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Executive Director's Report

Report to the Commission: February 28, 2024

Personnel

New Appointments

  • Michael Vavrichek – Michael started with MTC on February 5th as the Financial Reporting Manager in the Financial Reporting and Operational Accounting section.
  • Natasha Opfell – Natasha started with MTC on February 5th as an Associate Planner/AnalystLong-Range Planning in the Regional Planning Program section.
  • Crystal Matson – Crystal started with MTC on February 20th as a Senior Counsel in the Office of General Counsel.

Updates

USDOT RAISE Grant Application

In late February, MTC applied for a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help fund the construction of the West Oakland Link (a ~$100 million project). The West Oakland Link is a 1.1-mile bicycle and pedestrian connection between West Oakland and the Bay Bridge East Span Path. As part of the Bay Skyway Phase 1, it will connect the East Bay with Treasure Island and downtown San Francisco via frequent electric ferry.

Bay Area Housing Element Update

January 31st marked a Housing Element milestone: jurisdictions that were late in obtaining their certification from state regulators faced a rezoning deadline. The original deadline for local governments to complete Housing Element updates was over a year ago, on January 31, 2023. Sixty-four jurisdictions currently have certified Housing Elements, and another eight are in “substantial compliance” with state law, together representing about two-thirds of the region. Twenty-three jurisdictions had to rezone by the January 31, 2024, deadline. We are working with our local partners to determine if they met that deadline. A bright spot is that San Jose, the most populous city in the region, with the largest RHNA obligation, has obtained its certification and completed rezoning. Congratulations!

Medium-High FTA Rating for Portal

The Federal Transit Administration confirmed MTC's overall Medium-High project rating for the Portal, also known as the Downtown Rail Extension (DTX) project, which extends Caltrain service from Fourth & King Street to the multimodal Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco. The project will be listed in next month’s FTA’s Capital Investment Grant Dashboard as only the 8th New Starts project in the nation with a positive rating, making the project eligible for a full funding grant agreement.

Federal Certification Review Feb. 26-28

Staff from the U.S. Department of Transportation are on site this week for MTC’s quadrennial certification review of its role as a metropolitan planning organization. A public listening session was held Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 27 at the Bay Area Metro Center.

North Bay League of Cities Meeting Feb. 15

Commissioners Rabbitt and Fleming, as well as several ABAG Executive Board members, were in attendance for this meeting, at which I was joined by Brad Paul, Kate Hartley and Rebecca Long of the MTC-ABAG staff for a presentation and discussion of the proposed Bay Area affordable housing bond.

Bay Area Caucus Meeting Feb. 7

Earlier this month, Kate Hartley, Section Director for BAHFA, along with representatives from Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California, MidPen Housing and Enterprise Community Partners, presented an update on the proposed Bay Area affordable housing bond to the Bay Area Caucus at the invitation of Bay Area Caucus Chair Senator Josh Becker.

Statewide Transportation Policy Forums

I joined state and regional leaders on Feb. 8 at the CalCOG Regional Leadership Forum in Monterey as a member of a panel discussing roadway pricing as a means of managing congestion. The panel included representatives from SCAG, SACOG, Caltrans, and CTC, and my discussion included MTC’s efforts around express lanes and our next generation freeway study. On Feb. 13 I participated as a panelist at the California Transportation Foundation’s Transportation Forum in Sacramento. My panel was titled “Roads for All Modes” and I was joined by Executive Director Tanisha Taylor of the California Transportation Commission and Deputy CEO Ray Major, of SANDAG, to discuss complete streets and active transportation investments, bus transit improvements, and highway projects across the state. Key speakers at the forum included Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, CalSTA Secretary Toks Omishakin, and Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.

Building Updates

  • First Floor Reconfiguration Project: Modifications to the first floor meeting rooms started on February 12th and are expected to be completed in July. The project will reconfigure the multipurpose rooms, upgrade existing audio-visual applications in the Temazcal room and expand the warming kitchen. With staff now in the office at least two days per week, these rooms are being used much more frequently, and these upgrades will be most welcome.
  • Building Façade: Building façade repairs and maintenance work have started to comply with San Francisco ordinance AB-110 and are expected to be completed later this fall. This work includes repair of concrete spalls on the building’s façade, along with further inspection of corroded sheet metal flashing at the Air Handling Unit, waterproofing of windows, metal cladding appendages, and terrace upgrades.
  • Fitwel 2-Star Rating: The Bay Area Metro Center (BAMC) has achieved a Fitwel rating score of 108 out of 144 points. This certification, valid for three years, signifies dedication to prioritizing health and well-being within the building and the community. This accomplishment reflects ongoing efforts to design and operate the building with evidence-based strategies aimed at supporting physical, mental and social wellness.
  • LEED Certification Update: The BAMC has also attained the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4.1 Operations and Management: Existing Buildings Platinum Certification. Platinum represents the pinnacle of achievement within this status. LEED certification recognizes various facets of environmental stewardship, such as energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, site management, proximity to public transportation, and sustainable material usage.

Looking Ahead

State of the San Francisco Estuary Conference, March 12-13 in Oakland

The San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) is hosting its State of the San Francisco Estuary Conference on Tuesday, March 12, and Wednesday, March 13, at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland. Keynote speakers will include California EPA Secretary Yana Garcia and U.S. EPA Region 9 Administrator Martha Guzman. Online registration to attend the conference is now open. More details can be found on the SFEP website: San Francisco Estuary Partnership.

April Commission Workshop

At the request of Chair Pedroza, a Commission Workshop will follow the April Commission meeting. The workshop will begin in the afternoon of April 24 and conclude in the early afternoon on April 25. The location is not yet finalized, but we are aiming to hold it in the Peninsula or the South Bay.