In July 2000, Governor Gray Davis signed into law a bill introduced by then Assembly Member Tom Torlakson, AB 2864 (PDF 22KB). Building on the work that the members of the Inter-Regional Partnership had accomplished, this bill created the state funded Inter-Regional Partnership State Pilot Project to Improve the Balance of Jobs and Housing.

The IRP State Pilot Project will serve as an inter-regional laboratory, creating, implementing and evaluating various incentive programs designed to change development patterns to improve the quality of life in the Bay Area and Central Valley by working to balance jobs and housing in the region. The timeframe for the IRP State Pilot Project is January 1, 2001 to July 31, 2004. The methods used, and the lessons learned, in this pilot project will be used by the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a guidebook for jurisdictions throughout the state to use to assist them is developing plans to balance jobs and housing in their jurisdictions.

A primary element of the State sponsored IRP Pilot Project is the creation of Jobs/Housing Opportunity Zones in the IRP region. A request for proposals has been developed to select five to ten such zones to serve as either job or housing opportunity sites. A range of incentives will be offered in each zone, particular to its needs, to encourage appropriate development, i.e. housing development in "job-rich" areas and employment centers in "housing-rich" areas.

Enabling Legislation (AB 2864) (PDF 22KB)