Lancaster, California

LANCASTER , CAL I FORNI A progress, we continue to densify our downtown area. Known as “The BLVD,” a streetscape transformation in 2010 has catalyzed incredible growth in the downtown district. This includes more than 800 housing units constructed or rehabilitated, over 200,000 square feet of commercial space constructed or rehabilitated, and the attraction of more than 60 new businesses. All three areas are designated federal Opportunity Zones, where developers can apply for tax credits in return for their investments. There are three other Opportunity Zone Census tracts in the city: two form the Transit Oriented Development Zone, which are located adjacent to the Lancaster Metrolink Station and feature focused development standards to enable and promote high-quality, walkable, mixed-use and transit-oriented projects, immediately adjacent to the heart of downtown Lancaster; and Sierra, located along historic Route 6, also known as Sierra Highway, which offers an eclectic mixture of industrial, commercial, and residential development opportunities. Lancaster is also the first net-zero city in the nation, and continues to focus on renewable energy initiatives, having entered into numerous, forward-thinking, one-of-a-kind partnerships with leaders in the alternative energy realm. The revolution began with the city working very closely with eSolar in 2009 to bring its 20-acre, 5 MW Sierra SunTower solar project from conception to completion - the first operating solar thermal power tower plant in the United States. The movement continued in 2010, when the city facilitated a partnership with KB Home, one of the nation’s premier homebuilders, and China-based technology and manufacturing giant, Build Your Dreams (BYD), one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced battery technology, to create a never- before-attempted affordable solar energy housing community. This project came to fruition with the unveiling of a prototypical, modestly priced, energy-efficient home designed to generate more