City Council
December 17, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Joe DeVries
City Administrator Deputy City Administrator
SUBJECT: Accepting Funds for the Bloomberg
American Sustainable Cities Initiative
DATE: December 2, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Accepting And Authorizing Three-Year Memorandum Of Understanding For The Receipt Of In-Kind Services From Johns Hopkins University, Through Its Bloomberg Center For Public Innovation, To Implement Policies And Programs That Set A New Standard For Innovative Solutions In Climate And Equity In Communities Historically Overburdened By Pollution, Valued In A Total Amount Not To Exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Bloomberg Philanthropies launched Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities (“BASC”) to turbocharge 25 U.S. cities to proactively build low-carbon, resilient, and economically thriving communities. In partnership with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, PolicyLink, Natural Resources Defense Council, Delivery Associates, and the Sustainable Cities Fund, the Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative will provide deep support to cities to pursue transformative solutions together with community partners that address long- term solutions combating climate change.
Leveraging over $400B of new federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and American Rescue Plan, U.S. cities have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make investments that help address climate change and maximize investments in communities that have historically faced its worst impacts. Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities will work across three core areas that promise short- and long-term local impact:
1. Advancing transformational solutions that will reduce emissions while improving lives, building resilience, and increasing economic opportunity.
2. Strengthening city capacity and collaboration to partner, create, and implement solutions with residents and community stakeholders.
3. Mobilizing investment by leveraging public, private, and philanthropic resources.
Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities (“the Program”) supports a cohort of cities to implement policies and programs that set a new standard for innovative solutions in climate and equity in communities historically overburdened by pollution. The five core partners (“Partners”) Jestin Johnson (Dec 4, 2024 11:00 PST)
Dec 4, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accepting Funds for the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities Initiative Date: December 2, 2024 Page 2
City Council
December 17, 2024
collectively strive to support cities in creating thriving, climate resilient neighborhoods that can deliver sustainable, tangible benefits for all residents.
Each participating city (“City”) in Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities (“the Program”) will receive multi-year deep and tailored support and technical assistance to design, develop, and implement solutions to address climate change and inequity, informed by robust collaboration between city halls and community partners. In addition to the multi-year tailored support and technical assistance, Bloomberg Philanthropies (the “Foundation”) will fund up to three dedicated innovation staff (“i-teams) with specific skills, including data analysis, policy development, community engagement, human-centered design, systems thinking, and project management.
These philanthropy-funded teams, acting at the behest of the Mayor and City Administrator, will support city hall and community partners to design, test, launch, and establish effective delivery routines around ambitious new interventions to drive climate mitigation progress and more equitable outcomes.
The City’s progress will be supported by the Foundation and its Partners through the provision of dedicated city hall staff, technical assistance, and other expertise. Importantly, the mayor and/or the city administrator are the point of responsibility for the Foundation and its Partners and are responsible for ensuring robust participation and enabling programmatic progress and success.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
BASC is a new three-year initiative to turbocharge 25 U.S. cities’ efforts to leverage historic levels of federal funding to proactively build low-carbon, resilient, and economically thriving communities. Building on the longtime leadership of U.S. cities to confront the crisis of climate change, which disproportionately impacts disadvantaged communities, the $200 million Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative will provide deep support to selected cities to pursue transformative solutions in the buildings and transportation sectors through partnerships with PolicyLink, Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, and Natural Resources Defense Council.
As part of BASC:
• Oakland would embed 3-person “i-teams” (innovation teams) into its senior leadership team to:
o Advance policies, embed practices, and make investments that address both the drivers and impacts of climate change on the health, wealth, and livelihood of communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. o Expand existing and build new, equitable, and durable relationships with multiple community stakeholders to drive work forward that sustains after the BASC initiative ends.
o Apply for and obtain appropriate state and/or federal funding while building a diverse portfolio of financing solutions to support climate and racial wealth equity.
These resources will be instrumental in scaling the ambitious solutions that cities develop.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accepting Funds for the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities Initiative Date: December 2, 2024 Page 3
City Council
December 17, 2024
Launched in 2012, the i-teams program advances the Bloomberg Philanthropies Government Innovation program’s mission to equip cities to develop and implement bold, innovative solutions that address critical problems and improve resident lives. The i-teams program builds the problem-solving capacity of cities by positioning dedicated teams inside city halls to address mayoral priorities using human-centered design methods.
Established and led by Bloomberg Philanthropies, supported in collaboration with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation (BCPI) at Johns Hopkins University, i-teams unlock creativity from within city governments and the communities they serve. These teams partner with stakeholders on an evidence-based approach to tackle the big problems in their cities, generate ambitious responses, and test and adapt interventions until they produce impact. They also work closely with the mayor, the city's leadership team, and city departments to change the culture of city government and sustain public innovation methods beyond their initial engagement.
BASC i-teams represent a first-of-its-kind effort: the creation of the Public Innovation Corps (the Corps) and the recruitment and onboarding of 75 staff onto BASC i-teams simultaneously in collaboration with key partners. The synchronized hiring of BASC i-team members creates a cohort of peers across the country that can share ideas and best practices, help each other solve problems, and replicate impact.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Oakland’s three-person i-team will enable it to advance transformational solutions to address climate change and racial wealth equity. The Oakland i-team will drive progress on priorities and recommendations laid out in the Equitable Climate Action Plan and Urban Forestry Plan, identify opportunities for improvement in procurement, permitting, and process reform in city hall, and collaborate with communities on the co-creation and delivery of BASC projects. They will reimagine conventional approaches to longstanding problems, paving the way for significant government innovation in addressing two of the world's most pressing challenges.
Accepting the in-kind services from the Foundation will allow the City to receive deep customized support to build capacity and help the City achieve the City’s ambitious goals at the intersection of climate change and racial wealth equity.
Expected outcomes for this project include:
Delivering Bold Solutions
• Three-person i-teams embedded in the Mayor's office.
• Technical and policy assistance from world-class experts. • Design process to unpack root causes and enhance and test solutions.
Building City Hall Capacity
• Resources to enable strong partnerships with local stakeholders and community-based • organizations.
• Learning cohorts focused on training needs, regional priorities, and emergent challenges.
• In-person convenings to connect with peers, expand skills, and gain knowledge.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accepting Funds for the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities Initiative Date: December 2, 2024 Page 4
City Council
December 17, 2024
Leveraging Federal Funding
• Technical assistance support on aligned federal funding.
The 2nd and 3rd years of BASC support, defined as Phase 2 and Phase 3 in the timeline below, are not guaranteed; rather, they are contingent upon city governments working aggressively and in good faith to achieve agreed upon milestones and doing so in close collaboration with CBOs.
Further details about the program expectations of the city will be outlined in an agreement from the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation.
Timeline
The program period begins January 1, 2024, and ends on April 30, 2027.
• Portfolio Design (“Phase 1”) – January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024 • Portfolio Delivery (“Phase 2”) – January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026 • Program Close-Out (“Phase 3”) – January 1, 2027 – April 30, 2027
This project addresses these Citywide Priorities: 1) Holistic Community Safety by creating a more pleasant urban environment 2) Vibrant, Sustainable Infrastructure by promoting expansion of Oakland’s tree canopy 3) Responsive, Trustworthy Government by engaging in human centered design informed by robust community engagement, and 4) Housing, Economic, and Cultural Security by positioning Oakland at the forefront of urban innovation.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total one-time cost to implement this project will be $2,000,000, of which $2,000,000 is funded through a grant (in-kind services) from the Foundation. This work is incorporated into the staff’s existing duties and budgeted costs.
Table 1: Project Funding Sources
FUNDING SOURCE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
Bloomberg Philanthropies In-Kind Staffing Costs for i-Team $1,800,000 Bloomberg Philanthropies In-kind Support and Technical
Assistance
$200,000
TOTAL PROJECT $2,000,000
There is no impact on the General Purpose Fund, and no additional funding is requested.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The following organizations were involved in the creation of the project scope and/or provided letters of support for the project:
▪ Common Vision
▪ Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accepting Funds for the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities Initiative Date: December 2, 2024 Page 5
City Council
December 17, 2024
The Office of the Mayor of Oakland also provided a letter of support for this project.
COORDINATION
The i-team will be located within the City Administrator’s Office, working closely with the Sustainability and Resilience Division, Economic and Workforce Development, Race and Equity, Housing and Community Development, Public Works, Mayor’s Office, and other Departments as needed. In addition, the i-team will be in a leadership role in a Partnership Table to coordinate efforts across City Departments that reside at the intersection of climate change action and racial wealth equity. This Partnership Table will be comprised of employees from the Sustainability and Resilience Division, Economic and Workforce Development, Public Works, Transportation, and to be determined community based organizations.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There is over $400B in federal funding available to local governments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and American Rescue Plan (ARP). Oakland has a historic opportunity to make investments that help address climate change and maximize investments in communities that have historically faced its worst impacts.
The City has already benefited from this upsurge in federal funding activity for climate change action by winning an $8M grant via the IRA towards the implementation of its Urban Forest Plan. The BASC Initiative will help the City find the best way to invest this grant into communities to derive maximum economic benefit to frontline communities while still making progress on climate change goals. We expect this initiative to bring in tens of millions more dollars over the life of the program to Oakland via other grants, philanthropic dollars, and other sources of capital, both private and public.
Environmental: The City invested years of effort into developing the Equitable Climate Action Plan. With the BASC Initiative, we now have a dedicated team in place whose main purpose is to make “moonshot advancements” in support of the goals already articulated in the ECAP. Via projects worked on within the scope of this initiative, existing residents will be empowered to build, own, and operate the leading climate businesses in America. These businesses will help reduce Oakland’s local climate emissions by a minimum of 75% by 2035, transition the City away from fossil fuel dependence, and in partnership with the community, leave the City and its neighborhoods cleaner, more sustainable, and more resilient than before they were created.
Race & Equity: Race and equity considerations are core to the existence of the i-team. Their primary mission is to make sure that efforts to address climate change in the City are designed to benefit and empower communities in an equitable manner. Climate change affects everyone, but frontline communities often bear the most impact from the consequences of climate change.
The i-team has the expertise to recognize the cost of this impact and is positioned and set up to design solutions that lower the disproportionate impact faced by frontline communities.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Accepting Funds for the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities Initiative Date: December 2, 2024 Page 6
City Council
December 17, 2024
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Accepting And Authorizing Three- Year Memorandum Of Understanding For The Receipt Of In-Kind Services From Johns Hopkins University, Through Its Bloomberg Center For Public Innovation, To Implement Policies And Programs That Set A New Standard For Innovative Solutions In Climate And Equity In Communities Historically Overburdened By Pollution, Valued In A Total Amount Not To Exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000).
For questions regarding this report, please contact Visraant Iyer, i-Team Director, at (510) 238- 6451.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe DeVries
Deputy City Administrator
Reviewed by:
Daniel Hamilton, Chief Resilience Officer
Prepared by:
Visraant Iyer
i-Team Director