New President of Agency Which Issues Housing Allocation Mandates to Local Cities Pledges Broader Collaboration

One day after state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Pasadena) called for an audit of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment formula adopted by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the new president of SCAG promised to build greater regional connectivity and initiate more collaboration on key issues, including the region’s economic recovery.

Clint Lorimore, a member of the Eastvale City Council, was sworn in Thursday to lead the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization after serving the past year as SCAG’s first vice president.

“While the pandemic shut down our region, state and nation for over 12 months, we are now seeing signs that the worst of our situation might very well be behind us,” Lorimore said. “Even with the recovery, however, we know that people are hurting. We still have a housing crisis, we still have traffic problems, and we still have high unemployment. As we emerge from this crisis, we have an opportunity to refocus, re-engage with our partners, and build and strengthen relationships to facilitate a recovery that brings us back even stronger.”

SCAG receives a housing allocation from the state and then breaks the numbers down and passes them on to cities across the region as part of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation plan.

According to that plan, Pasadena must ensure it can build what has been described by local leaders as an impossible amount of housing. According to the RHNA allocation, the city must plan for 9,408 units of new housing by October 2029, including 2,740 units of very low-income housing, 1,659 of low-income housing, 1,562 moderate-income housing, and 3,447 units of above-moderate income housing.

SCAG represents 191 cities, six counties and nearly 19 million people in one of the most vital and robust economic centers in the United States.

Among the key challenges facing the region are the ongoing housing crisis, transportation congestion and an uncertain economic outlook.

“Collaboration has been the hallmark of this agency, and as we find new ways to ingrain this spirit into the work that we do, I know we will be able to accomplish greater things for our region,” Lorimore said.

“It is my aim that we will work together to realize the highest and best use of SCAG,” Lorimore said.