Plan Bay Area:
Equity

Equity is a central component of sustainability, along with the economy and environment, which together define the three E’s of regional planning. The Bay Area’s regional agencies have addressed equity over the years and will continue to do so as an essential component of Plan Bay Area. As part of this effort, we have created a Regional Equity Working Group to assist in identifying and providing advice on the major equity issues in the region, such as affordable housing, public health, employment access, environmental justice, affordable transit and schools.

Proposed Equity Analysis Approach for Plan Bay Area

As outlined in MTC’s Public Participation Plan, the approach to equity planning and analysis for Plan Bay Area relies on three steps:

1. Assess the outcome of Initial Vision Scenario. This would initially draw primarily from the performance targets disaggregated by income and/or mode and/or community of concern to offer a preliminary assessment that can be effectively modeled for various horizon years. In cooperation with the Regional Equity Working Group, staff will develop other targets based on their usefulness in assessing equity implications of the scenarios.
2. Review the analysis framework used for the Initial Vision Scenario and update for use on the detailed land use scenarios assessment that starts in March 2011 and continues into early 2012.
3. Complete the equity assessment of the preferred scenario in 2012-13 based on the evaluation methodology developed in 2011 consistent with federal guidelines in concert with the Regional Transportation Plan Environmental Impact Report process.

This process will allow the agencies and Regional Advisory Working Group (RAWG) to better understand and to have ample opportunity to help develop the Plan Bay Area equity analysis process for the various scenarios that will be examined, well in advance of final agency approval on a preferred alternative. Staff will work with the Regional Equity Working Group to assist with the development of the analysis framework, the review of the analysis, and supplementary policy and research work to address key issues as they are identified. All findings and recommendations would come to the RAWG and MTC/ABAG policy committees for review and discussion.

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