Future Communities Forum
The POWER OF SHARED DATA
SCAG’s Future Communities Forum is a unique gathering of researchers, business and civic leaders, and policymakers from Southern California and around the world that will showcase how technology and open data are being used to solve common challenges.
The forum is being held as a special pre-conference session to SCAG’s annual Regional Conference & General Assembly, which brings together over 1,000 attendees, including state and local elected officials from the six counties and 191 cities in the region, to address issues impacting Southern California and spotlight innovative solutions.
Through the Future Communities Forum, SCAG seeks to highlight and accelerate innovation and open data in the public sector. As the preeminent data center in Southern California, SCAG is working to foster collaboration among communities and researchers across the globe to identify replicable solutions and tools, as well as better data, that can support more informed decision-making. The forum will include discussions with experts and thought leaders as well as share best practices on challenges such as poverty, the impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce, climate change and adaptation, and sustainable development.
For more information, please contact Kevin Kane at kane@scag.ca.gov
California State Budget Reduces Barriers to Housing Production and Extends Deadline for Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) Program
Earlier this week, the governor signed the 2025-2026 state budget, which includes a suite of reforms to reduce barriers to housing production.
Connect SoCal 2024 Implementation Update: Sustainable Communities Strategy Accepted
On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) informed SCAG that it had accepted SCAG’s determination that the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) meets CARB’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.
General Assembly Elects 2025-26 Board Officers
The General Assembly voted to approve the nominations for the SCAG 2025-26 Regional Council officers as recommended by the Regional Council: Hon. Cindy Allen (City of Long Beach) will serve as 2025-26 Regional Council president; Hon. Ray Marquez (City of Chino Hills) will serve as Regional Council first vice president; and Hon. Jenny Crosswhite (City of Santa Paula) will serve as Regional Council second vice president. Leadership also recognized Hon.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Call for Project Nominations Now Open
The federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) SCAG online application opened for all eligible applicants on March 31. This application will be available through May 16 at 5 p.m.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Guidelines Now Available
On March 6, the SCAG Regional Council approved the federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) Program Guidelines.