Greenbelt Alliance

The tide of change is rising, and the Bay Area is ready!

We recently had the privilege of participating in the Bay Adapt Summit, brilliantly organized by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). This event brought together climate change practitioners, community leaders, and policymakers to address shoreline resilience in the Bay Area.

From innovative nature-based solutions to equitable community strategies, the summit showcased how we're collectively rising to meet climate challenges. We're inspired by the cross-sector partnerships making a splash in shoreline adaptation.

Happy Work Anniversary to our Resilience Associate, Nate Huntington!

For the past two years, Nate has been a driving force in our climate resilience and climate-smart housing initiatives, with a special focus on Solano County. His passion for limiting sprawl and advancing climate adaptation planning shines through in every project he tackles.

Nate's leadership shines brightest in his work with the Solano Together Coalition. He spearheaded Greenbelt Alliance’s organizing efforts against the California Forever initiative, playing a crucial role in the recent victory of seeing this initiative withdrawn from the November ballot — a testament to the power of community organizing and strategic advocacy.

Join us in celebrating Nate and wishing him continued success in creating a more resilient and sustainable future for all! 💚🌿

📣 Breaking News: $20 Billion Bay Area Housing Bond Pulled from November Ballot

Today, we are saddened to learn that the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) voted to withdraw a transformational $20 billion affordable housing bond from the November ballot. This would have been California's largest-ever housing measure, aimed at funding construction and preservation of subsidized housing across the region.

Why was it withdrawn?
● Concerns about voter appetite for new taxes in the current economic climate
● A pending lawsuit by anti-tax and anti-housing groups challenging the measure
● Strategic considerations related to Proposition 5, which could lower the approval threshold for future housing bonds

At Greenbelt Alliance, we recognize the critical role affordable housing plays in building resilient communities and reducing emissions through smart land use. We have been working diligently to pass the BAHFA bond and will continue to move the needle on progressive housing reform. This setback underscores the ongoing challenges in addressing the Bay Area's housing crisis, but also the need for strategic planning to ensure success.

While this news is deeply disappointing, the fight for affordable housing at the ballot box this November continues on. We remain committed to passing Proposition 5, which would lower the approval threshold for future housing bonds from 66% to 55%, making it easier to fund the affordable homes we know California desperately needs.

"Communities across the Bay Area need affordable homes perhaps now more than ever as housing costs remain sky-high and people are forced to live further and further away from where they work and their existing communities, exacerbating our climate crisis. This upsetting setback underscores the ongoing challenges in addressing the Bay Area's housing crisis, but also the need for strategic planning and regional collaboration to ensure that everyone can afford to live in the Bay Area."—Jordan Grimes

Read more:

Bond voyage: Supporters yank California’s largest-ever affordable housing measure A $20 billion affordable housing bond got removed from voters' ballots Wednesday amid fears that it wouldn't pass.

Happy International Youth Day! 🌍👥

Today, we're shining a spotlight on the critical work of young environmentalists like our former intern, Zoe Ivatt. Zoe's recent blog post on rising groundwater in East Palo Alto is a perfect example of how local communities are tackling complex climate challenges head-on.

In her analysis, Zoe reveals the hidden dangers of rising groundwater tables, a consequence of increasing sea levels. This phenomenon significantly amplifies flood risks in low-lying areas and, more alarmingly, exposes communities to concealed contaminants that pose serious health risks. East Palo Alto, given its geographic location and historical context of environmental injustice, emerges as a focal point for these compounding challenges.

Zoe's work reminds us of the vital role young people play in addressing climate change and environmental justice. We're proud to support and amplify youth voices in the fight for a sustainable future:
https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/east-palo-alto-groundwater/

We're excited to share the success of our recent Alameda Estuary Open House!

This past weekend, the REAP Climate Center buzzed with energy as we welcomed over 60 community members, along with our mayor and council members. The event showcased the power of community engagement in addressing climate change with a focus on adapting our shoreline to protect against flooding.

Your participation and input are crucial as we work towards building a resilient future for Oakland and Alameda. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this productive session!

Looking Ahead: We're maintaining this momentum with our upcoming Bay Farm Island Open House. Join us on Monday, August 12 to continue this vital conversation:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bay-farm-island-open-house-oakland-alameda-shoreline-community-tickets-944643001647?aff=oddtdtcreator

California Forever’s sprawl development plan has been stopped in its tracks, thanks to our resilient community. Despite spending approx. $10 million, they’ve withdrawn their initiative in the face of unified opposition.

"Regional and local land use requires collaboration because environmental and agricultural stewardship is intertwined with the interest of urban and suburban residents. Greenfield development, especially outside of existing cities, not only harms farmlands and the ecology of open space but the allocation of resources from existing cities to a new city."

This victory showcases the power of grassroots efforts. But the battle isn’t over—plans to return in 2026 are already in the works. We must stay vigilant and continue advocating for sustainable growth. Read more about how Greenbelt Alliance contributed to the efforts of the Solano Together coalition to support this grassroots WIN!

The People of Solano County Prevail Over Sprawl Development Plan At the 11th hour, the Silicon Valley-backed California Forever pulled the plug on their East Solano Plan initiative, after spending over $10 million to qualify the measure for the ballot and try to convince voters of their misbegotten plan. Despite their various attempts at sugarcoating the damaging...

Our summer intern AJ Olsen explores how Oakland can build resilience against extreme heat in the face of climate change. From addressing urban heat islands to improving building design, learn about strategies to protect public health and enhance quality of life. Read the full blog post here:

How to Build Extreme Heat Resilience in Oakland Oakland's built environment contributes to extreme heat impacts from climate change and public health risks. Here's what we can do.

📅 The countdown is on—one month until Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt! Join us on August 28th at Oakland’s Preservation Park to celebrate the incredible government staff leading climate resilience in the Bay Area.

https://www.greenbelt.org/hidden-heroes-of-the-greenbelt-2024

🌊Rise up with rising seas!

Calling all Oakland and Alameda residents to share your voice on how to respond to sea level rise.

The Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee (OAAC) is calling on our East Bay community to help to protect our communities and habitats from shoreline flooding. Join our workshops to learn more and provide input!

Oakland Alameda Shoreline Community workshop dates:

Sat, Aug 3, 10a.m. - 1 p.m.
Mon, Aug 12, 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Thur, Aug, 15, 5:30 - 8 p.m.

Learn more and register: bit.ly/oaac-workshops or the link in our Instagram bio.

In case you missed it: California Forever has withdrawn their ballot initiative for the East Solano Plan.

Sadie Wilson of Greenbelt Alliance told POLITICO: 'You can paint it a lot of different ways, as they obviously have, but they pulled their initiative because they knew they weren't going to win. This is a major victory.'

We stand with Solano Together Coalition and Solano County residents in this community-driven effort to protect farmland and open spaces while promoting smart growth in existing communities.

Big Tech-backed plan for new California city gets pulled from local ballot Organizers say they will keep working on the project while local opposition groups rejoice.

Exciting news! Greenbelt Alliance is growing, and we're delighted to welcome six new staff members to our team. Each brings unique expertise and passion to our mission of creating a more equitable and resilient Bay Area. Join us in giving them a warm welcome!

Meet Victorina, Ann, Princess, Devin, Alexandra, and Nikila - our newest champions for climate resilience, environmental justice, and sustainable development. From river rafting guides to grassroots organizers, their diverse backgrounds will enrich our work across the region.

Want to know what inspired them to join Greenbelt Alliance and the exciting projects they'll be working on? Check out our latest blog post to learn more:

https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/meet-greenbelt-alliances-new-staff-members/

We are proud to have been a part of this effort and of the coalition, and we look forward to building a resilient vision for Solano with our partners and the community!

Statement: The People of Solano County Defeat the Billionaires’ Development Plan Faced with the anticipation of overwhelming rejection by Solano County voters on the ballot, California Forever has pulled the plug on the East Solano Plan Initiative. The people have spoken and California Forever has been forced to withdraw their hastily drawn, poorly designed initiative, given a s...

Happy Work Anniversary to our East Bay Resilience Manager, Victor Flores! Victor has been a powerhouse in forging a collective vision for resilience that integrates equity, conservation, and abundant housing across the East Bay.

With his deep roots in Oakland and six years of experience in infrastructure, community engagement, electoral campaigns, and advocacy, he’s been instrumental in advancing our mission. When he’s not busy making the world a better place, you can find Victor biking around town, taking public transit, reading a good book, or staying active. 🚴‍♂️📚🏃‍♂️

Join us in celebrating Victor’s incredible work and wishing him many more years of success and impact! 🙌

Time to break out those cameras! 📸

The Open Space Authority is excited to announce our first-ever Coyote Valley PHOTO CONTEST, as a part of the Coyote Valley Conservation Area Master Plan (CVCAMP).

Photo contest winners will receive a $100 gift card to REI and have their photos featured in upcoming events and publications! 🏆🤑🎉

Accepting submissions until July 22, 2024.

https://news.openspaceauthority.org/coyote-valley-photo-contest

Our South Bay Resilience Manager, Victorina, had a great time attending the SVLG Sustainable Growth Summit! It was an incredible event spotlighting the intersection of innovation and sustainability.

Panelists from Western Digital, Verizon, and Ecolab shared groundbreaking approaches to sustainability in data centers, emphasizing holistic goal-setting and establishing circular models that account for the end-of-life of tech waste.

California State Treasurer Fiona Ma's keynote was a powerful reminder of our state's leadership in sustainability, driven by California’s unique connection to nature due to its diverse geography and culture, and commitment to DEI and ESG principles.

Special thanks to SVLG for hosting a space for leaders and decision-makers to discuss how to deepen and accelerate the work to tackle the climate crisis and champion environmental stewardship!

Join us and BCDC on August 8th for Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit at the Exploratorium! Rising Together will bring together climate change practitioners, scientists, activists, and others to celebrate sea level rise adaptation throughout the region, and engage community members with the latest climate actions in our neighborhoods.

Join us for a full day of inspiring panels, keynotes, shoreline tours, and activities designed to forge partnerships and drive action. The celebration will continue at After Dark: Sea Level Rise, where adults (ages 18+) are invited to continue the hands-on exploration of this themed programming from BCDC and the Exploratorium!

Register now:

Rising Together: The Bay Adapt Summit Join BCDC and the Exploratorium for an inspiring and interactive day celebrating sea level rise adaptation across the Bay Area.

🚨 Action Alert: Calling all Petaluma residents!🌳 The Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) in Petaluma, a cornerstone of equitable urban planning, is at a critical juncture.

With its impending expiration in 2025, now is the time for collective action. By renewing and fortifying the UGB for another 30 years, we can safeguard against urban sprawl, enhance housing equity, and fortify climate resilience throughout the Bay Area. 🏡✨

Email Petaluma’s City officials and share your voice:

https://bit.ly/petaluma-ugb-action

Happy work anniversary to Jordan Grimes, our State and Regional Resilience Manager! 🌟

With deep roots in the San Francisco peninsula and extensive background in grassroots housing advocacy and policy, Jordan has been a driving force in promoting sustainable housing policy strategies across the Bay Area.

Jordan’s dedication to housing and environmental justice shines through in his work every day, working tirelessly to advance equitable land-use policies that right historical wrongs for a Bay Area that everyone can call home.

When he’s not championing sustainability, Jordan’s out winning bar trivia nights, enjoying live music, traveling, and exploring the beautiful open spaces of the Bay Area. Join us in giving a big shoutout to Jordan for his incredible contributions over the past two years! 🙌

Happy Prideteenth! We celebrated with a Lunch and Learn, catered by a Black-owned Oakland restaurant The Cook and Her Farmer and invited Dr. Kerby Lynch, a distinguished scholar in critical Black studies, human geography, political economy, and intellectual history.

Dr. Lynch discussed the critical intersections of race, gender, and sexuality with environmental justice, redlining, zoning, and historical exclusion. She illuminated how Black q***r individuals navigate the built environment, offering vital perspectives on how these intersecting factors shape their experiences and resilience.

As the Director of Research and Facilitation at Ceres Policy Research, she leads groundbreaking social science research on community reinvestment, racial equity analysis, and reparations policy implementation.

Dr. Lynch's insights inspire us to continue striving for justice and equity in all aspects of our work. This Juneteenth/Prideteenth, let's honor the progress made while recognizing the challenges that remain. Together, we can build a more inclusive, resilient, and just Bay Area.

Our third annual East Bay Happy Hour on June 4th was a wonderful gathering at Zack Wasserman's gorgeous home, where we celebrated our achievements and discussed how to continue our impactful work. This year, Greenbelt Alliance and our partners have made significant strides in protecting our East Bay communities and ecosystems.

We're so grateful for our supporters who make our efforts possible. Together, we're addressing climate change and the housing crisis, ensuring our communities are resilient, sustainable, and vibrant.

Check out the blog post recapping the event and see photos from our celebration! 👉 https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/east-bay-happy-hour-2024/

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Stay tuned for more events and ways to get involved, including our upcoming Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt party on August 28th at Preservation Park in Oakland!

Meet Ann, our new North Bay Resilience Manager!

Ann brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her role, where she’ll be collaborating with partners across the North Bay to foster wildfire resilience, promote greenbelt stewardship, and develop equitable housing solutions.

Originally from Oakland and a proud UC Berkeley alum, Ann has called the North Bay home for over 15 years, living in Boonville, Occidental, and Sebastopol. Her deep connections in Sonoma and Mendocino counties are invaluable to her work and our mission.

Outside of work, Ann is a true community spirit—whether she's making music with her band, The Stakes Are Low, river rafting with her family, or mentoring teens at the Ceres Community Garden. Join us in welcoming Ann to our team!

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Sonoma Luncheon at William and Helga Andereck’s beautiful home! The proceeds directly support our critical work in Sonoma County.

Greenbelt Alliance is leading a pilot project in Boyes Hot Springs to create an innovative wildfire buffer zone that will reduce wildfire risk to surrounding vulnerable communities. We are working to bring together the right people, the right parcels, and the right solutions to make landscapes fire resilient and, in turn, our communities fire resilient.

Thank you to everyone who attended to support our work.

2024 Sonoma Luncheon Leadership Council Recap On May 18, 2024, Greenbelt Alliance supporters gathered at William and Helga Andereck’s beautiful home for our annual Sonoma Luncheon. Proceeds from the even...

Big News! 🙌 Greenbelt Alliance and Sustainable Solano are launching a climate education and leadership development program. Want to make a difference in your community (and get paid)? Learn how to get involved:

2024 Resilient Roots: Climate Leadership Network Application Resilient Roots is a climate education program led by Sustainable Solano and Greenbelt Alliance that will equip 25 Suisun City and Fairfield residents with the inspiration and resources to champion climate action in their own communities.

Exciting news from Gilroy! The resilience hub is becoming a reality, promoting both community climate resilience and everyday resilience. Mariah Padilla, one of Greenbelt Alliance’s Resilience Fellows, perfectly captures the vision: “We are seeing the resilience hub in Gilroy actually coming to fruition…It shouldn’t just be a space for when climate disasters happen. It should be a space where community members can come together.”

Changemaker Gets to Know Gilroy – KneeDeep Times Mariah Padilla, a Bay Area native and city planning student, is exploring community-centric planning with Gilroy.

Happy International Day for Biological Diversity!

Today, we're highlighting a beautiful zine by Shahstin, a talented Vallejo-based artist, designer, and changemaker with Stop Tech City, Artists Against Billionaires and Solano Together Coalition. This powerful work highlights the unique biodiversity found in Solano County, such as the vernal pools and endemic species that can only be found there. It also warns about the dangers that California Forever’s sprawl development poses to these critical natural and working lands, which shelter over 300 species.

These lands help Solano’s existing cities flourish:
🌱 Sequestering carbon to mitigate climate change
💧 Minimizing climate-related disasters like floods and wildfires
🌾 Keeping our land and air cooler
🌿 Providing habitats for diverse flora and fauna
🍓 Producing food
🚰 Filtering and protecting our state's water supply

This November, vote NO on California Forever's East Solano Plan to rezone Solano County and pave over these critical habitats.