-­‐at-­‐thefaregates    Integrated  Fare  Study,  TransLink  Consortium  (2008)  http://apps.mtc.ca.gov/meeting_packet_documents/agenda_1091/7_Integrated_Fare_Study_Draft_Final_Report__6-­‐3-­‐08_ExecSum.pdf    Transit  Coordination,  Michelle  DiRobertis  (2014)  https://www.spur.org/sites/default/files/events_pdfs/Michelle%20Transit%20Coordination-­‐%207-­‐16-­‐2014.pdf    Assessing  Equity  Implications  of  HOT  Lanes,  Asha  Agrawal  (2004)  http://www.academia.edu/2909104/Assessing_the_Equity_Implications_of_HOT_Lanes  


Recommended