Riverside County wants residents to weigh in on a draft application that could unlock millions in state housing grants for the region.
The county's Transportation and Land Management Agency (TLMA) announced Wednesday, Sept. 16 that it is accepting public feedback on its draft application for California's Prohousing Designation Program. Residents can watch and participate online through RivCoTV.org or review the full draft application on the county planning department's website.
Written comments can be sent to [email protected]. No deadline for public input has been announced.
What the designation means
The Prohousing Designation Program, run by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), gives participating cities and counties a leg up when competing for state housing dollars. Designated jurisdictions receive priority points and set-asides across multiple grant programs, including the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program and the Infill Infrastructure Grant, according to HCD's program page.
The designation also makes a jurisdiction eligible for the Prohousing Incentive Program (PIP), a separate grant funded by the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund. HCD awarded roughly $11.3 million to 13 jurisdictions in PIP's fourth round, announced Thursday, Aug. 20.
Why the county is applying
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors directed staff to begin preparing the application at its Jan. 13 meeting. A county agenda item for that meeting warned that without the designation, Riverside County could face reduced competitiveness for housing grants and limitations tied to future state policies.
The TLMA held an earlier in-person open house on the draft application Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Riverside County Planning Department offices in Riverside.
How Temecula residents can participate
Temecula sits in Riverside County's Third Supervisorial District, represented by Supervisor Chuck Washington. County-level housing grant decisions affect funding available across the region, making the application relevant to Temecula-area residents.
Residents who want to comment can email [email protected] or visit the county planning department's Prohousing Designation Program page to review the draft application.
