REAP 2.0

Overview

REAP 2.0 Banner Image

The Regional Early Action Planning Grants (REAP) 2.0 program is a flexible program that seeks to accelerate progress toward state housing goals and climate commitments through a strengthened partnership between the state, its regions, and local entities. REAP 2.0 seeks to accelerate infill housing development, reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), increase housing supply at all affordability levels, affirmatively further fair housing, and implement adopted regional and local plans to achieve these goals.

The program was established as part of the 2021 California Comeback Plan under Assembly Bill 140 and builds on the success of  REAP 2019 but expands the program focus by integrating housing and climate goals and allowing for broader planning and implementation investments, including infrastructure investments that support infill development that facilitates housing supply, choice, and affordability. 

Through the REAP 2.0 program, approximately $560 million will be made available statewide to the following objectives in ways that lead to transformative policy outcomes and accelerate the implementation of regional and local plans that achieve the state’s priority planning goals.

The REAP 2.0 program objectives are as follows:

  • Accelerate infill development that facilitates housing supply, choice, and affordability.
  • Affirmatively further fair housing.
  • Reduce VMT.

Read the REAP 2.0 guidance for mapping project areas to meet the infill definition.

The Southern California region is set to receive approximately $231.5 million in grant funds through REAP 2.0, which SCAG will administer with suballocations made available to eligible entities through three programmatic funding areas.  

SCAG’s framework document includes a set of core objectives that align with the REAP 2021 priorities, the Connect SoCal Implementation Strategy and the SCAG Executive/Administration Committee Strategic Work Plan. SCAG’s Regional Council approved the Framework in July. There have been six Calls for Applications for funding opportunities approved by SCAG’s Regional Council.

Governor’s Budget Update 

The California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom have approved the Budget Act of 2024, which restores $560 million for the Regional Early Action Planning Grants (REAP 2.0) program, with $480 million specifically for metropolitan planning organizations. SCAG has received a final award allocation from the California Department of Housing and Community Development of $231.5 million, a total reduction of $14.5 million from SCAG’s original allocation. Despite this reduction, SCAG is pleased to share that we anticipate fully funding all competitive and formula-based grant awards as approved by the Regional Council.  

SCAG thanks the many partners in a collective advocacy effort to reinstate these funds after proposed cuts, and the state legislature for recognizing the importance of supporting regional efforts to address the housing affordability crisis. SCAG will continue to advocate for a deadline extension.

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Transportation Partnership Programs

The Transportation Partnership Programs (TPP) is comprised of two complementary programs – the County Transportation Commission (CTC) Partnership Program and the Regional Pilot Initiatives (RPI) Partnership Program. The CTC Partnership and RPI Programs target investments towards critical infrastructure that improve mobility, quality of life, and economic potential for the 19 million people who call this region home and the 3.7 million new residents projected by 2045.

CTC Partnership Program

Consistent with the goals and objectives of REAP 2.0, SCAG developed the CTC Partnership Program with the region’s six County Transportation Commissions to fund the development of plans, programs, pilot projects, and certain signature greenhouse gas-/vehicle miles traveled-reducing capital projects with a strong nexus to housing. The CTC Partnership Program will provide immediate benefit to the region by supporting transformative planning activities aligned with strategies identified in Connect SoCal, which can be implemented quickly to advance new concepts for reducing vehicle miles traveled while simultaneously achieving other program goals for REAP 2.0.

On July 6, 2023, SCAG’s Regional Council approved funding recommendations for 33 projects, including fully funding 27 projects, and partially funding six proposals.  Project awards are split across the three eligible projects categories: $35 million invested in projects to increase transit ridership, $36 million invested in projects to realize multimodal communities, and $9 million invested in projects to shift travel behavior.

CTC Partnership Program Guidelines

Award Recipients

Imperial County 

Calexico Intermodal Transportation Center ($1,000,000) 

Los Angeles County 

North Hollywood Transit Center ($15,000,000) 

Enhanced GoSGV E-Bike Share Program ($2,625,469) 

Traffic Reduction Study ($1,000,000) 

First Last Mile Revolution: Transforming Metro Connections to Housing ($1,050,000) 

Connecting Communities with Stress Free Connections ($5,250,000) 

Metro Bike Share In-fill Expansion ($7,550,000) 

Mobility Wallets Pilot 2.0: Challenge and Low-Income ($4,023,750) 

Urban Wilderness Access Feasibility Plan ($372,000) 

Countywide Signal Priority Cloud Based Solution ($4,004,028) 

Developing Neighborhood Mobility Hub Pilot Projects in Disadvantaged Communities in the South Bay ($404,250) 

Orange County 

Next Safe Travels Education Program (STEP) 2.0 ($1,250,000) 

Harbor Boulevard Cloud-Based Transit Signal Priority Stage 1 ($400,000) 

Reconnecting Communities through Complete Streets ($550,000)  

McFadden Avenue Transit Signal Priority Pilot ($3,690,000) 

First Street Multimodal Boulevard Design ($4,300,000) 

Orange County Mobility Hubs Pilot Concept of Operations ($300,000) 

Bikeways Connectivity Study ($500,000) 

Orange County Cyclic Counts 2024-2025 ($400,000) 

Active Transportation Outreach and Engagement Support ($400,000) 

Fullerton Park and Ride Transit Oriented Development Site Design Concepts ($500,000) 

Harbor Boulevard Cloud-Based Transit Signal Priority Stage II ($1,000,000) 

Riverside County 

Riverside Transit Agency GoMicro Microtransit Pilot Program Extension ($2,378,635) 

Vehicle Miles Traveled Study ($2,005,000) 

Riverside County Transportation Commission Core Capacity Innovative Transit Study ($3,000,000) 

Coachella Rail Station Feasibility Study and Integrated Land Use and Transit Network ($2,005,000) 

Coachella Valley Link Community Connectors Analysis ($1,700,000)  

San Bernardino County 

San Bernardino County Vehicle Miles Traveled Mitigation Bank ($3,045,000) 

Countywide Multi-Modal Complete Streets Program ($6,519,868) 

Ventura County 

Santa Paula Branch Line Active Transportation – Master Plan Update and Validate Connections to Serve New Housing and Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled ($1,677,000) 

Community Traffic Calming & Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program ($300,000) 

Countywide Transit Stops Inventory & Accessibility Assessment / Capital Improvements Grant Program ($1,500,000) 

Countywide Paratransit Integration Study ($300,000) 

Regional Pilot Initiatives Program

The Regional Pilot Initiatives (RPI) Partnership Program is focused on demonstrating innovative, next generation technologies and models of regional significance, specifically those with the potential to change transportation and housing paradigms towards building more sustainable communities.

RPI projects will be managed by SCAG with participation from local partners. SCAG envisions RPI projects to build on existing studies and plans developed by SCAG. 

On July 6, 2023, the SCAG Regional Council approved SCAG’s RPI Framework.

SCAG’s RPI program consists of four program areas:

  1. Big Data Research  
  2. Accelerating Active Transportation 
  3. Mobility Hubs 
  4. Mobility Wallets and Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) 

Additional details on SCAG’s development of the RPI Program can be found here. Next steps include continued outreach, partner identification, and project scoping. 

To learn more about the Transportation Partnership Programs, please email:

Kate Kigongo
Manager, Partnerships for Innovative Deployment
kigongo@scag.ca.gov

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Programs to Accelerate Transformative Housing (PATH)

The Programs to Accelerate Transformative Housing (PATH) in the REAP 2.0 Program Framework builds on concepts put forward in the Housing Supportive Infrastructure Key Connection in Connect SoCal 2020, as well as current work funded through the REAP 1.0 program, the Local Early Action Planning Grant Program and Senate Bill 2.

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Subregional Partnership Program 2.0

On Sept. 1, 2022, SCAG Regional Council approved the REAP 2021 Subregional Partnership 2.0 Program and Guidelines. The Subregional Partnership (SRP) 2.0 program will allocate $23 million in REAP 2.0 grant funding non-competitive formula allocation based on proportional share of the 6th Cycle RHNA to subregional councils of governments (COGs) for eligible activities supporting member cities and counties implement Housing Element work plans.

The SRP 2.0 program focus on implementing Housing Elements is a means for investing in early actions that will accelerate infill development facilitating housing supply, choice, and affordability; affirmatively furthering fair housing; and reducing vehicle miles traveled across the region. The approach also recognizes Housing Elements represent the local plans for realizing the RHNA and the goals to meet local housing needs. It is SCAG’s intent to support locally identified and approved planning tools and programs.

Eligible applicants for SRP 2.0 program funding are limited to those agencies designated as subregions under the program that submitted an Intent to Apply for Funding Form by the due date of Oct. 14, 2022. Eligible applicants also include member cities designated by an eligible subregional entity. See the “Funding Allocation and Subregional Partnership List” in the SRP 2.0 Program Guidelines for a complete list of eligible subregional partners.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Open: April 12
Closed: Wednesday, May 31 at 5 p.m.

Technical Assistance 

Resources are available during the Call for Applications: 

  • Application Workshop 

Held on April 19, 2023. Recording available upon request.

  • Weekly Office Hours

20-min meetings with SCAG staff.

  • Group Office Hours 

Tuesday, May 16 at 10 – 11 a.m. 
Tuesday, May 23 at 2 – 3 p.m. 

  • For Support with Questions

Please contact Zacharias Gardea, Associate Regional Planner at: gardea@scag.ca.gov

How To Apply

The completed application and all required attachments must be submitted by email to housing@scag.ca.gov with “SRP 2.0 Application” in the subject line. An emailed drop box link is also acceptable. 

Application Package includes:

  1. SRP 2.0 Funding Application  (Completed and Signed, for the project list as a whole)
    • Section 5. Project Budget, Timeline, Scope, Deliverables (For each project) 
    • Section 6. Individual Project Descriptions (For each project) 
    • Section 6. Project area maps. The Individual Project Description link above provides information on creating and saving the maps. (3 maps are required (minimum). 1) Map of how the project area meets the infill definition; 2) Map of Priority Growth Areas (PGAs) in and near the project area; 3) Map of Priority Populations supported by the project(s) proposed)
    • Letter of Support (from a third-party organization that the project meets local housing needs) 

Resources:

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Sustainable Communities Program (SCP) Call for Projects

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) announces the Connect SoCal Sustainable Communities Program Call for Applications focused on Civic Engagement, Equity, and Environmental Justice (SCP CEEEJ). SCP CEEEJ is a competitive Call for Applications, with an estimated budget of $5 million available through two funding sources, with $3 million available through REAP 2.0 resources and $2 million through Senate Bill 1 (SB1) resources.  

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Call For Fellowship Providers

The SCAG Fellows Program creates opportunities for early-career and mid-career fellows to gain experience and proficiency in public service and to make meaningful positive impact in the SCAG region.  Since 2015, SCAG has supported nearly 100 fellows to advance planning and policy efforts in Southern California. 

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Decision-Making Tools

REAP 2.0 supports the expansion of SCAG’s Decision-Making Tools and Technical Assistance, building on the success of the Regional Data Platform (RDP) to offer added resources to support local planning and opportunities to access big data for planning and performance monitoring related to program objectives.