How to Distribute California's 'Sustainable Communities' Cap-and-Trade Money?

Thanks to California's new state budget deal, the Strategic Growth Council will have $130 million to dole out next year for smart growth planning and related activities – many times more than ever before – and that number is expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead.

Coming on top of the SGC’s recent award of $16 million in local planning grants, the cap-and-trade appropriation news means it’s a good time to take a look at how the SGC has doled out its money over the last few years and what the impact has really been.