From Office of Planning and Research, May 24, 2021
“At the end of 2020, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) surveyed city and county governments to understand the needs and actions of jurisdictions during this unprecedented time. … Our newly released report includes information about:
- “Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on city and county planning departments;
- “Local agencies’ capacity to address key planning topics and activities;
- “Actions taken to address current challenges [e.g., responding to COVID-19 impacts; engaging residents in the planning process]; and,
- “Opportunities to build resilience moving forward.”
The findings aggregate the responses of planners statewide. The survey data is publicly available and presents each city’s and county’s responses individually.
Among other topics, the survey also discusses gap areas in technical assistance that need to be met by OPR, how jurisdictions value local and regional collaboration, and if jurisdictions were planning to connect environmental justice and climate vulnerability goals in their general plan safety elements (in accordance with SB 379 and SB 1035).