Who We Are

Over the past four decades, the Southern California Association of Governments has evolved as the largest of nearly 700 councils of government in the United States, functioning as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for six counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura and Imperial. The region encompasses a population exceeding 18 million persons in an area of more than 38,000 square miles.

As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Association of Governments is mandated by the federal government to research and draw up plans for transportation, growth management, hazardous waste management, and air quality. Additional mandates exist at the state level.

Among leading features of activity are:

  • Maintenance of a continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated planning process resulting in a Regional Transportation Plan and a Regional Transportation Improvement Program.
  • Development of demographic projections plus the integrated land use, housing, employment, transportation programs, measures, and strategies portions of the South Coast Air Quality Management Plan, as well as serving as co-lead agency for air quality planning for the Central Coast and Southeast Desert air basin districts.
  • Responsibility under the federal Clean Air Act for determining conformity to the Air Plan of projects, plans and programs.
  • To function as the authorized regional agency for intergovernmental review of programs proposed for federal financial assistance and direct development activities.
  • Review of environmental impact reports for projects having regional significance for consistency with regional plans.
  • Pursuant to federal water pollution control statutes, the Association functions as the authorized area wide waste treatment management planning agency.
  • Responsibility under state law for preparation of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment.
  • The Southern California Association of Governments is responsible, along with the San Diego Association of Governments, and the Santa Barbara County/Cities Area Planning Council, for preparing the Southern California Hazardous Waste Management Plan pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code