At the Table, Not on the Menu: Advocacy Perspectives from CBPA’s Matt Hargrove

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Hargrove, President & CEO of the California Business Properties Association (CBPA), for a clear and high-level look at how advocacy shapes commercial real estate in California. Matt breaks down what’s really happening in Sacramento—from AB 98 and its cleanup legislation to CEQA updates, leasing bills, building code reforms, and the day-to-day work of navigating more than 2,500 bills each session. He also shares why member engagement matters, how to build meaningful relationships with policymakers, common misconceptions about advocacy, and why he remains optimistic about the future of CRE in California. Timestamps are included below to help listeners easily jump to the sections and policy topics most relevant to them. ----more---- 00:00 – Intro & CBPA overview 07:00 – How advocacy works in Sacramento 15:00 – AB 98 & the cleanup bill (SB 415) 23:00 – Leasing bills, SB 1103 & tenant protections 27:00 – CEQA, housing & building code reform 35:00 – Day-to-day wins & bill fixes 38:00 – What keeps Matt up at night 40:00 – How members can engage (time, talent, treasure) 45:00 – PACs & political involvement 48:00 – Optimism for California & CRE 51:00 – Misconceptions & closing