SCAG’s Fiscal Year 2026 Mid-Year Recap

SCAG continues to collaborate toward a brighter future for Southern California. Here are highlights from the first half of fiscal year 2025-26 that support the pillars of Connect SoCal and other major areas of work:

2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games

• Adopted Games Mobility Program Development Framework in alignment with Connect SoCal 2024.
• Hosted quarterly Regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Forums for passenger and freight planning around the LA28 Games.
• Published Games TDM Resource Guide to support mega-event TDM strategies.

Mobility and Transportation

• Approved $1.25 billion in funding for the Surface Transportation Block Grants and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement programs for 132 regional projects across the region.
• Celebrated completion of the Wilshire Center Active Transportation Quick-Build Project, partially funded by the Sustainable Communities Program.
• Received $1.6 million in Office of Traffic Safety grants for continuing the Go Human program and expansion of web-based transportation safety data tools.
• Approved 2027 Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP) Guidelines for federally funded projects.
• Secured $52.6 million Solutions for Congested Corridors Program grant for Metrolink Tier 4 locomotive upgrades.

Communities

• Opened the Lasting Affordability Program Round 2 Notice of Funds Available, with $20 million available, under the SCAG’s Regional Early Action Planning Grant Program (REAP 2.0). Applications are due Jan. 20, 2026.
• Housing Land Trust Ventura County launched an affordable housing finance tool using REAP 2.0’s Lasting Affordability Program funds.
• Disbursed $3.9 million to We Lift: The Coachella Valley Housing Catalyst Fund in July.

Environment

• Shared news about the resolution of the Conformity lockdown triggered after Clean Air Act waiver revocation, which allowed SCAG to continue with the current schedule for conformity analysis for the 2027 FTIP and Connect SoCal 2024 consistency amendment and advance project schedules.
• Launched Last Mile Freight Program battery-electric rebates, with $51.5 million in funding available to support zero-emission freight movement. This program is in partnership with the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Committee.

Economy

• Hosted the annual 2025 Southern California Economic Update, which featured the corresponding annual economic report that includes a special topic analysis on the economic impact and opportunities of the LA28 Games.
• Published quarterly Economic Roundtable Report in September.

Tools and Resources

• Launched Future Leaders Initiative, a civic leadership pilot program for young Southern Californians, in October.
• Published the report “Highs, Lows, and Shocks: Key Housing and Economic Trends in Southern California,” with insight into American Community Survey data released in September by the U.S. Census Bureau. The report was authored in partnership with the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy and released in conjunction with the 2025 Southern California Demographic Workshop, held Oct. 1.
• Published the 2025 Transportation Safety Regional Existing Conditions Report, which compiles data to create a comprehensive picture of the region’s current safety challenges.
• Launched the SoCal Community Safety Model tool, an interactive, GIS/web map-based platform that allows visualization and modeling of customized scenarios.
• Released the “2025 Transportation Trends Update” in September, which integrates transit ridership, roadway performance, and commuting patterns to assess regional travel behavior.
• Released the SCAG Communities Freight Opportunities Assessment Toolkit, as part of the SoCal Goods Movement Communities Opportunities Assessment.
• Published the “Good Data, Stronger Tribes: Overcoming Native American Data Challenges in Southern California” report, in partnership with Brookings Metro.
• Hosted three Toolbox Tuesday sessions:
  • “From Risk to Resilience: Utilizing Transportation Safety Resources” (from Oct. 28)
  • “Good Data, Stronger Tribes: Understanding Data Shortcomings for Native Americans” (from Sept. 30)
  • “Working with Census Data in R: Analyzing and Visualizing Trends” Toolbox Tuesday session (from Aug. 26)

Collaboration and Advocacy

• Led a delegation of Regional Council and Policy Committee members and executive staff on a tour of projects in the High Desert, visiting sites in Apple Valley, Victorville, and Hesperia.
• Hosted a presentation by California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin at the Nov. 6 Regional Council meeting.
• Delivered a series of presentations on implementation of the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy with regional partners.
• Welcomed Rebecca Higgins, vice president of policy at the Eno Center for Transportation; Assemblymember Jose Luis Solache (Lakewood); Congressman Ken Calvert (Corona); and Senate Pro Tem Monique Limón (Santa Barbara) as guest speakers at the Legislative/Communications and Membership Committee.

Awards

• Won California Joint Powers Insurance Authority Risk Management Award for workers’ compensation performance.
• Congratulated two Go Human-funded partners, Los Angeles Walks and Tomorrow’s World, who received American Planning Association California Chapter Awards.
• Received the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.