California’s housing crisis is in the news a lot. But California has another crisis that gets much less coverage than it deserves: the disconnect between transportation funding equity and housing production. We need infill housing near transportation hubs. And we also need transportation that better serves the low-income communities that rely on it the most. We need both to be connected. As the state moves to link funds for transportation to housing performance, California needs to address both silos and ensure that equitable and integrated funding is available to the communities that need it the most.

CalBike has joined with a coalition of NGOs that work on housing and transportation issues to send a letter to Governor Newsom about his housing and transportation proposal. The letter outlines principles for equitable funding for our state’s transportation and housing justice goals, and addresses the ways the two sectors are linked.

The letter highlights the principle that our housing goals should not be defined by production numbers alone; California housing goals must also align with the state’s goals for climate, health, and equity. We must address our need for more housing in tandem with our sustainable and equitable transportation goals.

Principles for Housing and Transportation Funding Equity

The principles laid out in the letter to address how to use transportation funding to further housing goals include:

• Prioritize the needs of low income households
• Build new housing near existing jobs, transit, or other infrastructure in both rural and urban areas.​
• Couple infill investments with inclusionary and anti-displacement protections.
• Tailor strategies to meet the unique needs of different geographies, including rural communities.
• Do not condition transit and active transportation dollars.​

CalBike is committed to the fight for transportation justice and housing justice. We will continue to work with our coalition partners, including ClimatePlan, NRDC, California Walks, Western Center on Law and Poverty, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, and the Safe Routes Partnership, to bring funding equity to the connected issues of transportation and housing for all Californians.

In the coming months, we will work together, as a coalition, to hold discussions with Gov. Newsom’s key leadership on this crucial issue.

Read the full guiding principles for transportation funding equity connected to housing.