Standing Strong, Building Power in 2026
What a difficult, painful start to the new year. Our hearts are heavy from the attacks on our communities and our allies in Minneapolis and across the country.
But our resolve is strong: we will resist injustice by continuing to build power with our partners and fight for policies that create shared prosperity for low-income people of color.
This year is already full of opportunities to do just that.
To foster deeper engagement, we are going to keep you more up-to-date on our campaigns and those of our coalition partners. Our emails will feature timely, actionable items along with Urban Habitat’s hallmark: regional analysis that brings a race and class lens to land use, housing, and transportation policies.
Overview of the Year: Winning Policies, Building Power
A Make-or-Break Moment for Public Transit
We have the opportunity to pass a historic 5-county funding measure that will raise $1 billion a year for the next 14 years. The Connect Bay Area campaign has begun collecting the 200,000 signatures needed to get the measure on the November ballot. Get updates and find a signature-gathering event near you.
If major funding isn’t secured this year, the Bay Area faces massive transit service cuts that will disproportionately impact low-income communities of color, cutting us off from the people and places we rely on.
Winning Rent Control
San Leandro is poised to pass rent control after years of tireless organizing by residents, and other cities are following suit! In San Pablo, our partners Rising Juntos and ACCE are running an initiative for rent control on the November ballot, as is Faith in Action in Redwood City.
We will continue to support their campaigns with research, policy analysis, and campaign strategy.
Developing BIPOC Leaders
This month we launched our 17th cohort of the Board and Commissions Leadership Institute. Sixteen seasoned organizers and emerging advocates are stepping into commission service as the next phase of their leadership journey.
Also, for the first time, we’re opening up two of our BCLI policy sessions this spring for you to join: Real Estate and Development with Carlos Romero and Housing Justice with Chris Schildt. Stay tuned for details and registration coming soon!
The State of the Region returns!
Our signature convening is back and scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th. Join advocates, funders, and policymakers right after the elections for The State of the Region, a full day of strategizing to build power. Mark your calendars!
Bold Solutions and Even Bolder Action in 2026
We are living in a truly critical moment for our region and nation. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities to win transformative change.
At Urban Habitat, we look forward to working alongside you in 2026 to win policies and build power.