All News
Green Means Go: Housing Solutions from the Ground Up
On Friday, September 13, 2024, SACOG gathered leaders from across the state to share how Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 2.0 funds impact the Sacramento region through SACOG’s Green Means Go program. The luncheon provided policy makers with an overview of how Green Means Go can be used as a framework to help cities and counties catalyze investments in the heart of communities.
Guests heard from several presenters including Sean Kennedy, deputy director of energy investments at the California Strategic Growth Council; Bill Higgins, executive director of the California Association of Councils of Governments; Stefan Heisler, housing manager for the City of Rancho Cordova; and Alex Steinberger, partner at Cascadia Partners. SACOG presenters included James Corless, executive director, and Kacey Lizon, deputy executive director of programs.
Attendees learned how $29 million of REAP 2.0 funding is being implemented through Green Means Go to help catalyze new infill development in the Sacramento region. As California faces a housing crisis and is working to figure out how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, they learned how SACOG’s model can be applied to corridors in various communities all over the state.
Infill development is often seen as a risky and expensive expenditure. The conditions of the underground systems, like sewer and wastewater, are not always known. In addition, commercial corridors are usually built with commercial business, not housing, in mind. These uncertainties and getting sites ready for infill housing can make projects expensive and unattractive for investment.
Green Means Go was designed to help cities and counties of all sizes address the underground challenges so that local governments can help prepare corridors for new housing development and strengthen the core of communities where people are less reliant on driving.
There is still a lot more work to do, but SACOG hopes that attendees from this event walked away with a few more ideas of what can be done to help accelerate infill and reinvest in communities. SACOG looks forward to continuing to share Green Means Go as a model for the Sacramento region and beyond. Stay tuned for more opportunities to learn about and engage with the program.
If you have any questions about Green Means Go, contact SACOG’s Director of Government & Public Affairs, Christina Lokke.