The San Joaquin Council of Governments is pleased to announce that San Joaquin County has been selected as one of 12 California communities to participate in the BOOST Pilot Program – a new partnership of the Institute for Local Government (ILG) and the California Strategic Growth Council (SCG) to help local governments build capacity to develop and secure funding for projects that provide access to clean air and water, clean transportation, affordable housing, and economic opportunity in alignment with the state’s equity and environmental goals.
The BOOST Pilot Program will help communities: Build awareness of funding opportunities to address climate action; Organize projects to be best positioned to meet its goals; Optimize existing resources and build more capacity; Strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and identify new opportunities for regional engagement and collaboration; and Transform their approach to addressing climate action.
In San Joaquin County, the BOOST partnership will focus on meeting SJCOG’s climate goals as found in the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy and exploring potential initiatives that can be taken for the future. They will also aid SJCOG’s ongoing efforts in creating healthy and sustainable communities through addressing housing affordability.
“The Institute for Local Government is excited to partner with the California Strategic Growth Council and San Joaquin County” said Erica L. Manuel, CEO and Executive Director of the Institute for Local Government. “Over the last decade ILG has gathered promising practices and lessons learned about sustainability through our flagship Beacon Program for cities and counties. We look forward to using that expertise to support, and BOOST, communities across California.”
“Communities across California are working to achieve sustainability, equity, economic prosperity, and a high quality of life for their residents, but not all have the same ability to do so,” said Louise Bedsworth, Executive Director of California Strategic Growth Council. “BOOST will provide customized support to help communities develop the compelling, fundable projects that can lead to healthy thriving, and resilient communities.”
The BOOST pilot program is funded through a $1 million appropriation by the California Legislature in the Budget Act of 2018 (SB 856) from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which is administered through California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health outcomes, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Find out more about the BOOST Program at www.ca-ilg.org/BOOST.