A short history of the effort(s) so far (also see past campaigns)
October 2022. With the preliminary Berkeley Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) report already circulating, we talked with Supervisor Mar's office about pushing for the recommendations in the report, which included several bond proposals for the near term, i.e., the next 1 to 3 years.
November 2022. CLEE report is released. One of its near-term bond proposals is to increase the size of an existing affordable housing GO bond (now scheduled for the March 2024 ballot), adding $50M to $100M for existing affordable housing retrofits and electrification.
December 2022. Board of Supervisors votes unanimously to recommend that the Capital Planning Committee place some form of climate bond into the queue.
March 2023. During Supervisor Mandelman's scheduled hearing on the CLEE report at Budget & Appropriations, it becomes clear that no one (none of the Supervisors) has acted to follow up on their December vote. it seemed to be just a feel-good appeasement vote. The Office of Resilience & Capital Planning indicates that there is no room in the bond schedule. They offer no suggestions, only barriers - and they seem unclear on the difference between resilience in the face of climate disasters and mitigation of the emissions causing such disasters.
April 19, 2023. Budget & Appropriations had been scheduled to vote on the bond schedule, which includes no climate bonds per se. Supervisors comment that all bonds should be "climate bonds." Advocates strongly react, wanting an actual climate bond. Supervisor Ronen suggests that every bond should be content-labeled to indicate how much reduction or increase in GHG emissions it would produce. Board President Peskin wants the Affordable Housing Bond to switch places with the Public Health Bond: the former in March, the latter now in November.
April 26, 2023. President Peskin finds another $140M to add to the Affordable Housing Bond, previous protestations of "no available capacity in the bond schedule" to the contrary. Advocates want the $140M dedicated to improving existing housing, per the Clee report recommendation and its subsequent endorsement by the Supervisors.
May 3, 2023. Budget & Appropriations approves the March 2024 Affordable Housing Bond with the $140M added, and with a murky promise to utilize some bond money for existing affordable housing.
August 2023. We learn a few things about strategy...stay tuned!
November 2022. CLEE report is released. One of its near-term bond proposals is to increase the size of an existing affordable housing GO bond (now scheduled for the March 2024 ballot), adding $50M to $100M for existing affordable housing retrofits and electrification.
December 2022. Board of Supervisors votes unanimously to recommend that the Capital Planning Committee place some form of climate bond into the queue.
March 2023. During Supervisor Mandelman's scheduled hearing on the CLEE report at Budget & Appropriations, it becomes clear that no one (none of the Supervisors) has acted to follow up on their December vote. it seemed to be just a feel-good appeasement vote. The Office of Resilience & Capital Planning indicates that there is no room in the bond schedule. They offer no suggestions, only barriers - and they seem unclear on the difference between resilience in the face of climate disasters and mitigation of the emissions causing such disasters.
April 19, 2023. Budget & Appropriations had been scheduled to vote on the bond schedule, which includes no climate bonds per se. Supervisors comment that all bonds should be "climate bonds." Advocates strongly react, wanting an actual climate bond. Supervisor Ronen suggests that every bond should be content-labeled to indicate how much reduction or increase in GHG emissions it would produce. Board President Peskin wants the Affordable Housing Bond to switch places with the Public Health Bond: the former in March, the latter now in November.
April 26, 2023. President Peskin finds another $140M to add to the Affordable Housing Bond, previous protestations of "no available capacity in the bond schedule" to the contrary. Advocates want the $140M dedicated to improving existing housing, per the Clee report recommendation and its subsequent endorsement by the Supervisors.
May 3, 2023. Budget & Appropriations approves the March 2024 Affordable Housing Bond with the $140M added, and with a murky promise to utilize some bond money for existing affordable housing.
August 2023. We learn a few things about strategy...stay tuned!
