Kern COG’s Overall Work Program (OWP) documents the activities and products mandated by Federal regulations in sufficient detail (i.e. activity description, products, schedule, cost, etc.) to clearly explain the purpose and results of the work to be accomplished, including how they support the Federal transportation planning process.
The Annual Financial Plans include budgets for Kern COG and the Kern Motorist Aid Authority (KMAA).
Fiscal Year 2025 – 2026
Fiscal Year 2024 – 2025
Previous Fiscal Years
Public Involvement Procedures and Policies (PPP) used by the Kern Council of Governments.
The Kern Council of Governments commissions a yearly Quality of Life Survey of residents of Kern County with the following research objectives:
- assess residents’ overall opinion of the quality of life in their city or town
- survey the importance of issues related to future quality of life in the county
- identify housing preferences
- understand the daily commute of the average resident
- determine the feasibility of a transportation related revenue measure
Most Recent Survey
2025 Quality of Life Survey Summary
Previous Surveys
The survey is also designed to track the results of telephone surveys conducted in previous years.
REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PLANNING (REAP)
REAP products:
REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PLANNING (REAP) 2.0
Background
California is committed to a future where we all have the option to live closer to our jobs, services, and daily destinations. We can achieve this future through more Housing options and affordability in nearby neighborhoods, which includes transportation options so we can walk our kids to school, ride our bikes to work, or take transit. REAP 2.0 is a key part of the state’s strategic investments toward this more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future for people in all areas of the state.
REAP 2.0 is explicitly intended to meet multiple objectives – Infill Housing Development, Housing for all incomes, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) reduction, and Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) in ways that lead to transformative Policy Outcomes and accelerate the implementation of regional and local plans to achieve these goals.
Total State Funds Available to MPOs: $510,000,000
Funds Available to Kern COG: $ 12,670,717
Please take the survey
Por favor tome la encuesta
Background
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is required to allocate the region’s share of the statewide housing need to Councils of Governments (COG) based on Department of Finance (DOF) population projections and regional population forecasts used in preparing regional transportation plans. Kern COG, acting in the capacity as the state designated Regional Planning Agency, has the responsibility of developing the state-mandated Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) Plan.
The RHNA process will identify the number of housing units that each local government must accommodate in the Housing Element of its General Plan (Government Code §65584). As part of the region’s planning efforts, Kern COG works with local governments and stakeholders on the RHNA Plan. Kern COG identifies areas within the region sufficient to house an eight and a half year projection of the regional housing need. Additionally, the RHNA allocates housing units within the region consistent with the development pattern included in the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), and is part of the Regional Transportation Plan. The development of Kern COG’s 2022 RTP/SCS will happen in tandem with the 6th Cycle RHNA Plan.
RHNA Development Schedule
The development of the 6th Cycle RHNA Plan commenced in Spring 2021. This page will have updates on the RHNA development, draft and final plans, and other information. Updates will also be provided during Regional Planning Advisory Meetings and Transportation Planning Policy Committee Meetings.
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- Kern COG Regional Housing Needs Online Mapping Tool – Staff and Rincon Consultants are developing and maintaining a publicly viewable online mapping application, which will allow users to view the proposed RHNA unit allocations for each jurisdiction and to explore specific parcels to evaluate the potential number of units a parcel could support.
July 2022
April – June 2022
- Staff and RHNA consultants work on draft RHNA Plan
- 45-day Jurisdictional Review and Appeal Period of Draft 6th Cycle RHNA Plan from April 22, 2022 to June 6, 2022 – Comment period now closed.
- 5-27-22 Addendum Draft RHNA Table Format Change – shows the RHNA allocations by all four income categories for each jurisdiction as requested by HCD
- Jurisdictional Comments from the City of Bakersfield and City of Wasco
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
- Staff and RHNA consultants work on draft RHNA Plan
November 2021 – December 2021
- November 3rd – Public Roundtable Meeting on Draft RHNA Methodology – Save the Date
October 2021
- Present to RPAC and TPPC – Draft RHNA Methodology
September 2021
- Present to RPAC and TPPC – RHNA adjustment factors and objectives
August 2021
- 6th cycle RHNA introduction and development schedule discussion at the Roundtable Stakeholder Meeting #2
- Member Jurisdictional Survey August 25, 2021 – September 8, 2021
- Commence Draft RHNA Methodology Development
July 2021
- Kern COG has contracted with Regional Government Services Authority (RGS), Rincon Consultants, Inc. and Mintier Harnish Planning Consultants to assist with the development of the 6th Cycle RHNA Plan
RHNA Cycles
→ If you would like to sign up to be on the Kern RHNA mailing list, please email: Rochelle Invina-Jayasiri, rinvina@kerncog.org
California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Links and Information
Regional Housing Needs Allocation
Local Early Action Planning (LEAP)
Housing Elements
Annual Progress Reports (APR) including link to APR Dashboard
Active Funding Programs
Kern Regional Housing Data Report
The Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) is the formal presentation to the state of projects that local agencies wish to implement within the next four years. Once projects are approved in the Regional Transportation Plan, they are incorporated into the Regional Transportation Improvement Program for ultimate inclusion into the Federal Transportation Improvement Program.
Current and previous RTIP documents are available here.
At the center of the transportation planning process is the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The RTP is a long-term (20-year) general plan for the region’s transportation network, and encompasses projects for all types of travel, including aviation and freight movement. The plan assesses environmental impacts of proposed projects, and establishes air quality conformity as required by federal regulations. The document also discusses inter-modal and multi-modal transportation activities.
Current and previous RTP documents are available here.
Additional information is available at the State of California’s Transportation Development Act webpage here.
