Earlier this week in Sacramento, the California Strategic Growth Council approved $289.4 million in grants to 25 housing developments and transit-friendly infrastructure projects that aim to help reduce greenhouse gases in the communities the projects are located. The grants awarded were made available through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC), which is overseen by the California Department of Housing and Community Development as well as the Strategic Growth Council and the California Air Resources Board.
The AHSC Program is aimed at providing competitive grants to projects that would benefit Disadvantaged Communities through a number of criteria. The law requires half of the AHSC funding be dedicated to building affordable housing, and states that 50% percent of grants must be invested to benefit Disadvantaged Communities directly.
However, there has been ongoing discussion that the grant process does not consider objections community members may have to the proposed projects. Despite the program’s intent to support sustainable, affordable housing, some have raised concerns about displacement and gentrification caused by the new developments.
Still, the projects funded through the AHSC Program provide much needed affordable housing as well as transportation improvements that encourage walking, bicycling, and transit use that result in fewer passenger vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The reduction in VMTs will directly benefit the disadvantaged communities in which the projects are located by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that these vulnerable populations are susceptible to.
While there is still much that needs to be done to improve the AHSC Program and expand other efforts to help our most vulnerable populations in California, affordable housing and greenhouse gas friendly infrastructure provided through the latest round of AHSC investments is a step toward a more equitable and healthy California.