Register Today for the 2024 Southern California Demographic Workshop

Registration is now open for the 2024 Southern California Demographic Workshop, presented by SCAG and the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California at SCAG’s main office in Downtown Los Angeles with an online option for attendance on Sept. 24. 

Navigating the New Growth Reality 

For most of the past century, Southern California was defined by fast growth as a magnet for domestic migrants and a gateway to Latin America and Asia. However, over the past decade, the population growth outlook has slowed for the region, the nation, and the world as part of a broader demographic transition toward fewer births and more aging, accelerated partly by COVID-19. California’s first recorded population loss spurred a doom-and-gloom narrative rooted in high costs and housing shortage, typified by losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020. Three years of population loss gave way to modest growth in the state and the region in 2023, and the need for additional housing is broadly understood despite the new pace of population growth. 

How can Southern Californians come together to plan for a future that looks different than what we are used to? The region’s multicultural population and neighborhoods provide a comparative advantage, and purposeful housing policies and workforce development are discussed as solutions for retaining those born and educated in California. In particular, a regional plan like Connect SoCal 2024, which emphasizes community and equity, can identify strategies and projects to improve quality of life for the region’s residents beyond simply planning for more people. 

Register Online 

Register today for the 2024 Southern California Demographic Workshop to gather with local leaders, elected officials and regional demographic experts to discuss how changing population growth affects regional planning—from accommodating development to improving quality of life and cultivating the economy. Expert insights at the 2024 Southern California Demographic Workshop will include region-specific details from American Community Survey data and other demographic signals crucial to informed and effective planning decisions.