Programs
Gives allocations for each city and the county to provide a share of housing to meet the regional housing needs for different income levels.
To respond to the State’s housing crisis, Governor Newsom, in the 2019-20 Budget Act, created grant programs to help accelerate housing production. The REAP program provides grants to councils of governments (COGs) to collaborate on planning projects that have a broader regional impact on housing. The REAP program is meant to help local governments reach their housing production goals (as set in the sixth cycle of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA, pronounced "ree-na")).
REAP's one-time grant funding can be used for technical assistance, for preparing and adopting planning documents, and for improving government processes to accelerate housing production. Humboldt County's REAP grant is $783,000 (allocated based on population), and must be expended before December 2023. Based on input from local agency staff and residents, HCAOG devised the program activites: (i) Identify best practices that promote sufficient supply of housing [required activity per grant]; (ii) inform local agencies of need and benefits of taking early action on housing need allocation [required activity per grant]; (iii) grant $199,000 to local jurisdictions for housing-related technical assistance, with $45,000 in extra funds for under-resourced communities; (iv) grant $375,000 for development of the Regional Climate Action Plan and associated environmental assessment (CEQA).
REAP Grants Program Background
REAP Grants Program Details | California Dept. of Housing & Community Development (HCD)[External website]
REAP Program Intro/Update (slidedeck presented at 11.19.20 HCAOG Board Meeting)
On March 30, 2022, HCAOG released a Call for Projects inviting artists to apply for funding to tell the stories of Humboldt's housing struggles through their chosen creative medium. HCAOG was able to fund eight multimedia grants for a total of $39,510.
For the month of June we are talking about housing insecurity in Humboldt County. What is it? Who is affected? Why is it important and what can we do to positively impact our community? Stick around and hear perspectives from people in our community, learn about housing initiatives, participate in the discussion and become a housing advocate!