DATE:
September 5, 2023
TO:
Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Authorizing The City Manager To Partner with IQAir To Apply For State Of California Community Resilience Center Grant Funds Recommendation
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to partner with IQAir to apply for State of California Community Resilience Center Program funding to enhance the air quality of the Emeryville Senior Center, Civic Center and any other allowable city facilities by upgrading HVAC systems and increasing community engagement.
Background
Recent and ongoing climate events and public health emergencies have impacted Emeryville and every part of California. They highlight resilience opportunities for planning, preparation, and adaptation. Such impacts encompass shorter-term events like earthquakes, extreme heat, floods, mudslides, power outages and disruptions, storms, and wildfires, in addition to longer-term events like the COVID-19 pandemic, drought, rising temperatures, and sea level rise. The best available climate science projections anticipate that these climate impacts will worsen, expand, extend, and compound. In the face of these challenges, building and strengthening resilience requires investments in both physical and social infrastructure.
In 2021, Senate Bill (SB) 155 was signed into law, creating the California Strategic Growth Council’s Community Resilience Program (CRC) with “funding…for the construction or retrofit of facilities to serve as community resilience centers that mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change. The CRC program will fund planning, development, construction, and upgrades of neighborhood-level Community Resilience Centers to provide shelter and resources during climate and other emergencies, such as extreme heat events and poor air quality days.
Discussion
IQAir is an air quality improvement organization dedicated to improving lives by improving air quality. They are interested in partnering with the City of Emeryville to assess the senior center and civic center for the potential to upgrade HVAC systems to improve the air quality inside each facility through state grant funds.
Should the City Council approve this item, the City Manager and city staff will work with IQAir to assess the potential to partner towards receiving state grant funds and upgrading hvac systems. The assessment may conclude that it is not possible, but our goal would be to quickly collaborate on a physical assessment of existing systems and grant submission. The grant is due to the State on September 19, 2023, so this item is being added to the September 5, 2023, Council agenda.
Fiscal Impact
State funds in an amount up to $1M are what staff anticipate applying for and using to make HVAC improvements as well as conduct community input and outreach. In the event that a grant application is funded staff would bring an item to council describing in detail the fiscal impact and requesting approval.
Staff Communication with the Public
There has been no communication with the public about this item.
Conflict of Interest
There is no conflict of interest related to this item.
Conclusion
Staff recommends approving this resolution.
PREPARED BY: Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
Attachments
Draft Resolution
State Community Resilience Center Grants
City Council Meeting | September 5, 2023
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM