According to UC Berkeley’s Institute of Government Studies and the Los Angeles Times’ April 2022 poll, fifty-six percent (56%) of registered voters “support the state continuing to build the high-speed rail project.” This week the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) Board of Directors has the opportunity to listen to voters – invest in affordable housing, make a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions, and continue California’s legacy as an innovation hub for the world. Approval of the San Jose to Merced environmental documents brings the state closer than ever to giving Californians what they want: electrified high-speed rail that alleviates congestion, avoids high gas prices, and addresses the climate crisis.
California’s housing affordability crunch ranks at the top of all serious public policy and business competitiveness agendas. The state’s median home price set a new record in March 2022 at $849,080, which is out of reach for most—only 25% of Californians can afford a median priced home, compared to 50% nationally. Here in Silicon Valley, the median home price in Santa Clara County was a whopping $1.6 million in March 2022, up nearly 20% from the previous year, according to Redfin.
In an Executive Roundtable moderated by Jason Baker, SVP of Health, Housing and Transportation Policy on April 4, special guest Congressman Ro Khanna spoke to SVLG members about his key concerns and initiatives, including Biden’s Build Back Better framework, well-crafted antitrust legislation, and U.S.-based manufacturing.
As mask mandates drop across the country and many businesses prepare to return to in-person work, some experts say we should permanently adopt many of the changes we’ve made in the last two years rather than reverting to the way things were.
Dr. Erica Pan, Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases and State Epidemiologist, and Dr. Jorge Salinas, Co-Medical Director of Stanford Health Care’s Infection Prevention and Control Program, spoke candidly with SVLG members about the state of the pandemic in March at a roundtable titled Covid Toward Endemic.
In a roundtable discussion on climate leadership in the Golden State on March 22, Lauren Sanchez, Senior Climate Advisor for Governor Newsom, shared the latest insights from Sacramento on topics including natural gas resources, EV charging, environmental justice, and carbon capture.
With basic needs still unmet for many native communities, access to clean water and electricity are top of mind for Bidtah Becker, CalEPA Deputy Secretary for Environmental Justice, Tribal Affairs and Border Relations.
Recently nominated for the position, Becker sat down with SVLG’s Vice President of Environmental Policy, Mary Holing, sharing insights about the CalEPA’s environmental justice goals on energy and climate policy. In one of her first appearances since stepping into the role, she candidly discussed key issues that impact Native American tribes in California including safe drinking water, access to the power grid, land management, language preservation, education and air quality.
Becker fielded questions from SVLG members representing educational institutions, the solar industry, and more, elucidating native communities’ needs and highlighting opportunities for collaboration. As she tackled each issue, Becker emphasized the uniqueness of each tribe.
Smart, savvy policy experts gathered together at SVLG’s roundtable titled Politics Inside the Lines: Redistricting 2022 on February 24 to offer meaningful insights about how an independent redistricting commission has shaken up California politics, in their opinion for the better.
Looking to buy a home in the Bay Area? You’ll need a household income of about $235,000 to afford the median home price of $1.2 million — and that’s if you can find a seller who will take your money. Whether it’s the climate, the innovative atmosphere, or the world-class tech ecosystem, people want to be here, and Bay Area housing prices continue to skyrocket.
With many left out of the market or enduring long commutes to less expensive areas as a result, local leaders are working together to increase the housing supply and make the Bay Area more affordable for all.
The League of California Cities Peninsula Division, city officials, and business leaders from the Silicon Valley Leadership Group came together to discuss the future of housing in the Bay Area at Housing in Your City, an online SVLG event on January 26.
Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, colleagues from the Stanford Business School’s Class of 1994 decided to take collective action to address systemic racism in the United States.
When some of the classmates came together in a working group on organizational practice and accountability, many working as general managers said they felt they could be doing more on diversity, equity, and inclusion. They knew resources were out there, but they didn’t know where to start. After speaking with leaders who had made progress on DE&I, DE&I consultants, and academics, the group put together a framework and specific recommendations for change. The Racial Equity Playbook, a tool designed to help corporations make meaningful changes to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion, came out of this collaboration.
The SVLG Launch Circuit Speaker Series last week hosted a lively discussion with former US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez touching on immigration, workforce effectiveness, and leadership. Gutierrez is also the former CEO of The Kellogg Company, where he was both the youngest and first Hispanic CEO in the company’s 100-year history.
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