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Memorandum of Understanding — East Bay Corridor Initiative Page 2 Compared to the region as a whole, residents of Corridor PDAs have lower household incomes; suffer more from poor air quality and other adverse environmental impacts; are at a higher risk during natural disasters; and are subject to displacement risk from rising housing costs. Many Corridor PDAs face obstacles to realizing the development envisioned in adopted plans. These range from limited local resources to build infrastructure and public spaces to a lack of funding for affordable housing and difficulties attracting private investment. At the same time, the Corridor PDAs are located in close proximity to jobs and institutions of higher education. Further, numerous economic clusters appear to be growing in, or near the Corridor PDAs. Given this opportunity, the potential positive impact of a complementary approach to planning and investment is substantial, and can potentially provide a model for other Bay Area sub -regions with similar challenges. Between 2000 and 2014, Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Hayward, Hercules, Oakland, Pinole, Richmond, San Leandro, San Pablo, Union City, Alameda County and Contra Costa (Corridor Jurisdictions) have adopted 25 land use plans for Priority Development Areas (PDAs), a locally -driven land use planning program of ABAG for sustainable development. All of these PDAs are located within the geography of East Bay Corridor (see Attachment 1). In September 2013, the East Bay Corridors Initiative was presented to ABAG's Executive Board as a top implementation strategy for realizing Plan Bay Area. Between September and November 2013, staff from Participants, ABAG, and other public agencies met to identify obstacles to achieving the level and quality of growth planned for PDAs in these jurisdictions. To develop strategies, the group divided the East Bay Corridor into two segments: the Oakland -Union City Corridor and the San Pablo Corridor (see Attachment 1). The Oakland -Union City Corridor includes Oakland, San Leandro, Hayward, and Union City, as well as the Alameda County. The San Pablo Corridor includes Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole, Hercules and Contra Costa. During 2014, staff from Participant jurisdictions, ABAG and other public agencies held workshops to identify a preliminary set of inter jurisdictional strategies for implementing local PDAs and regional planning objectives for each segment of the corridor. In 2015, Participants, ABAG and other public agencies will engage in working groups to solidify these strategies. This will set the stage for engagement with city leadership, development of partnerships with the non- profit and business communities, and obtaining funding to carry out the strategies. C. Proposed Activities. The Participants will undertake the following activities. I . Continue to coordinate with Planning and Community Development Directors the development of multi jurisdictional strategies to create a network of thriving neighborhoods and downtowns in Corridor PDAs. This coordination can include all Participants or subgroups, including but not limited to the subgroups that comprise the Oakland -Union City Corridor and the San Pablo Corridor. 2. Identify and develop funding sources to implement agreed upon strategies. 3. Endorse joint applications by Participants for grants and other funding that support agreed upon multi jurisdictional strategies.