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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.
Projects under REAP SRP 2.0 are currently ongoing.
For more information about the Affordable Housing Incubator, please contact Rosalie Lansing at rlansing@sgvcog.org
Regional Objective Design Standards
The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) is currently undertaking the process of developing and adopting a Regional Objective Design Standards document which will be a resource for all of the SGVCOG’s member cities. Four of the SGVCOG’s member cities are taking part in the drafting of these objective design standards, including Duarte, Sierra Madre, Alhambra, and La Puente, with adoption by each of these cities anticipated in 2026. However, the final Regional Objective Design Standards document will be 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 aims to develop Regional Objective Design Standards which consider:
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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.
Design topics to be addressed within the Regional Objective Design Standards are listed below (not an exhaustive list): Pedestrian and vehicle site access, Screening (parking, utilities), Site orientation, Articulation, Modulation, Building form, Height, Human scaled design/pedestrian friendly design, Differentiation in design among stories, Building breaks, Corner architectural elements, Materials, finishes, colors (including location of changes), Location of entry types (and demarcation), Residential privacy, Windows, Outdoor dining, Open space (including location), Exterior lighting, Loading areas, Parking (design, location), Setbacks and stepbacks, Building coverage, and Landscaping.
The Regional Objective Design Standards project is funded by a SCAG REAP 2.0 grant.
Online Comment Form:
The SGVCOG and the four participating Cities are currently collecting input from the public to inform the drafting of the Regional Objective Design Standards. We would appreciate input from residents and stakeholders of the San Gabriel Valley, especially residents and stakeholders of the four participating cities (Duarte, Sierra Madre, Alhambra, La Puente). If you’re a resident or stakeholder of another City in the SGV, we need your input as well in case your community decides to utilize the final Regional Objective Design Standards document in the future.
Please share all comments you have (including desires, concerns and questions) regarding residential and mixed-use design in your City through this form. Your input is fundamental in drafting the Regional Objective Design Standards. We appreciate your time and effort to complete this online comment form!
Link Online Comment Form: https://forms.gle/bG7zWo7B5R636hLq6
Project Timeline
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.