Advocacy
AIASF represents professionals and practices from all parts of the architectural industry. Our mission is to improve the quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area while advancing the architecture and design professions. In our advocacy priorities, we continue to develop a progressive sustainability agenda at the local, state, and federal levels of AIA.
© Beto Lopez Photography
AIA San Francisco
The Public Policy & Advocacy Committee (PPAC) in partnership with the San Francisco Planning Department aims to raise awareness of Bay Area issues impacting the architecture profession and our community.
AIASF's PPAC was established to further AIASF’s mission to advocate and advance the quality of life in the Bay Area, as well as promote and advance the architectural profession and practice. PPAC’s goal is to strengthen the constituency for progressive design in the Bay Area through direct engagement with the neighborhood, advocacy, political, regulatory, and legislative bodies. More broadly, PPAC seeks to affect positive change through education and action related to urban issues impacting the architecture profession and our communities.
2019
AIASF Board of Directors Statement on The Housing Preservation and Expansion Reform Act
AIASF Board of Directors Statement for Controls on Residential Demolition, Merger, Conversion, and Alteration
AIASF Board of Directors Comments + Suggestions on Historic Assessment Review (HRA)
AIASF Board of Directors Statement of Support on Zoning Administrator
AIASF Board of Directors Statement on legislation proposed by Supervisor Mandelman
AIASF Board of Directors Statement on Obstructions/overhangs permitted over streets and alleys
2018
AIASF Board of Directors Statement on Urban Design Guidelines
AIASF Board of Directors Statement on Residental Expansion Threshold
Statement on Federal Historic Tax Credit
AIASF Reaffirms AIA National Statement: “Where we stand: Sexual harassment & the architectural profession”
Visit the advocacy archive for information about past initiatives.
Questions or comments? Click here to send us a message.
AIA California
The American Institute of Architects California is an association of individuals in California, with more than 11,000 members including licensed architects, emerging professionals, and allied partners in design. AIACA provides unified representation in all statewide matters affecting the architectural profession within the State of California. Located in Sacramento close to the state Capitol, the AIACA’s primary mission is to advocate on behalf of architects and the architectural profession today.
Click here to learn more about State Initiatives.
Questions or comments? Click here to contact AIACA Government Relations.
AIA National
For more than 150 years, AIA has been advocating on architecture’s most pressing issues in the White House and Congress. Today, more than 88,000 members are leading change in federal, state and local governments, advocating for policies that shape smart decisions and encourage innovation legislation that secures the future of the profession and allows communities to benefit from the value of architecture regulations and codes that ensure buildings and spaces are healthy and safe.
Click here to learn more about Federal-level Advocacy.
Questions or comments? Click here to contact AIA Strategic Council.
Equity
AIA San Francisco actively condemns systemic racism, misogyny, discriminatory behaviors, physical violence, verbal abuse, and any actions that perpetuate a climate of fear and racial inequities to all degrees.
AIASF champions a culture of civil rights and universal respect for human dignity. AIASF members are committed to creating safe, healthy, and beautiful public places and cities where we come together as communities and peacefully exercise our democratic rights. We support our partner organizations as we listen and learn from those working to change viewpoints on race, gender, economic disparity, and identity within our profession.
We must intentionally engage under-served communities, working to strengthen our built environment so everyone can live and thrive. We are committed to continuing to work with all communities to build a better future.
As architects, we are community builders committed to creating places that support well-being – physical, mental, and social – with equitable access for everyone.
We acknowledge there is still so much work to be done. We are gathering resources and welcome feedback from our members and the community and would like to hear from you. membervoices@aiasf.org
AIA Statement on Violent Racism
AIA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resources
AIASF Equity by Design Committee
AIA National Statement on Systemic Racial Injustice
National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Statement
Practice, Process and Paradigms for the J.E.D.I. Agenda Series
Our society is at a critical inflection point and choices and actions we make today will determine our collective future. This is contextualized by a historic confluence of catastrophic events – a global pandemic, severe economic disruption, racial violence causing civil unrest, and environmental peril caused by climate change. This perfect storm exposes the intersectional impacts of a legacy of systems of societal injustice that have perpetuated inequities for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and others with at-risk identities. This is deeply rooted in systems of injustice that have existed within our society since the founding of our country.
The resulting shifts and disruptions mean that we live in a time risking peril or the potential to overcome the adversity surrounding us. Real and necessary progress towards Justice in our world will only be achieved when we are willing to do the work to expose and dismantle the intricate web of racist and unjust policies and practices that have resulted in multigenerational and harmful outcomes for many. Given the challenging and complex conditions in which we find ourselves today, Equity by Design has committed to adapting from our originally planned symposium program towards a broader agenda.
AIASF Equity by Design will be hosting a series of workshops and teach-ins that will focus on collecting and evaluating an intentional intersection of research, writings and multi-media in support of developing a critical discourse to fuel strategic actions that result in sustained improvements in the civic realm. The outcome of these workshops will be a roadmap of new practices and policy amendments in activism and advocacy that dismantle systems of oppression and advance progress towards an Anti-racist paradigm in the built environment.
Join us. Our collective exploration will have a deep focus on how Just and Equitable policies and frameworks drive Diversity and Inclusive opportunities and practices (J.E.D.I.). At the core, we will prioritize Justice, creating a common thread to expand our intersectional mindset.
Architect Registration Examination (ARE) Challenge Scholarship Program
The ARE Challenge Scholarship Program recognizes that the effort and expense of the architectural licensing process as a barrier to achieving this professional milestone and disproportionately affects candidates of historically underrepresented identities in the profession. In light of the extremely challenging and economically unstable conditions that we are collectively facing, AIASF Equity by Design has established financial assistance scholarships for licensure candidates who are eligible to take the ARE exams.
Selected Recipients of the #EQxD2020 ARE Challenge Scholarship will be reimbursed for three (3) ARE Exams (Value $705 per recipient), regardless of pass or fail status. Recipients will also receive six (6) complimentary registrations to AIASF ARE prep classes.
We are also seeking AEC co-sponsorship of this program to fund additional ARE Challenge Scholarship recipients; contact Sponsorship@aiasf.org to learn more.
Scholarship Partners
AIASF Architecture Licensing Committee | AIASF Mentorship Committee | AIASF Equity by Design Committee
2022 Scholarship Recipients
Anthony Bituin
Anthony Bituin was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the California College of the Arts. His professional experience includes a wide range of project types. Currently, he works on multi-family housing projects for HKIT Architects.
Melanie D’Souza
Melanie D’souza supports Laboratory Planning at HDR-San Francisco. Originally from the coast of Oman, Melanie came to the United States for an architectural education in healthcare design at the University of Kansas. She actively works towards streamlining the path to licensure through her advising roles with NCARB, AIA-SF and HDR-Inc.
Melissa Daniel
Envisioning and realizing programming for diverse populations, Melissa R. Daniel, Assoc. AIA, is a tireless advocate for encouraging and empowering women in architecture. Melissa is an architectural designer in Maryland, and the creator/host of the Architecture is Political Podcast. She is also a recipient of the 2022 AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.
Christine Kim
Christine is a design coordinator and has experience in various project types such as healthcare, workplace, high-end hospitality and residential. She has 9 years of design experience that encompasses 5 years in Architectural/ Interior design, 2 years in LEED consulting, and over 2 years in UI/UX design.
Mariana Mijangos
Mariana Mijangos is queer Mexican American architectural designer working and living in San Francisco. She is interested in vernacular architecture, community housing typologies, world history, and elegant accessible design.
Hirbod Nor
Hirbod graduated with the M.Sc in Public-Health and the Built Environment and M.Arch in 2017 and a certificate in Historic Preservation in 2020 from University of New Mexico. As a teacher, researcher, and designer, He is involved with community-based design, focusing on the relation between design and communities’ systemic wellbeing.
Raisa Soriano
Raisa’s family immigrated to California when she was ten years old. Her family overcame countless adversities, but Raisa is forever grateful for that decision because they have been fortunate enough to have been afforded the privilege for paving the way towards forging their own unique story of the American dream.
Priscilla Woo
Priscilla is an architectural designer who is passionate about the environment. She studied architecture for undergraduate school at Cal and earned her Master in Environmental Building Design at University of Pennsylvania to combine her passion with work. She is currently a designer at HKIT Architects overseeing sustainability integration in projects.
Tiffany Xu
Tiffany Xu is an architectural designer. She earned her M.Arch from Rice University where she received the Darden Thesis Award. She has worked at the offices of Spiegel Aihara Workshop and Jim Jennings Architecture. Her writing has appeared in PLAT, Cite, and the New York Review of Architecture.
Program Sponsors
Silver Level
Steel Level
Bronze Level
Copper Level
Sherwin Williams Coil Coatings
2020 Scholarship Recipients
Jamilla Afandi
Jamilla is a local San Franciscan, born and raised in the Bayview/Hunterspoint. She was introduced to architecture through my 7th grade math course. She pursued architecture through ACE Mentor, Build SF, while in high school and continued on to earn an M.Arch and MUP from the University of Michigan.
Niknaz Aftahi
Niknaz received her BA from the BIHE, the Bahai Institute for Higher education, in Iran, and finished her M.arch at UC Berkeley in 2014. She has worked at els architecture firm, and has been teaching online to Bahai students who are still banned from entering university due to their beliefs.
Marie Biaggi
Marie attended UC Santa Barbara where she earned degrees in Architectural History and Environmental Studies. Driven by a passion for high performance building, she is a LEED Green Associate and Certified Passive House Consultant. When she’s not in the studio, you can find her enjoying the outdoors with her dogs.
Katie Chang
Masters student at NewSchool of Architecture in sunny San Diego. Bachelor of Arts in Science, Technology, and Society at Vassar College in New York. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Currently committed to questioning everything and unlearning learned truths.
Siobhan Glass
Siobhan Glass is an Associate at SmithGroup who celebrates the path she is on in realizing the ‘how’ behind her why for pursuing Architecture. With a background in Architecture, Urban Design and Construction, her enthusiasm as a designer lies in leveling opportunity and resources within the industry and beyond.
Jenn Hamrick
Jenn Hamrick, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate is an Architectural Designer at Wilson Associates, a design/build/development firm in Oakland, CA. She is currently tackling the ARE while managing a group of volunteers 3D printing PPE face shields for teachers and medical professionals on the frontlines of the pandemic.
Mona Nahm
Mona is a designer at Y.A. Studio in San Francisco working on affordable housing projects. It has been a rewarding experience because she has had the opportunity to design diverse and inclusive spaces that respond to our current economic and environmental pressures.
Carlos Rodriguez
35 yr old Queer Latinx aspiring architect seeks representation at the AIASF to nurture a healthy profession. I am happy open to be the first to open that door for others.
Series Sponsors
Silver Level
Titanium Level
Bronze Level
Sustainability
2020 AIASF COTE Sustainability Symposium Leading By Design
October 7- October 9, 2020
With escalating climate impacts alongside a world-altering pandemic and major societal shifts, architects have reached a critical crossroads. Our clients, government, and our professional organization are prompting a redefinition of design excellence that integrates sustainability and equity as a new standard for the built environment. This 3-day Sustainability Symposium explored how design firms of all sizes and types can enhance their sustainable design leadership efforts, and thrive in changing times.
2020 Leading By Design Exhibition
October 7 - October 31, 2020
The Leading by Design Exhibition features photographs and videos, submitted by a diverse group of designers and curated by Filmmaker Richard Neill, providing a wide-angle view of some of today’s best private and public realm work. Its intent is to showcase noteworthy building and urban design projects from around the world that express exemplary values in health and social equity, resiliency, and energy conservation.
Committee on the Environment
COTE serves as the voice of AIA architects on sustainable design, building sciences and performance. As advocates to the profession, building industry, academy, and public, COTE advances design practices that integrate built and natural systems, and that enhance both the quality and environmental performance of the built environment.
AIA Committee on the Environment National Resources on Sustainability and the Environment
The AIA Strategic Plan 2021-25 was released this month. Priority: It includes Climate Action!
The AIA’s Where We Stand statement emphasizes the AIA’s commitment to fighting climate change and AIA member’s ethical and environmental responsibilities.
AIA Framework for Design Excellence incorporates the former COTE Top Ten Toolkit
AIA Resilience Tools: Understanding Resilience and Qualities of Resilience, and How to Integrate Resilience into your Practice.
AIA’s Architect’s Guide to Business Continuity + free webinar