The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Council has given $35 million to 12 projects to improve infrastructure. These funds will help the local governments reach their housing production goals.
The funds were given out as part of the Regional Utilities Supporting Housing Pilot Program (RUSH). They will help with planning and making investments in utility infrastructure. As part of SCAG’s Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) program, which has given more than $192 million to projects across Southern California in the past year, RUSH helps pay for planning, funding, and infrastructure that will speed up the building of homes.
“We applaud these 12 projects for helping to solve Southern California’s housing crisis, and we’re glad that the RUSH program lets SCAG meet a critical need by helping local governments get rid of barriers to housing production,” said Kome Ajise, Executive Director of SCAG.
Here is a list of award winners by county:
Los Angeles County
The city of Santa Fe Springs. $800,000 for a new study and plans for the infrastructure of downtown homes. The city will be able to finish building plans for green and public utility infrastructure on 98.7 acres that were recently changed from industry to mixed-use zones thanks to this grant. Low- and moderate-income housing projects will be able to keep going in an area that can hold almost 1,600 new homes thanks to the project.
The city of Torrance. Study of the utility infrastructure in the Torrance housing corridor for $100,000. As part of this planning project, green and long-lasting electrical infrastructure will be found to help build new homes in the city’s Housing Corridor Overlay (HCO). The HCO, which was passed in 2023 for the city’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, lets people of all income levels build homes and other mixed-use projects in seven places across the city.
Riverside County
Hot Springs City in the Desert. A study of the sewer area for infill development in the Downtown and Palm Dr. corridor cost $500,000. With this grant money, a sewer area study for Downtown Desert Hot Springs and Palm Drive will be done. This will help build new affordable homes in the area while also improving connectivity and the environment. Unused land that has been newly zoned for mixed use and high density residential is part of the study. So is the Green Day Village project, which was recently approved for a 608-unit multi-family housing development.
Palm Desert City. Infrastructure for flood control to meet housing needs ($8,000,000). This project will increase the city’s utility capacity to reduce the damage that severe flooding could do to new and current homes along the I-10 corridor, which has been the site of recent flood disasters. The project will help build 3,386 units, of which 1,663 are already accepted and 3,386 are being reviewed.
San Bernardino County
The city of Upland. Planning for affordable housing utilities in the city of Upland ($303,500). The goal of this project is to create design and engineering plans for two utility projects that are necessary for the building of 174 affordable housing units in Historic Downtown Upland.
County of San Bernardino. $6.5 million for the Bloomington sewer extension. This project will add to the sewer system that is already there and make it bigger for places that were recently rezoned. Bloomington is the most populous unincorporated town in San Bernardino County. It has few active service links and a number of par.
Imperial County
The city of Calipatria. The City of Calipatria spent $1.5 million on the Delta Street Pump Station. The Delta Street Pump Station will be fixed up as part of this project. The goal is to encourage cheap housing development in the Calipatria Eastside Specific Plan, which can include up to 736 units. A new electrical control system, a new fan system to get rid of corrosive gases, better centrifugal pumps, and repairs to the wet well’s concrete and steel support members are some of the changes that have been made.
Here are the all details from SCAG