September 2026 Newsletter:
Summer Successes from Sacramento to the East Bay

We just concluded the 2025-2026 Legislative Session and are waiting for final action by the Governor on bills sent to his desk. Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter with information on legislation authored this year.

As the representative of the East Bay, I have heard from thousands of neighbors that housing affordability, climate change and public safety are key priorities. These have shaped my work in the Legislature and the bills and budget investments I am fighting for. I am proud that the State is taking steps to address affordability, sustainability and resilience, and we want to highlight some of these efforts in this month’s newsletter. We also want to highlight programs happening here in the region, which we were proud to showcase to state leaders.

Locally, we are also preparing for climate resiliency, with innovative projects underway in West Contra Costa to protect critical ecosystems and communities from sea level rise.

Advancing Affordable Housing Production

Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Jesse Arreguín announce efforts to support affordable housing development in Oakland.

California is taking meaningful steps to make it faster and less expensive to build the affordable homes our communities need. In July, I joined Governor Gavin Newsom in Oakland for the signing of AB 179. This law will modernize the state’s affordable housing finance system, streamlining the process for bringing projects from concept to construction, and reduce costs by an estimated $60,000 to $70,000 per unit. These reforms will help maximize the impact of public dollars and ensure that more state investment translates into more homes for working families, seniors, and Californians most in need.

Additionally, the bill continues the Housing Homeless Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP) paired with accountability measures to make sure that counties and cities achieve real reductions in street homelessness. It will provide an additional $900 million over the next fiscal year, helping local communities build upon successful efforts to lift people out of homelessness.

As Chair of the Senate Housing Committee, I have helped advance dozens of bills this year aimed at reducing financing barriers and accelerating development. Together, state and local action can help expand housing opportunities, protect residents from displacement, and make the East Bay a more affordable place to live and work.

New Opportunities for EV Buyers

Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Jesse Arreguín promote incentives to make electric vehicle ownership more affordable.

Advancements in clean vehicles have come a long way over the past 25 years. Zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) are no longer tomorrow’s technology; they are today’s solution. Sales of ZEVs in California have skyrocketed in recent years, and we are just getting started. Now, even more Californians will have access to more affordable clean vehicles through MyFirstEV. This will be a game changer, providing an instant $3,500 rebate for new EVs or $1,750 for used EVs to first time ZEV buyers.

I welcomed Governor Gavin Newsom to Oakland last month where he announced the launch of the MyFirstEV program, a fitting location given the East Bay’s history of being at the forefront of clean vehicles. The first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Prius, was manufactured in the East Bay in the 2000s, quickly becoming one of the most popular vehicles in the region. Twenty years later, we are making the next generation of zero emission vehicles more affordable, giving Californians the opportunity to purchase electric vehicles at a time when gas prices nationwide have skyrocketed. With transportation accounting for around 40% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to EVs powered by our state’s increasing supply of renewable energy will help us meet our bold but necessary climate goals.

East Bay Benefits from Infrastructure Funding

State funding is supporting infrastructure projects, including improvements to make the Port of Oakland greener.

SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act, passed in 2017, provides $5.4 billion annually in funding for modernizing and improving our streets, transit, and traffic safety. During Fiscal Year 2025-26, our Senate District across West Contra Costa and North Alameda counties received over $96 million in SB 1 funds for 8 projects. Highlights include:

• I-80 Improvements in West Contra Costa: The Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCTA) has received nearly $20 million in SB 1 funds for a major $112 million project to reconstruct the I-80/San Pablo Dam Road interchange. The project, which is entering its second phase, will improve traffic flow with modernized crossings and ramps, along with safety and accessibility improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. 
• TOWN Rail Safety Improvements: The Transforming Oakland’s Waterfront Neighborhoods (TOWN) Rail Safety Improvements has received over $30 million in SB 1 funds to reconstruct 3 rail crossings at Jack London Square, in addition to the creation of a new heavy container route, redirecting truck traffic serving the Port of Oakland away from residential neighborhoods in West Oakland.  
• Green Energy at Port of Oakland: Nearly $40 million in SB 1 funds have been allocated for the Port of Oakland’s Green Energy Microgrid project, which will create the infrastructure needed to support state goals of zero emission vehicles. In addition to new EV charging stations, it will expand solar and battery capacity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the busiest port in Northern California. 
• Upgrading Regional Transit Systems: Several million dollars are being provided to support operating infrastructure at regional transit agencies. AC Transit will receive funds for its modernization of its maintenance facilities in Emeryville and Oakland, helping the agency meet its goals of a 100% zero emissions fleet by 2040. BART will also receive funding to support power systems at Lake Merritt, ensuring uninterrupted service on BART in the event of a power outage. 

These projects that have received funding over the past year are just a snapshot of the tens of billions of dollars the state has invested over the last decade thanks to SB 1.

Investing in Climate Resiliency in West Contra Costa County

Senator Jesse Arreguín tours the West County Wastewater Plant and its efforts to adapt to climate change.

Sea level rise caused by climate change is expected to result in frequent flooding in North Richmond by 2050 if no action is taken. The area is home to some of the largest and most vulnerable tidal wetlands and marshes in the San Francisco Bay, which provides a unique environment for threatened wildlife. Protecting our natural habitats while preparing for a changing climate builds upon the region’s storied history of environmental stewardship.  

I recently took a tour of the West County Wastewater Plant, which is working on several projects that will advance climate sustainability and resiliency. The Clean & Green Project incorporates best practices and innovative technologies to use the wastewater treatment process to generate electricity. Combined with a new microgrid and energy infrastructure modernization, the project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 93% while saving $83 million over its lifetime.

Another project West County Wastewater is advancing is the North Richmond Living Levee. Working with community groups and conservation experts, this project will protect vital wetlands that play a critical role in the Bay’s ecosystem while protecting local communities from floods.

East Bay Progress Highlighted in State Leadership Visit

Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón and Senator Jesse Arreguín discuss housing policy with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.

In July, we were honored to welcome Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón to the East Bay. The Pro Tem joined me for a tour of the East Bay highlighting important work on housing, health and public safety. 

We began the day at the newly-opened Flicker housing project, run by the Native American Health Center, where we saw first-hand how state investments are expanding vital services in healthcare. Next, we went to Oakland City Hall for a meeting with Mayor Barbara Lee to discuss efforts around homelessness and housing production, and how Oakland has been making progress thanks to state investments through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program. Programs like HHAP have invested billions of dollars in communities across the state, delivering real solutions to our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

The tour concluded at the brand-new Samuel Merritt University campus in Downtown Oakland, demonstrating state-of-the-art technologies that the next generation of healthcare professionals are training on. Each stop demonstrated that by investing in housing, healthcare, education, and pathways to strong careers, we can uplift and strengthen our communities. From expanding access to culturally competent healthcare, to building more housing and addressing homelessness, to preparing local students for careers that can support a family, these institutions are helping build a more equitable East Bay. I’m proud to see state and local partners working together to make these investments deliver for our communities.