$352 million approved for transit-oriented, climate-friendly housing

California Construction News staff writer

More than $352 million has been approved through the Regional Early Action Planning grants program (REAP 2.0) through the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

“These highly competitive awards are going to communities that have demonstrated a strong commitment to transforming historically under-resourced communities,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “High-impact REAP 2.0 grants will make possible the development of significant affordable housing near transit hubs, connecting vulnerable Californians to opportunity and moving the state toward its climate goals by reducing vehicle traffic.”

REAP 2.0 is a flexible grant program for building neighborhoods that allow more Californians to live closer to jobs, services, and daily destinations. It provides planning and implementation dollars to cities, counties, and regional governments to build sustainable, resilient, and equitable communities that are inclusive and take measurable strides toward reducing vehicle miles traveled.

“Abundant affordable housing is key to addressing the climate crisis,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez. “California is proud to partner with local communities to build more affordable homes in the right places – near jobs, transit and neighborhood services – to mitigate the impact of climate change, improve people’s quality of life, and meet the state’s climate goals.”

The majority of funding will go to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) including:

• Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) $9.1 million
• Madera County Transportation Commission (MCTC) $2.2 million
• Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) $31.8 million
• San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) $38.7 million
• Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (SRTA) $2.2 million
• Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) $237.4 million
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) $567,239
• City of Oakland $10 million
• City of Rancho Cordova $4 million
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) $2.4 million
• San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) $10 million
• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) $3.6 million

For more details on REAP awards and what they will be specifically used for visit www.hcd.ca.gov.