As California navigates increasingly complex water and land management challenges such as SGMA implementation and adaptation to floods and droughts, opportunities arise to address these issues strategically. SGMA and climate change driven land use shifts highlight the urgent need for a robust research agenda focused on land repurposing. Strategic land repurposing can be a powerful tool for creating climate-resilient landscapes that achieve groundwater sustainability, while benefiting communities, ecosystems, agriculture and the regional economy through multi-benefit approaches. Furthermore, it can help build governance systems that ensure equitable outcomes and enhance the capacity to manage these transitions. Creating a research agenda is crucial for understanding current planning efforts and developing effective, scalable land repurposing strategies. Additionally, identifying key research questions will help advance these strategies at both local and statewide levels.