The Housing Acceleration Program (HAP) is an innovative program developed by SANDAG that aims to help local jurisdictions build their capacity to produce more housing and better integrate it into their communities.
The goal of HAP is to develop and adopt policies, processes, and infrastructure improvements that accelerate housing production, facilitate implementation of the 6th Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Cycle, implement the Regional Plan Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), and build local jurisdictions’ capacity to compete for funding statewide through the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Prohousing Designation Program.
Using state Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) funds, the HAP provides grants to local jurisdictions to fund planning and capital projects related to the acceleration of housing production within smart growth or mobility hub planning areas. HAP grants are versatile and can be used to fund a variety of planning activities and capital projects. Example projects include:
- Staff augmentation
- Updating and facilitating local housing element programs such as density bonus ordinances or anti-displacement strategies
- Implementing programs that accelerate affordable housing development
- Infrastructure improvements to increase housing density
The program offers resources to assist local jurisdictions in meeting RHNA goals, achieving housing element compliance, pursuing HCD’s prohousing designation, and supporting the goals of the SANDAG Regional Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategies.
