Disadvantaged communities in California are targeted for investment of proceeds from the state’s Cap-and-Invest Program. These investments are aimed at improving public health, quality of life and economic opportunities in California’s most burdened communities, and at the same time, reducing pollution that causes climate change. The investments are authorized by the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32, Nunez, 2016). 

In 2012, Senate Bill 535 (De León, Chapter 830, Statutes of 2012) established initial requirements for minimum funding levels to “Disadvantaged Communities” (DACs). The legislation also gives CalEPA the responsibility for identifying those communities, stating that CalEPA’s designation of disadvantaged communities must be based on “geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard criteria.” 

In 2016, Assembly Bill 1550 (Gomez, Chapter 369, Statutes of 2016) directed CalEPA to identify DACs and also established the currently applicable minimum funding levels: 

• At least 25 percent of funds must be allocated toward DACs 
• At least 5 percent must be allocated toward projects within low-income communities or benefiting low-income households 
• At least 5 percent must be allocated toward projects within and benefiting low-income communities, or low-income households, that are outside of a CalEPA-defined DAC but within ½ mile of a disadvantaged community 

Final Designation of Disadvantaged Communities – September 2026

CalEPA issued previous DAC designations in 2014, 2017, and 2022. The 2026 DAC designation builds on lessons learned from previous designations, utilizes the latest and best available data, and considers factors related to data unavailability. CalEPA is defining communities in terms of census tracts and including the following in the 2026 DAC Designation:  

1. Census tracts with the highest 25 percent of CalEnviroScreen 5.0 overall scores.
2. Census tracts with the highest 5 percent of CalEnviroScreen 5.0 pollution burden scores.
3. Census tracts that have at least 25 percent overlap with a 2022 DAC census tract based on CalEnviroScreen 4.0.
4. Lands under the control of federally recognized tribes, with updated tribal boundaries data.

The CalEPA DAC Designation defines the disadvantaged communities included within the broader definition of priority populations for California Climate Investments programs. Priority populations also include low-income communities statewide, the ½ mile area in which low-income communities and households may neighbor CalEPA-defined DACs, and all low-income households anywhere in the state, regardless of location. The updated California Climate Investments Priority Populations map is available online here.

See the full 2026 Final DAC Designation in English or Spanish, or download the general fact sheet in English or Spanish.

CalEnviroScreen 5.0 

Developed by CalEPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the CalEnviroScreen mapping tool identifies California communities with the highest pollution burdens and vulnerabilities. CalEPA uses CalEnviroScreen to identify DACs, and to better understand and address environmental concerns in California communities. On July 1, 2026, OEHHA released a final version of CalEnviroScreen Version 5.0. For the first time, CalEnviroScreen was updated using a co-design process with eight community-based organizations. CalEnviroScreen Version 5.0 also includes more recent data, updated census tract geography, improved methodology, and additional indicators. CalEnviroScreen 5.0 can be accessed here.   

The public comment period for the 2026 DAC designation closed at 5:00 p.m. on August 14, 2026. The written comments that were received are below:

• 01 – The Climate Corps Initiative.pdf
• 02 – Ellen Cooper.pdf
• 03 – Sarah Goldsmith.pdf
• 04-Jolina-Styers.pdf
• 05-City-of-Soledad.pdf
• 06-Rebecca-Skinner.pdf
• 07-1000-Grandmothers-for-Future-Generation.pdf
• 08-Ventura-County-APCD.pdf
• 09-County-of-SLO.pdf
• 10-Viviana-Hilario.pdf
• 11-Joshua-De-La-Rosa.pdf
• 12-Healthy-Communities-Work-Group.pdf
• 13-One-Cool-Earth.pdf
• 14-South-of-Market-Community-Action-Network.pdf
• 15-Canal-Alliance.pdf
• 16-Literacy-for-Environmental-Justice.pdf
• 17-Asian-Pacific-Islander-Council-of-San-Francisco.pdf
• 18-Arriba-South-Coast.pdf
• 19-UNIDOS-Network-Inc.pdf
• 20-Upstream Evidence
• 21-Chinatown-Community-Development-Center.pdf
• 22-County-of-Marin.pdf
• 23-West-Oakland-Environmental-Indicators-Project.pdf
• 24-City-of-San-Rafael.pdf
• 25-San-Francisco-Mayor-Daniel-Lurie.pdf
• 26-several-SF-Departments.pdf
• 27-Bay-Area-Legislative-Caucus.pdf
• 28-Housing-Trust-Tahoe-and-Tahoe-Housing-Hub.pdf
• 28.a-Community-Health-Report_Placer-County.pdf
• 29-Land-Together.pdf
• 30-Center-on-Race-Poverty-the-Environment.pdf
• 31-CCSROC-La-Voz-Latina-THC-Programs.pdf
• 32-Brightline.pdf
• 33-California-Environmental-Justice-Alliance.pdf
• 34-San-Mateo-County-Board-of-Supervisors.pdf
• 35-Leadership-Counsel-for-Justice-Accountability.pdf
• 36-Acterra-Action-for-a-Healthy-Planet.pdf
• 37-City-and-County-Association-of-Governments-of-San-Mateo-County.pdf
• 38-Victoriaelenavasquez.pdf
• 39-Peninsula-Accountability-for-Contamination-Team.pdf
• 40-Bayview-Hunters-Point-and-SE-SF-AB-617-Steering-Committee.pdf
• 41-The-Greenlining-Institute.pdf

For general questions, please reach out to DACinquiries@calepa.ca.gov.  

Workshop information 

CalEPA hosted two virtual public workshops to receive input and feedback: 

Thursday, July 9, 2026, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday, July 17, 2026, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Workshop materials
CalEPA Presentation – Preliminary 2026 DAC Designation Overview

Disadvantaged Communities Designation Public Workshop recording

There was one invite-only virtual Tribal Workshop on the Disadvantaged Communities Designation. For general questions about tribal engagement, please reach out to TribalAffairs@calepa.ca.gov.