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SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
One Valley. One Voice.
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REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PROGRAM (REAP) SUBREGIONAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
SGVCOG was awarded funding from the Southern California Association of Government (SCAG) Regional Early Action Program (REAP) Subregional Partnership Program. REAP SRP is intended to help accelerate housing production throughout the SCAG region, which includes the San Gabriel Valley, and have a net-positive effect on housing supply by increasing housing planning, meeting the sixth cycle regional housing needs assessment (RHNA). The planning activities are to accommodate the development of housing and infrastructure that will accelerate housing production in a way that aligns with state planning priorities, housing, transportation, equity, and climate goals and regional priorities.
Based on research and assessments among the SGVCOG Homelessness Policy Committee, Homelessness Working Group, and San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT), the following programs received funding:
REAP SRP 2.0
Building on REAP 1.0, SCAG received a $235.1 million grant and has sub-allocated funds through the Subregional Partnership Program to eligible entities for projects that meet the requirements of REAP 2.0, including being located within an infill area, having clear deliverables that can be acted on by a legislative body, and affirmatively furthering fair housing. In 2021, the SGVCOG was awarded $1.15 million through the REAP SRP 2.0 to operate the Affordable Housing Incubator and advance implementation-ready strategies in the San Gabriel Valley region.
SGVCOG completed eight projects in collaboration with member cities with the Affordable Housing Incubator.
Regional Objective Design Standards
The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) utilized REAP 2.0 funding to develop a Regional Objective Design Standards document. Four of the SGVCOG’s member cities took part in the drafting of these objective design standards, including Duarte, Sierra Madre, Alhambra, and La Puente. The final Regional Objective Design Standards document is now available for all SGV cities to adapt and adopt as they see fit.
Local governments are required under new state laws, including SB 423 (2023) and SB 330 (2019), to establish objective design standards if they wish to retain discretion to condition or deny multifamily housing or mixed-use projects. For housing projects undergoing streamlined review, jurisdictions may only apply objectively written design and development standards, designed for predictable and consistent interpretation by applicants, reviewers, and approval bodies. Currently, only a small number of jurisdictions in the San Gabriel Valley region have adopted objective design standards. This limits the remaining jurisdictions’ regulatory authority to basic development standards included in their zoning ordinances.
The SGVCOG Regional Objective Design Standards document considers:
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San Gabriel Valley context
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Lessons learned from successfully designed projects in the San Gabriel Valley
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Input on design preferences from SGV residents and stakeholders
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Best practices for developing successful objective design standards.
SGVCOG provided technical assistance to the Cities of Rosemead, Monrovia, and Irwindale to complete economic feasibility analyses and site plans to present options for affordable housing on city-owned sites. Proposed options for these sites include affordable homeownership units, missing-middle housing, housing affordable to low-income families, and senior affordable housing. For Irwindale and Monrovia, SGVCOG helped the cities take the next step by creating an RFP to solicit developers to execute the site.
Zoning and Land Use Updates
SGVCOG also collaborated with Temple City and La Puente on projects meant to facilitate future development through land use and zoning amendments, meeting both the Cities’ and the Region’s goals.
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Temple City utilized the incubator to study incentives and possible amendments to implement the vision of the Crossroads Specific Plan. The specific plan and implementation plan aim to facilitate a mixed-use community with increased housing options, open space, and a mix of commercial uses.
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The SGVCOG provided assistance to the City of La Puente to implement a program of their Housing Element by making several changes to their zoning code to allow for and incentivize an increase in infill housing development. This project ensures compliance with state law, while increasing the opportunities for development in the City to ensure they can meeting their housing needs.
Program Design and Implementation
The SGVCOG partnered with Alhambra to create an implementation plan to facilitate the development of workforce housing aimed at moderate income households who often cannot afford to live in the city they work in. The plan includes identifying sites for development, financial resources, zoning and financial incentives, and setting definitions and target populations for a workforce housing program.
The San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVCOG’s affiliated housing trust) received technical assistance through the affordable housing incubator to develop a tool that evaluates acquisition opportunities for SGVRHT and its affiliated nonprofit House SGV. SGVRHT and House SGV are planning to acquire sites for use as affordable housing through its annual allocation of Measure A Production, Preservation, and Ownership (PPO) flexible funds. The tool will allow housing trust staff to evaluate and compare opportunities based on cost, number of units feasible, and cost of operations in order to set rents at an affordable rate and ensure long term affordability and operational feasibility.
REAP SRP 1.0
Under REAP 1.0, the SGVCOG explored and implemented regional tools and strategies to help cities identify opportunities for housing production and establish long-term development capacity. Projects ranged from land inventories and financial mechanism studies to the launch of the Affordable Housing Incubator program.
Affordable Housing Incubator
Under the REAP 1.0 Housing Incubator, the bench successfully completed 8 projects, including site analyses to support the conversion of vacant or underutilized property into affordable housing units, financial analyses to maximize the affordability and feasibility of proposed developments, site design of proposed developments, evaluations of inclusionary housing feasibility and SGVRHT bond issuance feasibility, and customizable resources such as comprehensive guides for affordable housing on city-owned land and ready-to-use RFP templates. Service Agreements were executed with five consultants to ensure availability to conduct work on concurrent projects.
SGV Surplus
Land Inventory
This project created an inventory of publicly-owned land (e.g. city-owned, County-owned, public agency-owned) and privately-owned sites (e.g. faith-based and nonprofit organizations) that could potentially serve as sites for affordable and/or homeless housing development.
SGV Regional Community Land Trust Feasibility Study
This project assessed the feasibility of developing a San Gabriel Valley Regional Land Trust, creating a best practices report and framework to address land costs as a barrier to affordable housing. The proposed Land Trust would acquire vacant or underutilized properties and lease them long-term to developers for affordable housing. The San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT) will use this report and framework to establish a Land Trust.
Revolving
Loan Fund
This project helped the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT) set-up a revolving loan fund. The SGVRHT is administering a revolving loan fund that will provide $8 million for cities and developers seeking predevelopment, acquisition, or pre-construction loans to assist in their development of affordable housing. To learn more about the revolving loan fund and apply for funding, visit the SGVRHT website.