Host: California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and Gateway Cities Council of Governments
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Affordable Housing, Transportation / Mobility, Urban Planning
Skills Needed: Project Management, Research, Data Analysis, Environmental Justice,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid – HCD currently operates fully remote; however, if the fellow would like to come in person there will be staff on-site. Per CivicSpark requirements, a Fellow must come into the office at least 3 times during their term.

Service Needs & Plans

The California Department of Housing and Community Development is implementing a variety of statewide initiatives to increase affordability, including affirmatively furthering fair housing, creating zoned capacity for housing, ensuring compliance with state housing laws, strategies to encourage pro-housing policies at the local level, disposition of surplus lands, and other innovative housing strategies. The Gateway Cities Council of Governments (COG), in collaboration with HCD, is also undertaking a wide variety of strategies to address such issues in the Gateway Cities subregion of southeast Los Angeles County. The COG is broadening outreach and education strategies for its 27 member cities, conducting affordable housing research and expanding its analysis of housing production in the subregion, expanding an online hub of resources relating to planning for, producing and preserving housing for member cities, and utilizing HCD funding to address housing needs across the Gateway subregion. Further assistance and support is needed at the local level to address the housing crisis, as there is little staff capacity across the region due to limited resources . The overall goal of this project will be to engage directly with local governments in the Gateway subregion to promote and track the implementation of innovative housing strategies that are adopted in jurisdictions in the subregion and inform policymaking at the local level related to housing planning and implementation, in line with the specific projects detailed below. The fellow will conduct outreach, provide technical assistance, support interagency coordination, conduct research and data collection, assist the COG and its member cities in accessing HCD funding relating to housing and infrastructure, and support policy and program development and implementation, and application preparation. Cities’ ability to access State funding programs for affordable housing is dependent upon not only adoption and HCD certification of their 6th cycle housing elements, but also in completing the implementation actions that are identified in the element, including adopting and updating local ordinances, such as zoning codes, accessory dwelling unit ordinances, emergency shelter and interim housing rules, and the like.

Project Description

The COG engages in policy and planning efforts to improve the lives of its 2.1 million residents in the areas of air quality/climate, economic development, housing and homelessness, and transportation. The COG recognizes the significant housing challenges the subregion is facing in providing adequate and affordable housing for its diverse and growing population. The role of HCD and Gateway Cities COG’s 24-25 Fellow will be to implement HCD’s new programs, including REAP 2.0, the Designation program, the Permanent Local Housing Allocation funding, and locally adopted housing element policies, for the COG’s 27 member cities. As cities adopt their housing elements and shift towards implementation, the policies contained in those adopted elements will be one of the region’s primary tools for accelerating housing production and advancing affordability and equity. In particular, local commitments to affirmatively further fair housing are a brand new requirement and each of the 27 cities will have its own specific and transformative strategies for undoing patterns of segregation and creating truly integrated communities.

Other program commitments from the housing element will include actions to create additional zoned capacity, streamline review processes, preserve the affordability of existing units and more. The Fellow will track these policy commitments and use them to help develop new region-wide strategies and foster collaboration across city boundaries. The fellow can assist in researching and sharing best practices, case studies, and model ordinance language. In addition, the Fellow will serve to increase access across the region to two HCD programs. REAP 2.0 is an upcoming regional planning grant for housing infrastructure and development activities that promote affordability, reduce VMT, advance equity and address pandemic-related needs. The Fellow will work with the COG to develop subregional housing preservation & anti-displacement strategy with REAP2.0 funds. HCD is also implemented permanent regulations for the Prohousing Designation Program, which provides an incentive for jurisdictions to adopt “pro-housing” policies in terms of zoning and land use, accelerating timeframes, reducing development costs and offering subsidies. This program requires housing element compliance, meaning that the opportunity available to Gateway Cities is anticipated during the 24-25 Fellow year. The Fellow will assist the COG in developing a regionwide strategy for helping jurisdictions to obtain the Prohousing designation, and will provide tailored technical assistance from the Prohousing team at HCD in Sacramento. Finally, the Fellow will assist to analyze and summarize findings from the Housing Continuum infographic data compiled for each of our cities with REAP 1.0 funding, and update of subregion wide Continuum plan.

Desired Skills

The ideal Fellow will have previous work experience with research, data collection and evaluation, and collaborating with multiple stakeholders. Additional key skills include strong written and verbal communication abilities, flexibility, and initiative.

Organization & Workplace Highlights

HCD upholds the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which includes being committed to fostering an environment in which employees from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences feel welcomed and can thrive. Staff are respectful of differences, treat other with respect, encourage others to participate, foster innovations, and stay committed to all DEI efforts in the workplace. At HCD and Gateway Cities Council of Government you are a valued member of the Department’s team. You will work cooperatively with team members and others to enable the Department to provide the highest level of service possible. Your creativity and ingenuity are encouraged. Your efforts to maintain regular attendance and treat others fairly, honestly, and with respect will contribute to the success of the Department’s mission and professional development.

Community Highlights

The Gateway region is diverse in every sense of the word, which makes it an exciting place to work. It ranges from large cities like Long Beach to communities of a few tens of thousands of people. Certain areas of the subregion have unique housing needs, including population density on par with, or exceeding, that of cities like New York and Boston, as well as disproportionate rates of overcrowding, cost burden, substandard housing and other considerations. The Fellow will have the chance to interact with staff in the different cities and get to know the housing planners that work there, learning what local governments are doing to address those disproportionate needs.