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The Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state is awarding nearly $789.8 million in cap-and-trade funds for 24 projects across California to create thousands of affordable housing units and infrastructure improvement projects such as bike lanes, zero-emission public transit and pedestrian walkways; cities to receive the aid include San Jose.
“We can’t solve the homeless crisis without creating new affordable housing. Today we are reinvesting more than three-quarters of a billion dollars generated through cap-and-trade funding to build thriving, affordable communities for California families,” said Gavin Newsom.
In that regard, he noted that by creating livable communities with sustainable transportation options, we can also meet both the state's climate goals and those of providing affordable housing for all Californians.
The funds will build 2,483 new rent-restricted homes as part of 24 different affordable housing projects, with more than two-thirds of the homes dedicated to low-income communities.
The award-winning projects are located in 20 communities across the state, including the cities of Berkeley, El Cerrito, Healdsburg, Hemet, Inglewood, King City, Livingston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Oceanside, Oxnard, Red Bluff, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Walnut Creek and Los Angeles County.
This is the third largest round of grants awarded for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program, which funds housing and transportation projects near workplaces, schools, and other everyday destinations to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the state.
Across eight rounds, AHSC investments will total $3.8 billion.
“These investments not only address the urgent need for affordable housing that is integrated with critical infrastructure in a holistic approach to development, but they also significantly contribute to our fight against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our most vulnerable communities,” said Sam Assefa, director of the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation.
"By integrating sustainable transportation with affordable housing, we are creating healthier, more resilient neighborhoods where all Californians can thrive," he added.
In addition to creating housing, these 24 projects will also support the purchase of 52 new zero-emission transit vehicles, the installation of approximately 100 new bus stops, the construction of approximately 60 miles of bike lanes, as well as the repair and construction of more than 60 miles of sidewalks to create safe and accessible pathways.
This funding follows Governor Newsom’s recent executive order, which, among other things, calls on local governments to use state funding to address unhealthy and dangerous encampments within their communities and provide homeless individuals with the care and support services they need.
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