Calaveras staff seek shovel-ready infill projects for $2.4M in workforce housing grants

Kathy Gallino, Calaveras County economic and community development director, told the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 that the county is preparing to use two state grants — Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) and Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 2.0 — to advance workforce housing projects that serve households at roughly 80–120 percent of area median income.

Gallino said the combined grants total about $2.4 million. She said about $1.28 million is the county’s PLHA allocation, of which roughly $435,000 is already committed to down‑payment assistance and home modification programs administered by Health and Human Services. The county plans to allocate about $745,000 of PLHA for predevelopment work under the planning department. For REAP 2.0, Gallino said the county received a $500,000 advance and is aiming to move quickly because some REAP funds may need to be expended by 2026.

The presentation explained that the county will prioritize “shovel‑ready” infill sites — parcels near jobs, transit, schools and services — and fund activities that reduce developers’ upfront risk, including site entitlements, environmental and cultural studies, limited infrastructure work, demolition, and permit/impact fee offsets. Gallino said the county will seek proposals from both nonprofit and for‑profit developers, host pre‑application meetings, evaluate and rank proposals, negotiate partnership agreements, and oversee construction monitoring and state reporting.

Supervisors raised the common rural constraints: sewer and water capacity, connection fees and project viability. Supervisor Fallendorf asked whether the Stanislaus Regional Housing Authority and other potential public partners were involved; Gallino said staff had already engaged the housing authority and private developers who have shown interest in sites in Valley Springs and Copperopolis. Gallino said the county also has some pre‑approved building plans that could reduce costs and speed approvals.

Gallino asked the board for input on draft scoring criteria that would weight infill location, provider capacity, unit counts and unit size, affordability tiers (moderate/low/very low), and prior experience of the developer. She said she hopes to issue a request for proposals and qualifications by mid‑February and evaluate responses by late February/early March in order to meet grant timelines.

County staff and several supervisors noted public outreach will be part of the process and that capacity constraints (water/sewer) may limit options in some communities.

If the county proceeds, Gallino said a funding agreement with the state and subsequent negotiated agreements with chosen project proponents will govern use of the funds, reporting and timelines.