The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced awards totaling more than $2.3 million to local governments that are working to streamline housing approvals and accelerate housing production. These first awards went to nine local governments for planning documents and process improvements that increase the supply of affordable homes and apartments, while reducing costs and saving processing time.
These are the first awards from HCD’s Planning Grants Program, which was created in 2018 as a result of Senate Bill 2. The grants are designed to address California’s housing shortage and high housing costs by providing cities and counties financial resources to plan for housing, implement plans and create or improve processes that result in accelerated housing approvals and production.
All California cities and counties are eligible for these non-competitive funds, provided the jurisdiction has a HCD-approved housing plan; has submitted their 2017 or 2018 annual progress reports, shows how the jurisdiction is pacing against their housing plan; and demonstrates in their application how grants will be used to work toward accelerated approvals and production.
| Applicant | County | Award Amount |
| City of Shasta Lake | Shasta | $160,000 |
| City of Woodland | Yolo | $310,000
|
| City of Long Beach | Los Angeles | $625,000
|
| City of Monterey | Monterey | $160,000
|
| City of Gonzales | Monterey | $160,000
|
| City of San Jacinto | Riverside County | $160,000
|
| City of Banning | Riverside County | $160,000
|
| City of Redlands | San Bernardino | $310,000
|
| City of Folsom | Sacramento | $310,000
|
| TOTAL | $2,355,000 |
