Draft MTP/SCS Comments Received - sacog

Sacramento Public Hearing Comments from January 4, 2012
Mona Tawatao,
Legal Services of
Northern California
Ruby Avila, Youth
Advocate Network
for Sustainable
Communities
Teri Duarte,
WALKSacramento
The draft plan moves the region in the right direction, especially considering a more challenging fiscal environment. The commitment to
developing affordable housing and addressing equity issues is appreciated. However, the plan could and should do more to address equity issues
throughout the region. SACOG has legal and regulatory obligations in this regard, particularly with concern for whether or not the plan promotes
access to opportunity, lessens or exacerbates racial segregation, and avoids or mitigates potential impacts, especially to residents in
environmental justice communities. Promoting equity in the plan also enhances economic growth. Minority populations will continue to grow
rapidly. People and communities of color, as well as those living in low‐income areas, typically bear the burden of failed systems and
infrastructure. We can't thrive as a region if we don't act aggressively to close these gaps and disparities. We need to treat the upcoming
generation as an asset because the region's economic health depends on it.
1) Jobs/housing fit should ensure that people live near where they work.
2) Analysis of displacement of residents and potential effects of such displacement in terms of transit, service, and job access.
3) Analysis of whether or not any part of the plan has disproportionate impacts on communities of color.
4) Frontload transit investments. Improving transit benefits groups that are already far behind in terms of access and opportunity, and delaying
transit investments may be too little too late to benefit these groups.
Public transit improvements, complete streets, and more frequent transit are very important. SACOG should remember to include youth in their
outreach efforts.
The MTP/SCS needs a timetable to achieve complete streets. The region doesn't have a complete network of bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure.
Each transportation project should go through a review to see how closely it achieves health, environmental, and equity goals of the region.
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