In 2023, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) adopted a new Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Policy establishing land use and transportation performance metrics for Bay Area cities and counties with transit stations, along with criteria for determining compliance. Jurisdictions must demonstrate that they meet these criteria to remain eligible for grant funding.

Following the initial rollout, ABAG retained Barry to help refine the compliance methodology and revise the accompanying guidance memo for local governments. The objective was to introduce sufficient flexibility to improve jurisdictional compliance while preserving the policy’s intent and rigor. Barry participated in internal working sessions with MTC staff, met with planners from multiple jurisdictions to identify implementation challenges, and incorporated their feedback into revised guidelines. He also helped test the data collection tool, responded to jurisdictional comments, and troubleshooted issues that emerged during the broader rollout.