Regional Early Action Grant Program

The Second Calaveras County Regional Early Action Program (REAP) 2.0 Competitive Grant Program (CGP) is a locally administered funding initiative by the County of Calaveras, developed under the broader framework of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) REAP 2.0 initiative. This grant aims to promote the construction of low- to moderate-income housing for households earning between 80–120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), by providing critical predevelopment funding to eligible projects. The program serves as a response to the state's pressing housing affordability challenges and is designed to accelerate housing production while reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), promoting equity, and advancing regional housing and sustainability goals. The Calaveras County CGP is specifically designed to support housing developers and sewer/water utility districts in mitigating early-stage development costs. Funding can be applied toward a wide range of predevelopment activities including land acquisition, entitlements, demolition, infrastructure improvements, and other associated costs necessary to advance the viability of housing projects. In doing so, the program intends to assist Calaveras County in meeting its Sixth Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) obligations while aligning with state planning priorities and climate targets. Project proposals must fulfill REAP 2.0’s three central objectives: accelerating infill development, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and reducing VMT. Eligible project types include but are not limited to: affordable housing development and preservation; infrastructure upgrades serving infill housing; planning efforts that support increased density and accessibility; and enhancements to multimodal transit and active transportation infrastructure. However, projects involving roadway capacity expansions, advocacy, ceremonial costs, fossil fuel infrastructure, in-lieu fees, or general meetings unrelated to REAP 2.0 implementation are ineligible for funding. A comprehensive list of ineligible uses is outlined in the NOFA. All awarded funds must be used in accordance with REAP 2.0’s final guidelines and the County’s subrecipient agreement requirements. Applications must be submitted electronically via email to Calaveras County’s Economic & Community Development Director. The application window opens on March 12, 2026, and closes at 5:00 p.m. on March 26, 2026. Following the close of the application window, projects will be reviewed, scored based on specific criteria, and prioritized for funding approval by the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors in early April 2026. Invoices for all reimbursable expenses must be submitted to the County no later than September 30, 2026. The final performance period for projects concludes on December 31, 2026. Evaluation criteria are structured around three primary objectives, with weightings of 25% each for accelerating infill development, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and reducing VMT. Additional primary and secondary scoring categories assess project alignment with transformative planning efforts, housing element compliance, beneficial community impacts, and project risk. Projects that do not demonstrate readiness or fail to meet eligibility thresholds will be deemed ineligible. Applicants must comply with prevailing wage laws as outlined in the California Labor Code and hold all necessary licenses and permits. Non-governmental applicants must submit a W-9 form, while government agencies must provide a completed taxpayer ID form. All projects must align with the County’s housing goals and wildfire protection building standards, and recipients will be required to submit regular reporting on progress and expenditures throughout the duration of the grant.