Bay Area Region
Caltrain considers raising fares to cover fuel
Dateline:
08/28/2008Caltrain commuters, many of whom were lured out of their cars to save money at the gas pump, may be paying higher fares to help offset the commuter rail agency's own rising fuel costs.
In April 2007, when Caltrain last raised fares, a gallon of diesel fuel to run the trains was almost $2.30; at the end of last week, the price was $3.39. In early July, the cost skyrocketed to $4.25, showing the volatility of fuel prices.
During the last fiscal year, Caltrain spent almost $11 million on fuel; this year's fuel budget was set at $14.4 million - but even that may not be enough, officials say.
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Eliminating California's suburban sprawl
Dateline:
08/26/2008For 30 years, as California's growing population led to sprawling suburbs, traffic jams and fewer farms, attempts to craft statewide laws to stop it have failed again and again.
City councils worried about losing local control. Property rights advocates bristled. And the ranch house with a backyard — the centerpiece of Sunset magazine and the Brady Bunch lifestyle — proved a powerful symbol.
But now, in what many observers are calling the most significant environmental bill of this year's state legislative session, builders and environmentalists have found common ground on a compromise they hope will limit global warming by changing where homes are built.
First Annual State of the Region: Dec 15
First Annual State of the Region: Dec 15
Save the date for December 15, 2008, for the Bay Area Social Equity Caucus Inaugural 'State of the Region' convening & 10th Anniversary Celebration in downtown Oakland!
You are invited to join our coalition members and allies from nonprofit, government, labor, and business organizations to evaluate the 'State of the Region' and continue building the movement for an equitable Bay Area.
Save the date for December 15, 2008, for the Bay Area Social Equity Caucus Inaugural 'State of the Region' convening & 10th Anniversary Celebration in downtown Oakland!
You are invited to join our coalition members and allies from nonprofit, government, labor, and business organizations to evaluate the 'State of the Region' and continue building the movement for an equitable Bay Area.
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First Annual State of the Region
Dec 15 2008 - 11:30
City:
OaklandAddress:
California BallroomCost:
Coming Soon
On that afternoon we'll invite the Bay Area SEC's non-profit, labor, government, business & philanthropic allies to deepen our coalition's understanding of the macro political, social, economic, & environmental forces impacting low-income people and people of color in the Bay Area.
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Bay Area transit agencies to swap ideas
Dateline:
08/18/2008Top technology executives at several Bay Area transit agencies have begun a forum to discuss issues of common concern.
The Bay Area Transportation CIO Forum is the first of its kind in the region, bringing together chief information officers from AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, the ports of Oakland and San Francisco, San Francisco International Airport, Muni and SamTrans.
The group said it expects to meet on a quarterly basis to swap ideas on issues such as disaster planning, security and wi-fi.
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Foreclosed properties become rentals
Dateline:
08/18/2008AS the mortgage meltdown forces more homes into foreclosure in the Bay Area, some of these properties are being picked up by investors who are putting them back into the rental market.
The upshot of this activity is that more single-family houses are starting to show up as rentals in parts of the East Bay — such as Antioch — and in San Joaquin County. In addition, some condo for-sale properties in downtown Oakland — such as the Broadway Grand — are being rented out as apartments because developers are having a hard time finding buyers in today's tough housing market.
Bay Area transit systems creak under new strains
Dateline:
08/15/2008With ridership on the upswing, the Bay Area’s transit operators are squeezing more efficient operations from aging fleets.
San Francisco’s Muni is undertaking the most thorough review of its operations in 25 years as it rethinks routes, frequency and boarding procedures. The East Bay’s AC Transit system is timing streetlights to give buses along two major routes the right-of-way and hopes to expand that and other efficiency concepts to more of its lines. Caltrain, which continues to enjoy a ridership boost on its express service, is trying to line up funding so it can switch to more efficient electric-powered locomotives.
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Regional: Bay Area Cities Spend 40 Percent More Than Nationall Average
Dateline:
08/14/2008The consumer expenditure survey indicated that the households in those Bay Area cities spent an average of $66,344 per year compared with a national average of $47,421.
Bay Area households also differed in the way they allocated their expenditures when compared with the typical household in the U.S.
While Bay Area residents spend a larger portion of their budget on housing and personal insurance, they spend less on health care and transportation, according to the study.
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Planning for Healthy Communities: Advocating for Equity in Planning Decisions
Nov 6 2008 - 10:00
Nov 6 2008 - 14:00
City:
OaklandAddress:
Nile Hall - Preservation Park, 668 13th StreetCost:
$25 or $10 for CPEHN network membersHave you ever wondered how to make your community healthier but weren't sure how? One way is through participating in land use and zoning decisions - and it's time to make health a part of these policies. Learn how to get involved and use concrete tools and strategies to make a difference in the health of our communities.
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