Housing & Sustainable Development

Post

The second Call for Applications was released on November 9, 2020, with a focus on Housing and Sustainable Development related projects. Applicants can apply for any of the three project types below within the Housing and Sustainable Development (HSD) Program Area. 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. Please note that in addition to local agencies, cities, and counties, tribal governments are also eligible to apply to this program. The deadline for the HSD Call for Applications is January 29, 2021.

To learn more about the SCP HSD Call for Applications, please view the webinar recording from the December 2, 2020 Application Workshop. The webinar will assist agencies in preparing applications and provide additional information and examples for each project type.

Housing and Sustainable Development Project Types

Advancing Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Implementation

This project type provides planning assistance to help jurisdictions develop implementation policies and programs, including affordable rental ADU programs and ordinances, required for housing elements updated for consistency with State law. The most competitive applications will advance multiple planning goals; prioritize practical context-based need; utilize innovative or creative planning practices; result in planning products or programs that are clearly tied to accelerating housing production, community need and implementation; and can serve as “best practices” for cities in the region.

Examples of eligible plans include but are not limited to the following:

  • Creating tools to encourage the development of ADUs such as, handbooks, prototype plans and designs that can be customized to a local jurisdiction.
  • Toolboxes that include model ordinances, templates, checklists, and handbooks that help jurisdictions comply with land-use and planning laws such as density bonus, ADUs, supportive housing, reasonable accommodation, etc.,
  • Technical assistance to implement and update ADU ordinances, plans, or policies.

Housing Sustainability Districts, Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones, and Housing Supportive Tax Increment Financing Districts

This project type provides planning assistance to help jurisdictions implement and adopt Housing Sustainability Districts, Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones, and Housing Supportive Tax Increment Financing Districts.

Examples of eligible plans include but are not limited to the following:

  • Planning assistance to help jurisdictions implement AB 73, through the use of incentives to local governments to create housing on infill sites near public transportation, including fair housing analysis, identifying potential areas for affordable housing, and developing equity-based housing policies and programs.
  • Planning assistance to help jurisdictions implement SB 540, through the use of streamlining the housing approval process by having cities identify Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones and completing up-front planning focused on employment and affordable housing in areas close to jobs, transit, and result in reduced VMT.
  • Planning assistance to help jurisdictions implement tax increment financing districts that will result in accelerating housing production, through the development of infrastructure improvements to support infill housing and transit-oriented mixed-use development.

Objective Development Standards for Streamlined Housing, Prohousing Designation Program and Parking Innovation

This project type provides planning assistance to help jurisdictions revise and adopt Objective Development Standards, implement prohousing policies and programs, revise and adopt housing supportive parking policies and programs. Speeding up approvals and permit processing, including instituting programs that streamline or consolidate the review process, can speed up the production of housing in a community, and can incentivize infill development and affordable housing. Moreover, reducing parking, implementing parking pricing programs, and other parking innovations can also significantly reduce the cost of producing new housing.

Examples of eligible plans include but are not limited to the following:

  • Planning assistance to help jurisdictions implement streamlining the housing approval process by having cities revise and adopt ordinances, policies, fee reductions and programs that focus on accelerating housing production.
  • Planning assistance to help jurisdictions attain an HCD Prohousing designation, by implementing streamlined & objective development standards, and/or reducing development impact fees, to reduce housing costs for infill development and by encouraging by-right housing.
  • Planning assistance to help jurisdictions implement innovative parking strategies such as reducing parking, implementing parking pricing programs, and other parking policies that significantly reduce the cost of producing new housing.

 

Please Note the Following Key Milestones

Call for Applications Opens:

November 9, 2020

Application Workshop:

December 2, 2020

SCAG SCP HSD Call for Applications Deadline:

January 29, 2021

Proposal Review and Scoring:

February 2021 – March 2021

SCAG Regional Council Approval of the 2020 SCP – HSD Application Rankings:

March 2021

 

Application Resources

SCORING RUBRICS
PROGRAM WEBINAR

For questions regarding the Sustainable Communities Program, please contact Lyle Janicek at (213) 236-1966 or janicek@scag.ca.gov