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INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Chapter 354, Statutes of 2017 (SB 2, Atkins) was part of a 15 bill housing package signed <br />by Governor Brown that was aimed at addressing the state’s housing shortage and high <br />housing costs. Specifically, it establishes a permanent source of funding intended to <br />increase the affordable housing stock in California. The revenue from SB 2 will vary from <br />year to year, as revenue is dependent on real estate transactions with fluctuating activity. <br />The legislation directs the California Department of Housing and Community Development <br />(Department) to use 50 percent of the revenue in the first year to establish a program that <br />provides financial and technical assistance to local governments to update planning <br />documents and zoning ordinances in order to streamline housing production, including, but <br />not limited to, general plans; community plans; specific plans; implementation of <br />sustainable communities strategies; and local coastal programs. Eligible uses also include <br />new environmental analyses that eliminate the need for project-specific review and local <br />process updates that improve and expedite local permitting. <br /> <br />Guidelines for the SB 2 Planning Grants program are organized into seven Articles as <br />follows: <br /> <br />Article I. General provisions: This Article includes information on the purpose of the <br />Guidelines, program objectives, and definitions used throughout the document. <br /> <br />Article II. Eligibility and threshold criteria: This Article describes the eligibility requirements <br />for applicants and proposals in order to apply for funds under the SB 2 Planning Grants <br />program. <br /> <br />Article III. Eligible activities and uses: This Article describes eligible uses for the SB 2 <br />Planning Grants funds, including priority policy areas and ineligible uses. <br /> <br />Article IV. Award amounts and distribution: This Article describes award amounts and <br />geographic distribution. <br /> <br />Article V. Application review: This Article describes the application review process. <br /> <br />Article VI. Administration: This Article describes administrative functions such as terms, <br />non-performance remedies and reporting requirements. <br /> <br />Article VII. Technical assistance: This Article describes technical assistance. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />46