Climate change is causing devastating wildfires across California, compromising the drinking water supply for millions, and leaving people vulnerable to extreme heat and weather.

Rising sea levels and more intense storms threaten to flood communities along the Bay’s shoreline, and groundwater rise will extend these risks away from the shore. Homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools need to be protected – but we need new funding to make big changes.

Prop 4 will invest $10 billion across the state to help the state manage and prevent climate change impacts. It will also require that at least 40% of the funding is invested in disadvantaged communities, which often face the greatest risk from climate disasters.

The San Francisco Chronicle describes the funding as "merely a drop in the bucket of the staggering costs of protecting ourselves against climate change." With more funds, we can restore more wetlands along the shoreline, which help protect communities from rising Bay levels. Prop 4 will fund forest management, improve the state’s water supply, and expand nature-based climate solutions that will improve California’s resilience in the years ahead.

Learn more at www.yesonprop4ca.com

The Bay Area needs Prop 5.

Bay Area cities in particular need to fund affordable housing, green infrastructure, and sea level rise resilience projects because we are facing extreme climate vulnerabilities and housing needs. Projected costs for the Bay Area to address sea level rise alone are more than $100 billion by 2100, and even federal and state grants made available for this purpose often require sources of local matching funds that cities don’t have.

Prop 5 would empower local communities to approve local bond measures with a 55% vote. That’s in contrast to the current 66% requirement, a voter threshold which the Los Angeles Times calls “undemocratic” because it gives too much power to a minority of voters. And it would provide cities with matching funds to be more competitive for state and federal funding.

The majority of Californians support locally funding housing affordability and climate resilience projects through bonds, and up to half of recent local bond measures in the state would have passed if Prop 5’s voter threshold had already been in place. Save The Bay is endorsing two local measures (Measure Q in San Bruno and Measure I in Santa Clara) that would instantaneously benefit from the lower voter approval threshold if Prop 5 is approved, and both measures would help fund local flood resilience.

Voters in San Bruno can help the city prepare for climate change and manage storm water flooding by voting Yes on Measure Q.

Measure Q is a bond that will invest in storm drain upgrades to reduce flooding, repair streets, and improve emergency response. As climate change brings more intense storms, cities like San Bruno need to address current challenges and build for future climate conditions. That requires investing in new storm drains now. By approving this local bond, San Bruno will be able to attract more state and federal matching funding, increasing the impact of this measure.

Voters in Santa Clara can help their city build climate resilience by voting Yes on Measure I.

Measure I is a bond that will make urgently needed upgrades to city infrastructure, including improving the storm drain system to prevent flooding. As climate change brings more intense storms, sea level rise, and other risks to our communities, cities need to invest now to address these changing conditions. Nature-based infrastructure can offer significant adaptation benefits. That’s why we are excited that Measure I also provides specific funding for green stormwater infrastructure projects. Green infrastructure includes the use of planter boxes, bioswales, trees and other vegetated areas to filter and absorb stormwater which can help reduce flood risk and improve water quality in the San Francisco Bay.

Learn more at www.santaclarabond.com

Voters in San Mateo can help the Bay Area address both housing affordability and climate resilience by voting Yes on Measure T.

New housing in San Mateo is severely limited by building height and density limits that contribute to the lack of affordability and incentivizes urban sprawl. Pushing housing development away from the central Bay Area causes longer commutes, more emissions, and the loss of open space. By voting Yes on Measure T, San Mateo residents will make a modest change in building height and density rules in the downtown area to allow more housing to be built near jobs, schools and transit.

Learn more at www.sensiblesanmateo.com

Voters in Petaluma have the chance to renew the city’s long-standing urban growth boundary and should vote Yes on Measure Y.

Urban growth boundaries are important city planning tools that limit sprawl and encourage development within the city’s existing footprint. This type of smart growth policy supports a climate resilient Bay Area by focusing growth in areas that are close to jobs, schools, and retail. Managing growth this way reduces commutes and emissions, creates more walkable and bikeable cities, supports the use of public transit, and preserves open space.

Learn more at www.renewpetalumaugb.org

Voters in Healdsburg can support their city’s housing needs while protecting the area’s rural character by voting Yes on Measure O.

This measure makes a modest change to the city’s growth management ordinance to allow for more multifamily housing along Healdsburg Avenue. By allowing more housing in the city, Measure O helps prevent urban sprawl, protects open space, reduces commutes and emissions, and provides for more housing access near jobs.

Learn more at www.yesonoyesforhomes.com