REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
January 16, 2019
FROM: WILMA QUAN, City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
BY: JANE SUMPTER, Assistant City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
COURTNEY ESPINOZA, Program Implementation Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Technical Assistance (TA) grant for the Transformative Climate Communities Program:
1. Approve a Grant Agreement with the State of California Department of Conservation on behalf of the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) for technical assistance funding specifically relating to the implementation of the Transform Fresno project in the amount of $133,333; and
2. ***RESOLUTION - 24th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2019-133 appropriating $133,300 for the TA grant (Requires 5 affirmative votes) (Subject to Mayor’s veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve a Master Grant Agreement with the State of California Department of Conservation on behalf of the Strategic Growth Council for technical assistance funding specifically related to the implementation of the Transform Fresno project in the amount of $133,333; adopt the 24th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2019-133 appropriating $133,300; and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all related documents to the administration, modification, monitoring and closeout of the TA grant.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On February 28, 2019, the City Council approved the Master Grant Agreement (MGA) with the Strategic Growth Council accepting $66,500,000 from the State of California’s TCC Grant Program to fund the development and implementation of neighborhood-level coordinated greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental and health benefits to disadvantaged communities. Named Transform Fresno, projects include coordination with several Partners to deliver a variety of California Climate Investment projects such as urban greening, active transportation, housing, low income weatherization, and food waste prevention and rescue in the Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno communities. Connected to the TCC funding, the California Department of Conservation has award the City of Fresno $133,333 through a Technical Assistance grant. This grant will provide funding to implement components of the Transform Fresno Displacement Avoidance Plan that was developed through a community process and approved by SGC in October 2019.
BACKGROUND
The TCC Grant Program was established by Assembly Bill (AB) 2722 and is administered by the SGC using Cap-and-Trade funds for the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple, coordinated greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits to disadvantaged communities. The TCC Grant Program takes a place-based approach that commits applicants to the achievement of economic, environmental, and public health benefits in a specific community through the deployment of integrated climate strategies that combine greenhouse gas reduction activities to achieve multiple community benefits and drive innovation.
The Transform Fresno Plan was created by a participatory steering committee comprised of community stakeholders from the Chinatown, Downtown and Southwest Fresno neighborhoods (Project Area) and the projects were voted on by a 165 person Community Steering Committee. On February 28, 2019, the City Council unanimously approved the MGA which binds the City and SGC for the next five years to complete all projects outlined in the Transform Fresno Plan.
To aid in the implementation process, the Department of Conservation through SGC has awarded the City of Fresno a Technical Assistance grant totaling $133,333 to complete components of the Displacement Avoidance Plan as outline in the Scope of Work (exhibit A) in the Grant Agreement. Activities will consist of hiring a consultant to conduct data collection, analysis and research regarding displacement vulnerabilities in the Transform Fresno Project Area. There will be significant contact with the community to collect this information and present the findings. The Anti-Displacement Task Force will also help to develop a scope of work for the consultant and participate in the consultant selection process. Funding will also provide culturally relevant coaching sessions and technical assistance for 10 local businesses, bi-annual educational workshops to potential first time home-buyers and bi-annual business workshops to educate and inform local business about available resources to grow their business.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a “project” for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. This approval is for execution of a grant agreement accepting funds for technical assistance related to the Transform Fresno Displacement Avoidance Plan.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because accepting grant funds does not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no negative impact to the General Fund. The Technical Assistance grant is a reimbursement based grant and disbursements will be made on a bi-monthly basis.
Attachment:
1. Grant Agreement
2. RESOLUTION - 24th amendment to the AAR No. 2019-133 appropriating $133,300