Priority Sites | Metropolitan Transportation Commission Monday, April 20, 2026 Update Priority Sites Priority Sites are locally-identified, regionally significant places that will offer homes affordable to people of all incomes, backgrounds and abilities. Sites include or are nearby to essential services, green space and frequent public transit. In November 2023, MTC and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) approved 211 sites across all 9 counties which have the capacity to add 171,000 homes. Credit BART What are Priority Sites? Priority Sites are places that communities identify to help meet both local and regional housing needs. These sites could be a declining mall, a recently closed public facility, a transit station parking lot or unused school district land. Some sites have been planned for decades or are partially built out. Others were more recently considered as part of a local Housing Element or a Specific Plan. The Priority Sites Program brings the region one step closer to a collaborative approach to planning for future growth. The approved sites are part of Priority Development Areas Transit-Oriented Communities , or other Growth Geographies. Priority Sites Map View the map of Priority Sites, which includes Regionally Significant Sites, Community Anchor Sites and the Public Sites Portfolio. View a PDF version of the map. Predevelopment Funding & Technical Assistance The Priority Sites Program includes two funding opportunities: Predevelopment Funding: In May 2024, the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) awarded $28 million in predevelopment loans to projects poised to add more than 2,000 permanently affordable homes to Priority Sites across the Bay Area. This critical funding will enable eight projects to complete the predevelopment work necessary to receive full financing and break ground. The application period is currently closed. Technical Assistance: To complement predevelopment funding, MTC awarded $4.2 million in Technical Assistance to sites early in the development process that together have the potential to add more than 13,000 homes. This funding will enable local governments and emerging developers to conduct the work necessary to envision and entitle future projects that have been identified as community priorities.  Currently, this program supports over 20 active projects. Priority Sites Program Timeline Milestone Timeframe Priority Sites Nominations 2023 Pilot Project Applications & Awards Mid-2023 through Mid-2024 Complete Pilot Projects Mid-2024 through December 2026 Deliver Technical Assistance Mid-2024 through December 2027 Integrate Priority Sites Into Plan Bay Area 2050+ 2024 through December 2025 Provide Regional Resources Mid-2023 through December 2027 Staff Contact Mark Shorett Email: mshorett@bayareametro.gov Plan Bay Area 2050+ The Priority Sites Program is just one piece of the region’s long-range plan for transportation, housing, the economy and the environment. The Priority Sites Program supports two high-impact Plan Bay Area 2050+ strategies that will help the region spur housing production for residents at all income levels and create inclusive communities: Strategy H6: Transform Aging Malls and Office Parks into Neighborhoods Strategy H8: Accelerate Reuse of Public and Community-Owned Land for Mixed-Income Housing and Essential Services Webinar: Priority Sites Concept Paper MTC, Association of Bay Area Governments and Bay Area Housing Finance Authority staff hosted a webinar on September 21, 2022 to highlight findings from the Priority Sites Concept Paper and provide further insight into the pilot program’s proposed approach to advancing major reuse projects. Watch the video: Priority Sites Concept Paper View the webinar slides Related Documents About Priority Sites 228.92 KB pdf Attachment A: Priority Sites Nominations 339.8 KB pdf Digital Library Priority Sites Interactive Map View the locations of current locally-nominated Priority Sites, approved by ABAG and MTC in November 2023. See the interactive map. Priority Sites Concept Paper Read the paper to learn more about the program. Plan Bay Area 2050+ Plan Bay Area 2050+ is the current long-range regional plan. It charts a course for a Bay Area that is affordable, connected, diverse, healthy and vibrant for all residents through 2050 and beyond. Visit PlanBayArea.org to learn more.