SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
REGION-AT-A-GLANCE
6 COUNTIES
15TH
LARGEST ECONOMY
IN THE WORLD
191
CITIES
16 TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
38,618
SQUARE MILES
47.6%
OF TOTAL STATE
POPULATION
$1.6T
REGIONAL GDP
18.7M
PEOPLE IN THE REGION
SCAG 101
WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO
SAN
BERNARDINO
RIVERSIDE
IMPERIAL
LOS ANGELES
VENTURA
ORANGE
ABOUT SCAG
Founded in 1965, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization and council of governments, encompassing six counties and 191 cities. In addition to conducting research and developing long-range transportation plans, SCAG convenes local governments and agencies to address regional transportation, land use and other issues of mutual concern.
OUR VISION
Southern California’s Catalyst for a Brighter Future
OUR MISSION
To foster innovative regional solutions that improve the lives of Southern Californians through inclusive collaboration, visionary planning, regional advocacy, information sharing and promoting best practices.
FUNDING SOURCES
SCAG receives most of its
funding from the federal
government through
Consolidated Planning Grants
from the Federal Highway
Administration and the Federal
Transit Administration. In
addition, SCAG applies for
and receives funding from
Caltrans. SCAG also receives
supplementary funding
through state and local
sources, in addition to third
party matching.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS SCAG.CA.GOV
LEARN MORE
WHAT WE DO
SCAG leads the region, creating a vision for the future with the holistic plan to achieve our unified goals.
Primary Responsibility:
Connect SoCal, the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy
Every four years, SCAG develops and implements Connect SoCal, the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), which outlines strategies that balance future mobility and housing needs with economic, environmental and public health goals.
TRANSPORTATION
SCAG authors the roadmap for Southern California’s mobility by organizing and prioritizing transportation projects across the region, and spearheading programs to meet environmental, economic and equity goals, and support jurisdictions in addressing their diverse transportation needs.
Primary Responsibility:
Federal Transportation Improvement Program
Every two years, SCAG develops the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP), a comprehensive list of planned or proposed transportation projects over a six-year period.
HOUSING
SCAG has a critical role in addressing the housing crisis by facilitating the process to allocate housing in our region, and by leading innovative solutions at many levels to overcome barriers to sustainably and equitably build more housing.
Primary Responsibility:
Regional Housing Needs Assessment
SCAG conducts the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) every eight years to determine each jurisdiction’s “fair share” of the region’s future housing need by income group based on existing need and anticipated growth.
COLLABORATION & ADVOCACY
SCAG serves as the unified voice of the region, advocating for the legislative and funding needs of Southern California’s diverse and growing communities, and creating a strong coalition that can achieve more together.
Primary Responsibilities:
Legislative Advocacy and Signature Events
SCAG helps support implementation of regionally significant projects and programs while also providing platforms to introduce, test and nurture new ideas for the long- term benefit of the region. This is supported by the agency’s legislative advocacy and annual signature events, which include the Regional Conference & General Assembly, Southern California Economic Summit and Demographic Workshop.
TOOLS & RESOURCES
SCAG empowers Southern California jurisdictions to work toward regional solutions by creating collaborative resources that help to level the playing field through improved access to data, best practices and tools.
Primary Responsibility:
Regional Data and Information Center
SCAG maintains a range of data products, including U.S. Census Bureau data, the Regional Transportation Model and various growth projections for the Southern California, and provides relevant data and analyses to local jurisdictions and other stakeholders in the SCAG region.
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
General Assembly
SCAG is governed by the
General Assembly, which
includes at least one official
delegate from each of
SCAG’s member cities,
one from each county in
the SCAG region and one
from each member county
transportation commission.
This body meets annually
at the Regional Conference
& General Assembly.
Regional Council
SCAG’s 86-member
governing board, the
Regional Council,
conducts the affairs of
SCAG; implements the
General Assembly’s policy
decisions; acts upon policy
recommendations from
SCAG policy committees
and external agencies;
appoints committees to
study specific problems
and programs; and
amends, decreases or
increases the proposed
budget to be reported to
the General Assembly.
Policy Committees
SCAG’s decision-making
process is also guided
by the work of the
Executive/Administration
Committee, Legislative/
Communications and
Membership Committee
and three Policy
Committees. Much of the
discussion and debate on
issues occurs in the Policy
Committees and all issues
considered by the Regional
Council must originate
through one or more of
the committees.
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