DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
ACTION REGARDING JOINING THE
SOUTH BAY REGIONAL
HOUSING TRUST
City Manager’s Office
March 10, 2026
OUTLINE
1. Overview
2. Background
3. Purpose
4. Governance Structure
5. Membership & Withdrawal
6. SB 1444
7. Participation Status
8. Recommendations
2 OVERVIEW
• On February 3, 2026, the City Council directed staff to return with the South Bay Regional Housing Trust Joint
Powers Agreement (JPA) once other member agencies
had determined whether they would participate.
• Update: As of March 10, 2026, 5 cities have signed the JPA, and 3 additional cities have approved participation and are pending a signed agreement.
3 BACKGROUND
• In September 2024, SCAG awarded SBCCOG $570,000 in
REAP 2.0 Funds
• Supported a feasibility study for forming a regional
housing trust
• SBRHT would operate as an independent joint powers
authority supporting affordable housing projects
supported by member cities
4 SBRHT PURPOSE
• The SBRHT is designed to:
• Receive and leverage public and private funding for
affordable housing projects
• Support development of:
• Extremely Low, Very Low, and Low-income housing
• Workforce housing
• Permanent supportive housing
• Coordinate regional housing efforts without affecting local-land use authority
5 WHAT SBRHT CANNOT DO
• The SBRHT does not have the authority to:
• Regulate land use, zoning, or development approvals
• Levy taxes, impact fees, or exactions
• Require inclusionary zoning
• Compel cities to dedicate funding
• Approve or fund projects not supported by the host
city
• Require cities to produce a specific number of units
• Limit a city’s independent affordable housing
program
6 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
• Board of Directors
• One elected official from each member agency
• Two policy experts in housing or homelessness appointed by the SBCCOG City Managers Committee
• Term: 2 years, no term limit
• The Board may
• Hire staff and consultants
• Apply for grants and loans
• Issue non-recourse debt
• Acquire or dispose of property for affordable housing • Administrative services may be provided by a member agency or the SBCCOG
7 MEMBERSHIP & WITHDRAWAL
• Membership
• Cities join by signing the JPA
• No immediate cost to join, but future dues may be required • Cities may withdraw by:
• Adopting a resolution
• Paying outstanding administrative fees
• Providing a 90-day notice before the fiscal year
• The JPA sunsets if no administrative funding is secured by December 31, 2026
• The JPA may be terminated by a majority vote of member agencies
8 SENATE BILL 1444
• Senate Bill SB 1444 (Allen) seeks to:
• Remove SBCCOG from determining Board
size/composition
• Allow Board flexibility in selecting leadership
• Expand eligibility to include moderate-income
housing
• Allow appointment of non-elected alternates
• SBCCOG will seek support letters once draft legislation is ready
9 PARTICIPATION STATUS (AS OF 3/10/2026)
• Signed Agreements: El Segundo, Hawthorne, Inglewood,
Lomita, Rancho Palos Verdes
• Approved, pending signatures: Lawndale, Manhattan
Beach, Torrance
• Deadline:
• Member agencies must submit signed agreements
and designate representatives by March 30, 2026
• First SBRHT Board meeting scheduled for April 23, 2026 10 CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW
• Revised Agreement circulated February 9, 2026
• Some concerns raised in the February 3, 2026, report
remain unresolved
• However, because eight cities have approved the
Agreement, further revisions are not expected
11 RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Approve the Joint Powers Agreement
2. Select a representative to serve on the SBRHT Board of Directors
12