Equitable Recovery in the Bay Area

Equitable Recovery in the Bay Area

A regional approach to rebuilding the Bay

We believe in a Bay Area where people of all backgrounds can thrive. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the vast structural inequalities faced in our Bay Area community particularly people experiencing poverty, disabled people, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian Pacific Islander, and people of color.

Convening for a regional recovery agenda
To harness the region’s collective power to rebuild and regrow a Bay Area where everyone can thrive, the East Bay Community Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation hosted San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, and San José Mayor Sam Liccardo and over 60 regional non-profits to identify and act upon our region’s shared equitable recovery priorities.

Building on the work of local communities
Bringing together regional action groups was only possible because early in the pandemic, many Bay Area cities and counties convened local economic recovery task forces to identify actions and priorities to provide immediate relief and advance local recovery strategies.  To support a regional gathering, the convenors helped produce the following:

As the State and Federal governments started determining relief and recovery packages, our region had the opportunity to stand united in advocating for our priorities. To prepare, we

  • reviewed the region’s current recovery efforts with an emphasis on equity,
  • received updates about the federal and state budget and legislative opportunities, and
  • formed three action groups which identified a set of regional recovery priorities for which we could advocate at the state and federal levels.
Focus Areas

Priorities
Building a Better Economy
  • Job quality standards
  • Supporting BIPOC-owned, small businesses
Ensuring Affordable Housing
  • Eviction moratorium
  • Federal housing priorities in infrastructure, and reconciliation packages
Supporting Under-Invested Communities
  • Childcare
  • Digital divide
  • Guaranteed income­­

Click to expand sections about each focus area.

Building a Better Economy

Priorities: Job quality standards, supporting BIPOC-owned small businesses

Co-chairs: SPUR and Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Participants included Economic Development Directors, worker rights advocates, and small business and job training providers.

Actions

  • Sent federal advocacy letter to Small Business Administration urging them to grant funds to Bay Area, culturally competent technical assistance provider.
  • Submitted state budget letter asking the legislature to ensure small business employees receive paid COVID-19 sick leave.
  • Submitted letter urging congress to set a federal floor of job quality standards tied to relief funds, and to allow states to set higher standards.
  • Submitted State Budget Advocacy Letter urging legislature to augment Small Business Funding with Support of Culturally Competent Technical Assistance.

Results

  • The FY21-22 State budget expanded relief to small businesses by adding $1.5 billion to the state’s earlier $2.5 billion investment in the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, which has helped approximately 210,000 businesses stay open and keep Californians employed.
  • California passed a temporary COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave, which provided California employees with 2 weeks of paid sick leave for reasons related to COVID-19, if they worked for an employer with 25+ employees. The temporary policy ended on September 30th.
  • The State established the Community Economic Resilience Fund and provided $600 million in funding. This program allows regions to apply for planning funds to support a just transitions economic plan and represents an opportunity for jurisdictions across our region to create a more equitable economic development plan.
Ensuring Affordable Housing

Priorities: Eviction moratorium, federal housing priorities in infrastructure and reconciliation packages

Co-chairs: All Home and San Francisco Foundation

Participants included local city and county Housing Directors, local direct service providers, and state and federal advocates.

Actions

  • Submitted state budget advocacy letter urging:
  • Spurred 20+ organizations to submit individual letters to Governor Newsom to extend State eviction moratorium.
  • Gathered consensus on top federal housing priorities, submitted federal advocacy letter & social media campaign with mayors and over 20 advocacy organizations.

Results

  • The State budget included significant investments in housing and homelessness prevention, including $2 billion over two years in flexible local funding to address homelessness, $2.75 billion for Project Homekey, $1.75 billion for shovel-ready projects. The budget also included $20 million to set up the Bay Area Housing Financing Authority (BAHFA) and fully fund its five pilot projects. ). BAHFA is a first-of-its-kind regional authority created to address the Bay Area’s chronic housing challenges.
  • The state ended the statewide eviction moratorium through September 30, 2021 and adjusted the emergency rental assistance program to cover 100% of back rent and prospective rent for eligible tenants.
  • The State temporarily extended the statewide eviction moratorium through September 30, 2021 and provided for extended state rent
  • Our federal housing priorities letter has served as the base for continued advocacy. As the federal package was being negotiated, mayors, community groups, and advocates activated around the priorities laid out in the letter to ensure housing remains a priority.
Supporting Under-invested Communities

Priorities: Childcare, digital divide, and guaranteed income­­

Co-chairs: BARHII and San Francisco Foundation

Participants included county Health Officers, childcare providers, direct service providers, and local and state advocates.

Actions

  • Childcare: State budget advocacy letter to bolster the childcare industry’s access to interest-free loans and financial assistance programs.
  • Childcare: Call to action to urge Governor Newsom’s office to increase childcare reimbursement rates and number of slots.
  • Childcare: Federal advocacy letter to congressional leadership urging investment in childcare as infrastructure
  • Digital Divide: State budget advocacy letter urging investments in municipal broadband and Wi-Fi infrastructure
  • Guaranteed Income: State budget advocacy letter urging investment in guaranteed income pilots

Results

  • The state budget allows the state to use $250 million in infrastructure grants to improve childcare facilities with an emphasis on underserved areas. The state budget supports 145,000 new childcare slots and increased reimbursement rates for childcare and preschool providers.
  • California will provide a $6 billion multiyear investment in broadband (e.g., middle and last mile infrastructure and a dedicated “broadband czar” and advisory board).
  • The state budget allocated $35 million over five years to Guaranteed Income pilots. Guaranteed income pilot programs traditionally provide unconditional, individual, regular cash payments intended to support the basic needs of the recipients.