SB 772: Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019: applications: eligibility.

Existing law establishes the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019 (program), which requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature, to establish and administer a grant program to allocate those funds to eligible applicants to fund capital improvement projects that are an integral part of, or necessary to facilitate the development of, a qualifying infill project, qualifying infill area, or catalytic qualifying infill area. Existing law requires the department to administer a specified competitive application process for capital improvement projects for large jurisdictions, as defined. For these purposes, existing law defines a qualifying infill project to include a residential or mixed-use residential project located within an urbanized area on a vacant site where at least 75% of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that are developed with urban uses. For catalytic qualifying infill areas, existing law requires grants be provided using a selection process that, among other things, requires eligible applicants to submit documentation of all necessary entitlements and permits, and a certification that the project is shovel ready, except as provided. Existing law requires a qualifying infill project, qualifying infill area, or catalytic qualifying infill area for which a capital improvement project grant may be awarded to meet specified criteria, including that the project include not less than 15% affordable units meaning, for these purposes, that a unit is made available at an affordable rent to a household earning no more than 60% of the area median income, or at an affordable cost, as specified.

This bill would expand the definition of qualifying infill project to include a residential or mixed-use residential project located within an urbanized area on a vacant site where at least 75% of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that have been previously developed with urban uses. For catalytic qualifying infill areas, the bill would instead require eligible applicants to submit documentation of approval of necessary entitlement and building permits, except as provided. This bill would change the definition of affordable unit as described above to, instead mean that a unit is made available at an affordable rent to a household earning no more than 80% of the area median income or at an affordable cost, as specified.

Existing law requires the department, in its review of applications, to rank affected qualifying infill areas and catalytic qualifying infill areas based on specified criteria, including the qualifying infill areas or catalytic qualifying infill areas inclusion of, or proximity to, a train station or major transit stop and the proximity of housing to existing or planned parks, employment or retail centers, schools, or social services.

This bill would revise these provisions to require the department to rank applications, as described above, based on the qualifying infill areas or catalytic qualifying infill areas inclusion of, or proximity or accessibility to, a transit station or major transit stop or walkability to essential services or businesses. The bill would additionally revise these provisions to require the departments ranking to be based on the proximity of housing to services, rather than social services.

Existing law requires a qualifying infill project, qualifying infill area, or catalytic qualifying infill area for which a capital improvement project grant can be awarded under the program to meet specified conditions, including, among others, inclusion of not less than 15% of affordable units, as specified, and being located in an area designated for mixed-use or residential development, as specified.

This bill would additionally allow the project to be located in an area that allows for mixed-use or residential development pursuant to a housing development that is in compliance with those certain provisions deeming a housing development an allowable use or subject to streamlined, ministerial approval, as specified. approval.

Existing law defines various terms for the purposes of the program, including, capital improvement project, catalytic qualifying infill area, eligible applicant, urbanized area, and urban uses.

This bill would revise these definitions. The bill would additionally define the terms major transit stop and walkability.