$80 million going to innovative SoCal transportation projects

Los Angeles – The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Council on Thursday, July 6, approved allocation of $80 million to support 33 transportation and land-use projects across Southern California that advance sustainable communities.

The County Transportation Commission (CTC) Partnership Program, under which these awards are issued, represents the first stage of implementation of the state-funded Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) grant.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) formally awarded SCAG $237 million in REAP 2.0 grants earlier this week to accelerate progress toward housing goals and climate commitments by strengthening the partnership between the state, its regions and local entities.

“Affordable housing production and climate adaptation are two of Southern California’s most urgent needs, and the REAP 2.0 program gives us a transformative tool for tackling both at once,” said SCAG Executive Director Kome Ajise. “With this funding from the state, we will be able to continue to administer innovative programs and accelerate progress for all our local jurisdictions toward our climate and housing goals.”

SCAG will sub-allocate more of these REAP 2.0 funds to eligible entities in the SCAG region through multiple application calls. The purpose of these calls will be to facilitate innovative projects focused on affordable housing, sustainable transportation and resilient infrastructure. REAP was established by the state in 2019; as part of the first phase, SCAG received $47 million and has funded more than 100 projects in Southern California focused on planning efforts to help jurisdictions meet their housing goals.

To qualify for REAP 2.0 funds, the awardees need to align with goals SCAG set forth in Connect SoCal, the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy, to reduce vehicle miles traveled and help the six-county region meet state air-quality mandates.

“We applaud the innovative thinking, collaboration and hard work that has gone into securing funding for these 31 projects under the County Transportation Commission Partnership Program. With the support of SCAG and the state, these local initiatives can positively impact quality of life by increasing economic and career opportunities, and reducing vehicle emissions across our region,” said Art Brown, President of SCAG’s Regional Council and Mayor of Buena Park.