With the goals of slowing urban sprawl and countering traffic congestion and skyrocketing housing costs, officials from SANDAG and southwestern Riverside County have put together a set of strategies to offer residents more choices in where they live and work.

“We’ve been diligently collaborating for the past three years to develop innovative transportation, economic, and housing strategies for both short-term and long-term improvements that should allow these two dynamic, bordering regions to effectively balance the growing need for affordable living with the proximity of competitively paying jobs,” said the Crystal Crawford, a Del Mar City Councilmember who sits on the SANDAG Board of Directors and co-chairs the I-15 Policy Committee along with Temecula Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Comerchero.

Crawford went on to say: “This is the first ever interregional partnership to for SANDAG. We’ve learned a great deal about each other’s communities, identified common interests and challenges, and confirmed the need to work together with surrounding counties. And I am very happy to report that work is already underway on the completion of the majority of the committee’s short-term plans.”

The work of the I-15 IRP has been directed by two committees: the I-15 IRP Technical Working Group, which includes public and private sector staff people from the southwestern Riverside and San Diego regions; and the I-15 IRP Policy Committee, which includes the members of SANDAG's Borders Committee (also chaired by Crawford) and elected officials from southwestern Riverside County.

Funded by a three-year, $515,095 grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, officials have proposed 23 strategies to address the jobs-housing imbalance. These strategies have been organized into four categories: transportation, housing, economic development, and program-related.

Specific short and long-term strategies range from implementing high-speed rail transit, High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) systems, and enhanced ridesharing programs to revitalizing older residential neighborhoods and providing incentives for the construction of moderate-cost family housing near large employment centers. An emphasis is also being placed on increasing public outreach and promotion, and encouraging employers to offer alternative work schedules and tele-work opportunities

The I-15 IRP is a voluntary compact between local elected officials representing SANDAG and Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG). The final report will be presented to the Boards of Directors of both organizations in the near future. The project was one of eight funded throughout the state by grants from the HCD. For more information, go to the I-15 IRP Web site.

Project Managers:
Jeff Martin
(619) 699-1958
Susan Baldwin
(619) 699-1943