Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grants
The Local Action Planning Grants (LEAP), provides over-the-counter grants complemented with technical assistance to local governments for the preparation and adoption of planning documents, and process improvements that:
- Accelerate housing production
- Facilitate compliance to implement the sixth-cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment.
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Reporting and Compliance
LEAP Annual Report
Awardees shall submit a report, to be made publicly available, by April 1 of the year following the receipt of funds and annually thereafter until those funds are expended.
LEAP Annual Report (XLS) — The report can be found on the last tab of this file.
LEAP Close Out Report
Upon completion of all deliverables within the Standard Agreement, the awardee shall submit a close out report.
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Reporting and Compliance
LEAP Annual Report
Awardees shall submit a report, to be made publicly available, by April 1 of the year following the receipt of funds and annually thereafter until those funds are expended.
LEAP Annual Report (XLS) — The report can be found on the last tab of this file.
LEAP Close Out Report
Upon completion of all deliverables within the Standard Agreement, the awardee shall submit a close out report.
Background
Increasing the availability of affordable homes statewide is critical to bettering the quality of life of all Californians and to ending homelessness. In the 2019-20 Budget Act, Governor Gavin Newsom allocated $250 million for all regions, cities, and counties to do their part by prioritizing planning activities that accelerate housing production to meet identified needs of every community. With this allocation, HCD established the Local Early Action Planning Grant Program (LEAP) with $119 million for cities and counties. LEAP provides one-time grant funding to cities and counties to update their planning documents and implement process improvements that will facilitate the acceleration of housing production and help local govts. prepare for their 6th cycle RHNA much like the SB2 Planning Grants.
The 2019-20 Budget Act provides a spectrum of support, incentives, resources, and accountability to meet California’s housing goals. Some specific elements include:
- Local and regional planning grants (LEAP and REAP)
- Prohousing preference points on competitive funding applications
- Additional funding resources
- Accountability (penalties for noncompliant housing plans)
- Reform (collaborative processes to reform regional housing needs)
For regional governments and entities, funding is available through the Regional Early Action Planning Grants (REAP). For more information, please visit Regional Early Action Planning Grants.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities must be related to housing planning and facilitate the streamlining and acceleration of housing production.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are limited to local governments, i.e., cities and counties.
However, local governments may partner through legally binding agreements with other forms of governments or entities where the proposal will have a direct effect on land-use or development within the participating localities. This includes, but is not limited to, partnerships with other localities, regional governments, housing authorities, school districts, special districts, community-based organizations, or any duly constituted governing body of an Indian Reservation or Rancheria.
Applicants forming partnerships, must submit separate, complete, and signed application packages, including resolutions and a copy of the signed agreement between partners to in order to be awarded funds.
Timeline
| December 2023 | 2020-2023 |
|---|---|
| Expenditure Deadline: December 31, 2023 | Technical Assistance: March, 2020-2023 |
December 2023 - Expenditure Deadline: December 31, 2023*
2020-2023 - Technical Assistance: March, 2020-2023
*The Department must reimburse all jurisdictions prior to December 31, 2023. To ensure that the Grantee's expenditures are reimbursed on or before December 31, 2023, the Grantee shall deliver to the Department all final invoices for reimbursement and Close-out reports on or before September 30, 2023.
Grant Reimbursements
To request reimbursement of funds, please download and follow instructions on the following forms:
Technical Assistance
Planning Grants and Local Housing Strategies Map
The Planning Grants and Local Housing Strategies Map will keep you up to date on:
- Cities’ and counties’ local planning practices and solutions for accelerating housing production
- Where HCD’s technical assistance (TA) teams are conducting outreach and providing TA
- Which cities/counties have submitted planning grant applications
- Which jurisdictions are eligible for planning grants
The goals of the map:
- Promoting transparency in planning grant funding and distribution
- Illustrates HCD’s commitment to geographic equity and access
- Creates a peer-learning environment by sharing jurisdictions’ implementation efforts on accelerating housing production throughout the state
Reporting and Compliance
LEAP Annual Report
Awardees shall submit a report, to be made publicly available, by April 1 of the year following the receipt of funds and annually thereafter until those funds are expended.
LEAP Annual Report (XLSM) — The report can be found on the last tab of this file.
LEAP Close Out Report
Upon completion of all deliverables within the Standard Agreement, the awardee shall submit a close out report.
Close Out Reporting Form – Attachment 1 (PDF)
Other Resources
- NOFA (PDF)
- Maximum Grant Amounts per Jurisdiction (PDF)
- Government Taxpayer ID Form (PDF)
- OPR and HCD’s Integrated Planning Concepts (PDF): This guide provides concepts on different ways to integrate various policy topics to meet and keep-up with changing state requirements when updating local plans. This document was created by OPR in collaboration with HCD. It highlights changes to state laws regarding updating different local planning documents such as General Plans, Housing Elements, and other local plans.
- Strategic Growth Council AHSC Program website
- AB 32 (Chapter 488, Statutes 2006)
- SB 375 (Chapter 728, Statutes, 2008)
- Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants
- California Metropolitan Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs)