Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

III. A. MAKING HOUSING ANOPPORTUNITY FOR LOCALAND REGIONAL EQUITY:THE BAY AREA INCLUSIONARYHOUSING INITIATIVEFunders Highlighted:S.H. Cowell FoundationFannie Mae FoundationEvelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. FundMarin Community FoundationPeninsula Community FoundationThe San Francisco FoundationCharles and Helen Schwab Foundation“This collaborative project provides anopportunity for foundations, nonprofits, andgovernment to work in partnership to improveland use planning throughout the Bay Area.”— Cassandra Benjamin, Charles and HelenSchwab Foundation“This is a multi-year advocacy and organizingprogram designed to increase the number ofjurisdictions around the region with stronginclusionary housing programs.”— Sterling Speirn, Peninsula CommunityFoundationThrough a combination of training, technical assistance,grassroots organizing, and legal assistance, foundationsand community organizations are collaborating forgreater affordable housing through increased inclusionaryzoning programs. The profile showcases regional- andcommunity-level strategies designed to build andstrengthen alliances among a wide range of interests andcombined, direct efforts towards both housingdevelopment and sustained community-based activities.Project ProfileAs communities grapple with the need to provideaffordable housing for low- and moderate-incomehouseholds, the state of California now has the mostinclusionary zoning (IZ) programs of any state. Some116 inclusionary housing programs—operating in morethan 20 percent of the state’s local jurisdictions—haveadded more than 34,000 affordable homes. Despite thismeasurable progress, the San Francisco Bay Area, one ofthe country’s most costly housing markets, still has anacute need for more housing for low- and moderateincomefamilies. In response to this unmet need, aninnovative campaign known as the Bay AreaInclusionary Housing Initiative was launched in June2004 by seven foundations. 44 The campaign seeks theadoption of inclusionary housing guidelines by eachmunicipality throughout the region. The effort iscurrently envisioned to last for two years, but mayextend beyond that time period.Just as the Bay Area’s foundation community iscollaborating, so are its community organizations. Theinitiative’s parallel community partners include thefollowing organizations: Non-Profit HousingAssociation of Northern California, the Institute forLocal Self-Government, Greenbelt Alliance, CaliforniaAffordable Housing Law project, Nine-CountyHousing Advocacy Network, and Western Center onLaw and Poverty. As a team, these six organizations areworking to double the rate of inclusionary housingproduction in the first phase of the initiative. Thespecific objectives guiding the effort are to:• Educate local government staff and electedofficials;• Organize local support for new or improvedpolicies in targeted jurisdictions;• Provide technical assistance to local governments,advocates, and philanthropic communities;• Publicize the need for strong inclusionaryhousing programs (20 percent goal) viaphilanthropic organizations and the media;• Create an inclusionary housing tool kit andupdate the existing Community Acceptance toolkit; and• Strengthen the network of housing organizations,environmental groups, social justice, and businessorganizations engaged in affordable housingadvocacy.Commenting on the urgency of the mission, DianneSpaulding, executive director of the Non-ProfitHousing Association of Northern California (NPH),notes: “I can’t remember a time in the history of44The seven Bay Area Inclusionary Housing Initiative FoundationPartners are: S.H. Cowell Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr.Fund, Fannie Mae Foundation, Marin Community Foundation,Peninsula Community Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, andCharles and Helen Schwab Foundation.REGIONAL OPPORTUNITYPart III: Section 3: Connecting to Regional Opportunity 92