City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 2022 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS’ DRAFT CYCLE 2 REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PLANNING GRANT ISSUE:
The issue for consideration is to receive a presentation on the Southern California Association of Governments’ Draft Cycle 2 Regional Early Action Planning Grant (REAP 2.0).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive a presentation on the Southern California Association of Governments’ Draft Cycle 2 Regional Early Action Planning Grant (REAP 2.0).
BACKGROUND:
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the federally recognized metropolitan planning organization encompassing much of Southern California with 191 member cities, including the City of Riverside.
Under the California 2019-2020 Budget Act, SCAG was awarded $47 million in Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) funding to support local governments and stakeholders with housing planning activities that accelerate housing production and meet the region’s goals for producing 1.3 million new units of housing by 2029, as determined by the 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
SCAG framed its REAP 1.0 funding into three umbrella categories, including (1) Partnerships and Outreach, (2) Regional Housing Policy Solutions, and (3) Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) Integration. As part of Category (3) Sustainable Community Strategies, SCAG committed to pursuing partnerships with a particular emphasis on state-funded Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) areas within Priority Growth Areas with a goal of furthering next steps on housing supportive land use analysis and strategy development.
The City of Riverside was selected through the REAP 1.0 program to develop a Housing-Supportive Infrastructure Assessment within a portion of the City’s Innovation District (Innovation District Triangle – the Triangle). This infrastructure assessment, which is currently preparing to be advertised, will be supportive of the City’s TCC grant area in alignment with SCAG’s commitment to partnerships emphasizing benefits to Transformative Climate Communities.
DISCUSSION:
SCAG is currently preparing the REAP 2.0 program development framework to further the core objective of transformative planning in alignment with Connect SoCal (SCAG’s Regional Transportation Plan / Sustainable Communities Strategy). The core objectives of the REAP 2.0 program development framework include:
Leveraging and augmenting activities that can be implemented quickly and in line with community-driven pandemic recovery priorities.
Build regional capacity to deliver 6th cycle RHNA goals.
Represent best practices in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) reduction.
Establish that projects are shovel ready & shovel worthy.
Demonstrate consistency with SCAG’s Equity Early Action Plan.
Promote infill in Connect SoCal priority growth areas.
SCAG has identified three program areas for the REAP 2.0 program, including: early action initiatives, County Transportation Commission partnerships, and housing supportive infrastructure.
SCAG has offered to provide a presentation (attached) to the City Council regarding its progress in establishing the REAP 2.0 program and inform the City of the next steps and opportunities related to REAP funding.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
Because this is a presentation from the Southern California Association of Governments, it is not required to align with the City’s strategic plan. The intent of this report is to present information regarding the topic in a neutral fashion for the City Council’s review.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this update.
Prepared by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
Attachment: Presentation
REAP 2.0 SCAG Presentation ● Page 2