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The governor signed the 2025-2026 state budget, which includes a suite of reforms to reduce barriers to housing production. The two budget trailer bills, AB130 and AB131, include several provisions to streamline application of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to housing development. These reforms are consistent with long-standing priorities in SCAG’s legislative platform and provisions previously included in SB 607, which SCAG’s Regional Council voted to support.

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California State Budget Reduces Barriers to Housing Production and Extends Deadline for Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) Program 

Earlier this week, the governo

SCAG has released two new reports that examine the region’s economic landscape and propose strategies to expand access to quality jobs, career training, and long-term economic mobility—particularly for communities historically underrepresented in the workforce. 

On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) accepted SCAG’s determination that the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) meets the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. CARB’s acceptance ensures transportation projects in the SCAG region remain eligible for all Senate Bill (SB) 1 funding programs. 

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Connect SoCal 2024 Implementation Update: Sustainable Communities Strategy Accepted

On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) informed

Second Quarter, 2025

The SCAG Economic Roundtable met for its second 2025 quarterly discussion on May 22. Below are key insights from the conversation: 

• The Economic Roundtable flagged a severe risk of regional downturn as tariffs, federal funding cuts, and collapsing consumer confidence pressure several key industries.

• In response, the Economic Roundtable emphasizes the importance of reinforcing Southern California’s core economic drivers, with particular attention to sectors weakened by recent technological and policy shifts.

SCAG received various program and project modifications to the 2025 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP), summarized as proposed Amendment #25-09, from the county transportation commissions representing Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties. The public review period starts on May 16 and will conclude at 5 p.m. on May 27.

A copy of the project listing is located on the SCAG FTIP website.

The SCAG Resource Lounge, part of two days of programming and events during the 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly, provided space for attendees to explore SCAG tools, programs, and initiatives, with direct access to the regional planning experts from SCAG and local planners from around Southern California. With more than 900 local and regional leaders in attendance at the 60th annual event, the lounge allowed political leaders to connect and share with local and regional planners about the ongoing work to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing Southern Californians.

More than 900 local and regional leaders gathered in Palm Desert this week to celebrate SCAG's 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly. This 60th annual event marks a milestone in regional collaboration while tackling challenges facing one of the nation’s most complex and diverse metropolitan areas. 

2025 Student Showcase winners were announced on May 2 at SCAG's 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly in Palm Desert, California. SCAG Regional Council President Cindy Allen presented awards to Princeton Brooke from the University of Southern California and [winner TK] in the Audience Award category as well as Laura Messier from the University of Southern California and Manasi Vartak from the University of California, Los Angeles in the Jury Award category.

2024-25 SCAG Regional Council President Curt Hagman shared the “2024-25 President’s Report” while closing out his term at the 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly. The “2024-25 President’s Report” provides a detailed account of SCAG’s accomplishments since Hagman stepped into the role of Regional Council president in May 2024. SCAG also screened a video highlighting President Hagman’s leadership of the SCAG Regional Council at the event. 

SCAG recognized seven innovative projects across the six-county region at the 2025 Sustainability Awards ceremony as part of the 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly on May 1 in Palm Desert. 

SCAG announced the awardees of the 2025 SCAG Scholarship Program at the 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly on May 2 in Palm Desert. This 15th annual SCAG Scholarship Program provides support and inspiration for the next generation of public servants. SCAG received a record 165 applications from throughout the SCAG region.   

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General Assembly Elects 2025-26 Board Officers

The General Assembly voted to approve the nominations for the SCAG 2025-26 Regi

SCAG recently received the “Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document” award from the Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) for the Program Environmental Impact Report for the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS).

The inaugural Regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Forum will take place on Wednesday, May 7, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Working together with the Games Mobility Executive (GME) partners—which includes the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Caltrans, and Metrolink—SCAG is leading the TDM Subcommittee to coordinate TDM initiatives across the region for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.   

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Join SCAG for the 2025 Regional Conference and General Assembly

SCAG published the final report for the Sustainable Communities Program – Smart Cities and Mobility Innovations funding cycle. This call for projects funded curb data collection and inventory, technology assessment and adoption, parking management, and permitting process evaluation. These resources supported local jurisdictions in improving the efficiency and performance of the transportation system by implementing curb space management measures that encouraged shared modes, effectively managed parking, and supported commerce and the growth of housing and employment in job centers.

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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

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SCAG has officially opened the call for project nominations for the federal fiscal year 2026-2027 and federal fiscal year 2027-2028