Sustainable Communities Strategies Integration
The Sustainable Communities Program (SCP) – Housing and Sustainable Development (HSD)
The Sustainable Communities Program (SCP) – Housing and Sustainable Development (HSD) will provide resources and direct technical assistance to approximately 25 jurisdictions to complete local planning efforts that both accelerate housing production as well as enable implementation of the Sustainable Communities Strategy of Connect SoCal. For this cycle, the HSD program is funded by Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) grant funds.
Eligible categories for this program include implementing ADU programs, Housing Sustainability Districts, Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones, and Housing Supportive Tax Increment Financing Districts, and Streamlining housing permitting, parking reduction strategies, housing-related specific plans and other pro-housing policies.
More details about each project type, program area goals, and the SCP overall can be found in the Sustainable Communities Program Housing and Sustainable Development Guidelines.
The SCP – HSD Call for Applications was released in November 2020 and applications were due January 29, 2021, with awards and procurement estimated April 2021, projects underway fall 2021, and implementation occurring through June 2023.
Read more about the Sustainable Communities Program.
Housing Production Study
In order to assist cities in the SCAG region in meeting state transportation, Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), housing, and climate goals, as well as implementing Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) through Connect SoCal, this study will identify potential strategies and tools to expedite the production of housing by investigating opportunities and barriers.
SCAG initiated the Regional Housing Production study to support regional priorities to support infill development, housing production goals, and aligned regional policies (e.g., Priority Growth Areas, High Quality Transit Areas, Livable Corridors, etc.). As part of the overall study, SCAG is organizing virtual roundtable discussions of a wide range of stakeholders to share best practices, provide input on upcoming funding opportunities, and help inform the region’s legislative priorities for a just recovery. The study will look at innovative housing production strategies to produce units of all types for households of all ages, sizes, and income levels. The project will include preparation of a housing strategy “white paper,” and an opportunities and barriers checklist. The final study is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2021.
Transit Oriented Development Work Program
LA Metro Partnership: SCAG and Metro will enter into a Transit Oriented Development/Transit Oriented Communities (TOD/TOC) partnership via a MOU to fund a variety of programs and studies that promote housing production near transit stations.
SCRRA (Metrolink): SCAG and SCRRA will enter into a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to identify and encourage transit-oriented housing production opportunities throughout Metrolink’s network and around its stations. Particular emphasis will be made to support and add value to the Metrolink Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) capital improvement and service enhancement program. Local cities and CTCs will also be included as needed to maximize coordination on issues such as alignment of land development policies and regulations, land ownership and site control opportunities of transit station areas and supporting facilities.
Priority Growth Area (PGA) Analysis and Data Tools
Partnerships
SCAG will pursue partnerships to further next steps on housing supportive land use analysis and strategy development in PGAs. All programs and studies will include deliverables that provide inventories/counts of potential for housing production at sites that are under study.
Planning and Policy Research
SCAG will partner with academic institutions as well as other stakeholder groups and industry associations to identify best practices to either unlock new housing development potential, remove barriers to housing development, reduce the cost of development and decrease development timelines. These efforts will focus on various community typologies and housing types, consistent with the SCS and will also build on SCAG’s CEQA streamlining efforts.
California State Budget Reduces Barriers to Housing Production and Extends Deadline for Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) Program
Earlier this week, the governor signed the 2025-2026 state budget, which includes a suite of reforms to reduce barriers to housing production.
Connect SoCal 2024 Implementation Update: Sustainable Communities Strategy Accepted
On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) informed SCAG that it had accepted SCAG’s determination that the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) meets CARB’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.
General Assembly Elects 2025-26 Board Officers
The General Assembly voted to approve the nominations for the SCAG 2025-26 Regional Council officers as recommended by the Regional Council: Hon. Cindy Allen (City of Long Beach) will serve as 2025-26 Regional Council president; Hon. Ray Marquez (City of Chino Hills) will serve as Regional Council first vice president; and Hon. Jenny Crosswhite (City of Santa Paula) will serve as Regional Council second vice president. Leadership also recognized Hon.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Call for Project Nominations Now Open
The federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) SCAG online application opened for all eligible applicants on March 31. This application will be available through May 16 at 5 p.m.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Guidelines Now Available
On March 6, the SCAG Regional Council approved the federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) Program Guidelines.