San Francisco Bay Area Vision Project

Regional agencies are committed to securing financial incentives and providing technical assistance to designated Priority Development Areas (PDAs) and Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs).

Resources for Priority Development Areas
Regional agencies have been developing programs for technical assistance, planning grants, and capital infrastructure funding to support Priority Development Areas (PDAs) in the creation of complete communities. The FOCUS Program has worked to help connect PDAs with a variety of funding opportunities. Although these funding programs are still highly competitive, jusridictions with designated FOCUS PDAs and whose goals are closely aligned with the program's objectives can be more successful in securing financial assistance than other areas.

A few examples of funding opportunities made available to PDAs are:

Capital funding for PDAs is available through Transportation 2035, the regional transportation plan, which doubles funding to $2.2 billion for the Metropolitan Transportation Commmission's (MTC's) Transportation for Livable Communities Program. MTC recently approved expanding the program eligibility for the TLC program; eligible program categories now include streetscapes, as well as non-transportation infrastructure improvements, transportation demand management, and density incentives.
MTC will be releasing the TLC application on February 17th for projects within Priority Development Areas that support infill development near transit. The application deadline is April 22, 2010. Workshops are scheduled in February throughout the Bay Area on Feb. 9th, 11th, 23rd, and 24th. Visit MTC's website for more information: www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/smart_growth/#tlc.

Congestion Management Agencies (CMAs) are also deciding how to program their County TLC funds. Please contact your CMA for more information.
The 2007/2008 Station Area Planning Grant Program expanded eligibility requirements to include PDAs. $7.5 million was made available to PDAs for Station Area Planning grants, and over $10 million in additional grants should be available in coming years.

Through a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Environmental Justice grant, ABAG was able to award $100,000 to PDAs seeking to engage community members on the topic of displacement due to development in their community.

Given that regional agencies know the infrastructure needs of Priority Development Areas, ABAG has been able to connect PDAs to other funding opportunities. One such example is including PDA jurisdictions in grant applications, such as a recent award for "Green Infill - Clean Stormwater" that was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's West Coast Estuaries Initiative.

The California Housing and Community Development Department allocated grant funds from Proposition 1C for their TOD Housing Program and Infill Infrastructure Grant Program this year. The guidelines for each of these programs awarded points based upon PDA status.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District coordinates the Transportation Fund for Clean Air grant program. This Regional Fund awards points for projects that reduce emissions in regionally approved Priority Development Areas. Grant awards are expected to be announced at the end of 2008.

Additional financial assistance may arise from a variety of state and regional programs in the coming years as support for regional blueprint planning increases.

Upcoming Urban Park Funding Opportunities
Funding programs are being developed for local parks and urban greening projects through Propositions 84 and 1C passed by voters in November 2006. Legislation passed in 2008 has allowed these programs to move forward with the development of program guidelines. Visit the following program websites for more information on their status:

Housing-Related Parks Program
California Department of Housing and Community Development
The Housing-Related Parks (HRP) Program is an innovative program designed to encourage cities and counties to develop new residential housing by rewarding those jurisdictions that approve housing for low income households and are in compliance with State housing element law with grant funds to create or rehabilitate parks. The Department of Housing and Community Development has announce the releas of the 2010 Program Year Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the HRP Program. A copy of the NOFA is aailable on the Department's website at www.hcd.ca.gov/hpd/hrpp/nofa_hrp0528110.pdf. Additional information on the Program, including the Program guidelines, is available on the Dpepartment's website at www.hcd.ca.gov/hpd/hrpp/.

Infill Infrastructure Grant Program
California Department of Housing and Community Development
A portion of grant funds are awarded for park creation, development, or rehabilitation to encourage infill development.

Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program of 2008
California Department of Parks and Recreation
This program will award grants on a competitive basis for the creation of new parks and new recreation opportunities in proximity to the most critically underserved communities across California. Two rounds of funing are expected. The application deadline for Round One is March 1, 2010, and $184,000,000 has been appropriated for this round.

Urban Greening and Planning Grants
Strategic Growth Council
Senate Bill 732 passed in 2008 established the Strategic Growth Council, which shall consist of the Director of State Planning and Research, the Secretary of the Resources Agency, the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and one member of the public to be appointed by the Governor. The council will manage and award grants and loans to support the planning and development of sustainable communities.

The Strategic Growth Council will release an RFP on July 5, 2010 for the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant & Incentive Program. Focus area #1 of this program is on local sustainable planning. Cities and counties are eligible to apply. Exaples of eligible proposals according to the guidelines include, but are not limited to:

Specific plans/infill plans/zoning ordinances
Climate Action Plans
Targeted General Plan (see Glossary) updates or elements
Other implementation instruments and plans needed for successfully meeting AB 32 greenhouse gas emissions reduction and implementation of SB 375, while improving community-wide sustainability

Applications are limited to a maximum of $1 million and a minimum of $100,000 per proposal, and are due on August 31, 2010. For any questions regarding the SGC Planning Grants please email SGCSustainablecommunities@conservation.ca.gov or call (916)322-3439. Please visit the program website for more details on the timeline & guidelines.

Resources for Priority Conservation Areas

For PCAs, regional designation through FOCUS promotes conservation by:

Coordinating conservation efforts within a regional framework of near-term priorities
Providing a strong platform on which to leverage public and private resources for the Bay Area
Building upon prior and existing land protection efforts and investments
Providing opportunities for forging new partnerships

One example of how these near-term conservation opportunities will help inform the spending of conservation dollars in the San Francisco Bay Area is the distribution of Proposition 84 funds. The State Coastal Conservancy's San Francisco Bay Area Program will be spending $108 million from Proposition 84 over the next 4-5 years. FOCUS PCAs will inform the Conservancy, other public agencies, and private organizations of near-term (1-5 year) land conservation opportunities (acquisition or conservation easement) in the region.

The San Francisco Bay Joint Venture website lists many funding entities that provide grants for the protection of natural resource lands. Visit their website to browse these funding opportunities.

Policies & Programs	Projections 2009	FOCUS	News & Events
Home FOCUS Program Goals Priority Development Areas PDA Application PDA Showcase Priority Conservation Areas PCA Showcase Building Partnerships Best Practices Conferences FOCUS Forum Schools Grants & Funding Technical Assistance Planning Grants Equitable Development Tools & Resources Program Milestones Staff Contacts News & Events Policies and Programs Projections 2009	Financial Incentives Regional agencies are committed to securing financial incentives and providing technical assistance to designated Priority Development Areas (PDAs) and Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs). Resources for Priority Development Areas Regional agencies have been developing programs for technical assistance, planning grants, and capital infrastructure funding to support Priority Development Areas (PDAs) in the creation of complete communities. The FOCUS Program has worked to help connect PDAs with a variety of funding opportunities. Although these funding programs are still highly competitive, jusridictions with designated FOCUS PDAs and whose goals are closely aligned with the program's objectives can be more successful in securing financial assistance than other areas. A few examples of funding opportunities made available to PDAs are: Capital funding for PDAs is available through Transportation 2035, the regional transportation plan, which doubles funding to $2.2 billion for the Metropolitan Transportation Commmission's (MTC's) Transportation for Livable Communities Program. MTC recently approved expanding the program eligibility for the TLC program; eligible program categories now include streetscapes, as well as non-transportation infrastructure improvements, transportation demand management, and density incentives. MTC will be releasing the TLC application on February 17th for projects within Priority Development Areas that support infill development near transit. The application deadline is April 22, 2010. Workshops are scheduled in February throughout the Bay Area on Feb. 9th, 11th, 23rd, and 24th. Visit MTC's website for more information: www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/smart_growth/#tlc. Congestion Management Agencies (CMAs) are also deciding how to program their County TLC funds. Please contact your CMA for more information. The 2007/2008 Station Area Planning Grant Program expanded eligibility requirements to include PDAs. $7.5 million was made available to PDAs for Station Area Planning grants, and over $10 million in additional grants should be available in coming years. Through a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Environmental Justice grant, ABAG was able to award $100,000 to PDAs seeking to engage community members on the topic of displacement due to development in their community. Given that regional agencies know the infrastructure needs of Priority Development Areas, ABAG has been able to connect PDAs to other funding opportunities. One such example is including PDA jurisdictions in grant applications, such as a recent award for "Green Infill - Clean Stormwater" that was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's West Coast Estuaries Initiative. The California Housing and Community Development Department allocated grant funds from Proposition 1C for their TOD Housing Program and Infill Infrastructure Grant Program this year. The guidelines for each of these programs awarded points based upon PDA status. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District coordinates the Transportation Fund for Clean Air grant program. This Regional Fund awards points for projects that reduce emissions in regionally approved Priority Development Areas. Grant awards are expected to be announced at the end of 2008. Additional financial assistance may arise from a variety of state and regional programs in the coming years as support for regional blueprint planning increases. Upcoming Urban Park Funding Opportunities Funding programs are being developed for local parks and urban greening projects through Propositions 84 and 1C passed by voters in November 2006. Legislation passed in 2008 has allowed these programs to move forward with the development of program guidelines. Visit the following program websites for more information on their status: Housing-Related Parks Program California Department of Housing and Community Development The Housing-Related Parks (HRP) Program is an innovative program designed to encourage cities and counties to develop new residential housing by rewarding those jurisdictions that approve housing for low income households and are in compliance with State housing element law with grant funds to create or rehabilitate parks. The Department of Housing and Community Development has announce the releas of the 2010 Program Year Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the HRP Program. A copy of the NOFA is aailable on the Department's website at www.hcd.ca.gov/hpd/hrpp/nofa_hrp0528110.pdf. Additional information on the Program, including the Program guidelines, is available on the Dpepartment's website at www.hcd.ca.gov/hpd/hrpp/. Infill Infrastructure Grant Program California Department of Housing and Community Development A portion of grant funds are awarded for park creation, development, or rehabilitation to encourage infill development. Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program of 2008 California Department of Parks and Recreation This program will award grants on a competitive basis for the creation of new parks and new recreation opportunities in proximity to the most critically underserved communities across California. Two rounds of funing are expected. The application deadline for Round One is March 1, 2010, and $184,000,000 has been appropriated for this round. Urban Greening and Planning Grants Strategic Growth Council Senate Bill 732 passed in 2008 established the Strategic Growth Council, which shall consist of the Director of State Planning and Research, the Secretary of the Resources Agency, the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and one member of the public to be appointed by the Governor. The council will manage and award grants and loans to support the planning and development of sustainable communities. The Strategic Growth Council will release an RFP on July 5, 2010 for the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant & Incentive Program. Focus area #1 of this program is on local sustainable planning. Cities and counties are eligible to apply. Exaples of eligible proposals according to the guidelines include, but are not limited to: Specific plans/infill plans/zoning ordinances Climate Action Plans Targeted General Plan (see Glossary) updates or elements Other implementation instruments and plans needed for successfully meeting AB 32 greenhouse gas emissions reduction and implementation of SB 375, while improving community-wide sustainability Applications are limited to a maximum of $1 million and a minimum of $100,000 per proposal, and are due on August 31, 2010. For any questions regarding the SGC Planning Grants please email SGCSustainablecommunities@conservation.ca.gov or call (916)322-3439. Please visit the program website for more details on the timeline & guidelines. Resources for Priority Conservation Areas For PCAs, regional designation through FOCUS promotes conservation by: Coordinating conservation efforts within a regional framework of near-term priorities Providing a strong platform on which to leverage public and private resources for the Bay Area Building upon prior and existing land protection efforts and investments Providing opportunities for forging new partnerships One example of how these near-term conservation opportunities will help inform the spending of conservation dollars in the San Francisco Bay Area is the distribution of Proposition 84 funds. The State Coastal Conservancy's San Francisco Bay Area Program will be spending $108 million from Proposition 84 over the next 4-5 years. FOCUS PCAs will inform the Conservancy, other public agencies, and private organizations of near-term (1-5 year) land conservation opportunities (acquisition or conservation easement) in the region. The San Francisco Bay Joint Venture website lists many funding entities that provide grants for the protection of natural resource lands. Visit their website to browse these funding opportunities.