In 2017, Civic Edge worked with the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) to promote, plan, and implement two General Assemblies events. Our team partnered with ABAG again in 2019, as the organization prepared for its sixth cycle (2022-2030) of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process. Every eight years, the RHNA process plans for the Bay Area’s changing housing needs. Our team clarified and strengthened the role and responsibilities of the Housing Methodology Committee (HMC), an advisory board to the RHNA process. We also helped refine key messaging around changes in the RHNA cycle, including for the higher regional housing needs and the new objective to affirmatively further fair housing.
Civic Edge led by incorporating the needs, priorities, and aspirations of those serving on the HMC directly into the strategy and messaging development for the RHNA cycle. Along with ABAG staff, we designed the framework for holding 12 HMC meetings with an approach that built consensus around a difficult topic. The Civic Edge team facilitated each HMC meeting, including member discussion, and prepared detailed agendas to help move members through challenging, technical content.
Within a week of each meeting, Civic Edge shared detailed notes with the public. The solid foundation built with ABAG to establish the HMC structure and strong early meeting facilitation provided the basis for Civic Edge to transition the meetings to an online platform during the early stages of the pandemic in March 2020. By helping ABAG to maintain a clear and smooth process throughout the HMC meetings, as more than half of them shifted to virtual, Civic Edge supported all committee members in being able to focus on the housing needs of the Bay Area. Members dove into the resources offered and hashed out differences through discussion before coming together in a vote of approval at their last meeting.