TO:City Council
FROM:Mikey Taylor, Mayor
Bob Engler, Mayor Pro Tem
Al Adam, Councilmember
DATE:June 9, 2026
SUBJECT: 2026 Southern California Association of Governments General Assembly and Conference - Update
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Receive report.
2. Find that receiving said report is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Direct and indirect costs are included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 General Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND:
Founded in 1965, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is a Joint Powers Authority under California state law, established as an association of local governments and agencies that voluntarily convene as a forum to address regional issues. Under federal law, SCAG is designated as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and under state law as a Regional Transportation Planning Agency and a Council of Governments.
The SCAG region encompasses six counties (Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura) and 191 cities in an area covering more than 38,000 square miles. The agency develops long-range regional transportation plans including sustainable communities strategy and growth forecast components, regional transportation improvement programs, regional housing needs allocations and a portion of the South Coast Air Quality management plans.
2026 SCAG General Assembly and Conference- Update
June 9, 2026
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In 1992, SCAG expanded its governing body, the Executive Committee, to a 70- member Regional Council to help accommodate new responsibilities mandated by the federal and state governments, as well as to provide more broad-based representation of Southern California’s cities and counties. With its expanded membership structure, SCAG created regional districts to provide for more diverse representation. The districts were formed with the intent to serve equal populations and communities of interest. Currently, the Regional Council consists of 86 members.
On May 7-8, 2026, more than 800 local leaders representing 191 cities from throughout Southern California convened for SCAG’s 2026 annual Regional Conference and General Assembly. The event was held at the JW Marriott in Palm Desert, CA. Mayor Mikey Taylor, Mayor Pro Tem Bob Engler, Councilmember Al Adam, and Legislative Affairs Manager Mina Layba attended. Councilmember Adam was appointed as the City’s voting delegate, and Mayor Pro Tem Engler as the alternate.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The SCAG Conference and General Assembly consist of two-day proceedings as follows:
I. REGIONAL COUNCIL MEETING
A. Public Comments: No public comments.
B. Scholarship Committee Report: The Committee received a record 292 applications. Awards were given to nine students from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties.
C. Connect SoCal 2050 Subcommittee: The Committee approved the creation of special Subcommittee to provide overarching policy leadership for development of the Connect SoCal 2050 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.
D. Approve the 2028 Games Regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Approach: Committee approved Regional TDM Approach (Regional Approach) which establishes a coordinated strategy to manage passenger and freight travel during the 2028 Olympics and Para Olympics Games.
E. Consent Calendar: Approved.
F. Legislative Update: Javiera Cartagena, Government Relations Director, shared key deadlines for the State Legislative Session. She noted two bills that SCAG is 2026 SCAG General Assembly and Conference- Update
June 9, 2026
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monitoring: AB 2002 Local government assistance-Regional Early Action Planning Fund, and SB 1087 Transportation planning - sustainable communities strategies, transportation funding programs. She shared information on the Federal FY 2027 appropriations and FY 2027 White House Budget proposal. She announced that the U.S. Department of Treasury will receive nominations from Governors beginning July 1 for new opportunity zone designations. She provided an update of upcoming federal grant deadlines.
G. Finance Update: Cindy Giraldo, Chief Financial Officer, shared SCAG’s current budget reviewing SCAG staff salaries, investments, grants, and administrative expenses.
H. Business Report: Lucy Dunn, Business Representative, shared current impacts of gas prices and housing affordability. She reviewed an AI study by Anthropic on the workforce by industry.
I. Salute to Outgoing Regional Council and Policy Committee Members: Council members who are termed out of office or not returning to the Regional Council were acknowledged for their service.
J. President’s Report: President Cindy Allen, City of Long Beach Councilmember, reviewed the past year’s tours: Port of Long Beach, mixed use development in Anaheim called OC Vibe, and multi-use path in Coachella Valley. Last Regional Council meeting will be on June 11th in downtown Los Angeles.
K. Executive Director Report: Kome Ajise, Executive Director, thanked Business Representative, Lucy Dunn, for her service. He provided an update on the federal recertification process. Appointments for the Connect SoCal and Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) subcommittee will take place this summer.
II. GENERAL ASSEMBLY/BUSINESS MEETING
A. Welcome: Cindy Allen, President, welcomed delegates. Andrew Masiel, Regional Tribal Council Representative, provided a welcome from the Cahuilla tribal nation and introduced the Torres-Martinez bird singers from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
B. Acknowledgement from SCAG Sponsors:
Diamond sponsor Southern California Edison (SCE) presented a video of public safety power shutoff strategies. Carla Sales, SCE VP of Local Public Affairs welcomed delegates and stressed the importance of shared partnership to engage on critical issues such as wildfire mitigation, climate change, and economic development.
2026 SCAG General Assembly and Conference- Update
June 9, 2026
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Inland Regional Energy Network presented a video highlighting their partnerships on energy assessments and upgrades of public facilities.
C. Guest Speaker: Secretary Tomiquia Moses, California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, announced public service week. She asserted that SCAG can address homelessness and housing availability. Local agencies need to view these issues as foundational and regional. The State will be opening a new Housing and Homelessness Agency in July to ensure these issues remain a priority.
D. Executive Director Report: Kome Ajise, Executive Director, welcomed delegates, reviewed the conference agenda, and previewed the process for adopting the future RHNA cycle in 2028. A video was presented highlighting 2025’s year in review.
E. Adoption of FY 2026-27 Budget: Cindy Giraldo, Chief Financial Officer, presented the proposed FY 2026-27 Budget. General Assembly adopted the General Fund Budget and Membership Assessment Schedule.
F. Public Comments: None.
G. Ratification of Board Officers: The General Assembly ratified the following FY 2026-27 Officers:
President: Ray Marquez, City of Chino Hills
First Vice President: Jenny Crosswhite, City of Santa Paula Second Vice President: Patricia Lock Dawson, City of Riverside H. Consent Calendar: Adopted.
I. President’s Report: President Cindy Allen reviewed SCAG’s accomplishments for FY 2025-26 including the Regional Early Action Planning grants (REAP); creation of a regional resilience tool kit; planning for the 2028 Olympics; clean transportation program; and Connect SoCal.
J. Adjournment: General Assembly is adjourned until 2027 meeting scheduled for May 6-7, 2027, at JW Marriott in Palm Desert.
III. CONFERENCE PROGRAM
A. Presidential Address: 2026 President Ray Marquez, City of Chino Hills Councilmember, shared his background and vowed to work collaboratively with the region to meet SCAG’s goals.
2026 SCAG General Assembly and Conference- Update
June 9, 2026
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B. Sustainability Awards Program: The following agencies were recognized:
Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability: City of Riverside Active and Clean Mobility: Coachella Valley Association of Governments Great Places: City of Garden Grove
Carmen Ramirez Award for Equity: Nyland Promise
Adaptation and Resilience: San Gabriel Council of Governments Climate Leadership: City of Pico Rivera
Housing Innovation: City of Lancaster
Transportation Innovation: San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, Metrolink, and Riverside County Transportation Commission Economic Resilience: Imperial County Transportation Commission C. Breakout Sessions Attended:
Aligning Land, Capital, and Infrastructure for Sustainable Communities Forecasting a Future with an AI Fueled Economy
D. Student Showcase: Three university students from Southern California were acknowledged for their project submissions and provided scholarships.
E. Keynote Address: Suneel Gupta, healthcare entrepreneur and author provided practical tools to local leaders to preserve energy and maintain purpose during busy and often overwhelming times.
F. Plenary Session: The Future of Regions-Innovating Institutions for a New Era.
City Manager of Lynwood Suja Lowenthal, former Mayor of Sacramento/former President Pro Tem of the CA State Senate Darrell Steinberg, and Houston Galveston Metropolitan Planning Organization Director Chuck Wemple, discussed the importance of regionalism for completing local projects, addressing statewide policy issues such as climate change, and managing natural disaster disasters.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goal:
B. Provide municipal government leadership which is open and responsive to residents, and is characterized by ethical behavior, stability, promoting public trust, transparency, confidence in the future, and cooperative interaction among civic leaders, residents, business representatives, and staff, while recognizing and respecting legitimate differences of opinion on critical issues facing the City.
PREPARED BY: Mina Layba, Legislative Affairs Manager
CMO:150-20\KM\H:\Common\City Council\Council Items\2026 Staff Reports\060926\SCAG General Assembly 2026 Staff Report.doc