SCAG Governance Explainer
How Regional Decisions Are Made in Southern California
What is SCAG?
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is the region’s metropolitan planning organization. It convenes cities, counties, and tribal governments to coordinate on issues that cross local boundaries, including transportation, housing, climate resilience, air quality, and economic development. SCAG does not replace local governments; it provides a forum for regional collaboration among locally elected officials.
The Regional Council
The Regional Council is SCAG’s primary governing body. It is composed entirely of locally elected officials and is responsible for setting policy direction, adopting regional plans, and appointing members to SCAG committees.
Representation
• Cities: 67 districts representing one or more cities of similar population and shared geographic interest; each district elects one representative. Long Beach has two representatives. • Counties: One representative from each county Board of Supervisors; Los Angeles County has two.
• Tribal Governments: One representative of Southern California Native American Tribal Governments.
• Los Angeles City: All Los Angeles City Councilmembers are members; the Mayor serves as the City At-Large Representative.
The General Assembly
The General Assembly includes all elected officials from SCAG member jurisdictions and meets annually. Its role is to elect Regional Council officers, approve major governance actions such as bylaw amendments, and provide a forum for regionwide discussion. It does not manage day-to-day operations.
Santa Monica’s Role
Santa Monica participates by annually sending one Councilmember to the General Assembly, and monthly through our District 41 Regional Council Representative, shared with Beverly Hills, Culver City, and West Hollywood. These cities jointly elect one Regional Council representative every two years in odd-numbered years. Each city may cast votes through up to five councilmembers. Mayor Pro Tem Zwick was elected to the Regional Council but recently submitted his resignation effective December 31, 2025.
Why SCAG Is Structured This Way
SCAG is a council of governments, not a directly elected regional government. This structure balances population and geography, prevents dominance by any single city, supports collaboration among jurisdictions, and preserves accountability to local voters.
The Big Picture
SCAG enables Southern California jurisdictions to address regional challenges collectively while respecting local control, ensuring cities like Santa Monica have a meaningful voice in decisions shaping the region’s future.
Attachment B