Community planning grants.

Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council that is required to take actions with regard to coordinating programs of member state agencies to improve air and water quality, improve natural resource protection, increase the availability of affordable housing, improve transportation, meet the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, encourage sustainable land use planning, and revitalize urban and community centers in a sustainable manner. This bill would establish the Community Planning Grant and Loan Fund and would authorize the council to expend the revenues in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to carry out the Community Planning Grant and Loan Program which this bill would establish. The bill would require the council to expend these funds to provide competitive grants and loans to support community planning by providing grants and loans for projects to improve sustainability and livability of California's communities by reducing communities' contributions to global warming. The bill would specify procedures for the council to follow in managing and awarding these grants. The bill would create a local advisory committee to make recommendations to the council regarding the program and would require the council to develop guidelines for awarding financial assistance. The bill would require the council to provide an annual report to the Legislature regarding the grant and loan program.