TO:
FROM:
DATE:
T
Loa
WNSEND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
HST TPA 1998
MEMORANDUM
City of Placentia
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.
April 18, 2023
SUBJECT: City of Placentia Activity Report
This memo is a summary of the major legislative and funding initiatives that Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) has assisted the City of Placentia with since 2017.
Grant Funding and Funding Advocacy
Secured Funding
Program
Agency
Project
Amount
Received
Comments
Bicycle Corridor
Improvement
Program
Statewide Parks
Program
Statewide Parks
Program
Project Safe
Neighborhoods
2022 Federal
Budget Earmark
Orange
County
Transportation
Authority
Department of
Parks and
Recreation
Atwood off-street
bike and
Recreation trail
$280,000 TPA drafted the application
for submittal
La Placita Parkette $640,000
Renovation Project
Department of Jaycee Parkette
Parks and Renovation
Recreation
U.S. The Placentia
Department of STRONG Project
Justice
U.S. Golden Avenue
Department of Bridge
Transportation Replacement
TPA drafted the application
for submittal
$610,000 TPA drafted the application
for submittal
$537,160 TPA drafted the application
for submittal
$2,200,000
TPA drafted and submitted
applications to Senators
Feinstein and Padilla as
well as Congresswoman
Young Kim. TPA worked
with Congresswoman Kim's
office to advocate for project
inclusion in final
Appropriations package
Program
Agency
Project
Amount
Received
Comments
North Orange
County Public
Safety
Collaborative
State Budget,
Federal
Appropriations
2023 Federal Housing and
Budget Earmark Urban
Development
Public Safety
Funds for
Homelessness and
Violence Outreach
Public Safety
Center 911
Technology
Upgrades
Over $2
million
directly to
the City of
Placentia for
public safety
services**
$45,800,000
in total
$2,600,000*
TPA worked with Senator
Josh Newman to include a
total of $35.8 million in
subsequent State Budgets
for a partnership program of
North Orange County Cities.
TPA also worked with the
Collaborative and
Congresswoman Young
Kim to secure $10 million in
additional funding from the
Federal Community Project
Funding Process
*Funding included in
Congresswoman Steel's FY
2023-2024 requests to the
Appropriations Committee.
Final result TBD
Total:
$6,267,160**
** The North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative have yet to decide how the latest influx in State and Federal Budget money will be spent
Pandemic Updates and Guidance - The Coronavirus Aid. Relief. and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
During the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March 2020, TPA updated the City daily on relevant governmental information such as gubernatorial and presidential executive orders, shutdowns and mandates, funding restrictions, and legislative actions. These updates helped the City adapt to the rapidly changing State and Federal landscape during the pandemic.
Furthermore, TPA was a nationwide leader in Washington D.C. for the creation and passage of the CARES Act and the ARPA, which provided desperately needed financial relief and resources to cities to better respond to the pandemic health crisis. Specifically, the City of Placentia received $ 635,803 from the CARES Act and over $9,000,000 from the ARPA.
TPA crafted multiple regional advocacy letters that were used by the County of Orange and cities in the County to advocate for the need for increased local relief funding. Furthermore, representatives from the National League of Cities and the White House coordinated with TPA to use our templates, models, and language to distribute to other parts of the nation for their use.
With TPA's help, the County of Orange and cities in the county, including the City of Placentia, were leaders in the fight for flexible pandemic relief funding.
Additionally, once the CARES Act and ARPA were signed into law, TPA was instrumental in facilitating back and forth conversations between the U.S. Department of Treasury, California Department of Finance, and local municipalities about implementation and reporting of the funds.
TPA helped create and distribute several FAQ and guidance documents to help the City administer the funds.
`-N Activity Report 1 City of Placentia
Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA, SB 2) Advocacy In 2017, the Governor signed SB 2 (Atkins) into law, which provided a stable and ongoing funding source for local governments for housing and homelessness services. That money is distributed yearly by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) through the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) program. The North SPA, consisting of cities in North Orange County, including the City of Placentia, agreed to pool their PLHA formulaic funds together to pay for the operation of two Navigation Centers in Buena Park and Placentia.
Due to changes in the program and Administration priorities, recipients of the PLHA program must have an approved housing element before receiving funds. However, HCD has had difficulties approving housing elements in the SCAG region in the last year. Due to these delays, the Navigation Centers are struggling with cash-flow related financial issues as cities are behind in receiving their PLHA funding.
TPA has been engaged by the North SPA cities to advocate for a solution in the face of potentially having to temporarily close the shelters. TPA has orchestrated and participated in several meetings with executive HCD staff, North SPA city officials, and elected officials to discuss technical mistakes and oversights of HCD, timing of housing element awards, and methods to prevent the closure of the Navigation Centers. Furthermore, TPA has created informational documents with context and background information to educate executives at HCD about the unintended consequences of their housing element policies.
Dialogue continues with HCD and legislative representatives of the North SPA cities to address the funding issues at the Navigation Centers and TPA will continue to keep the City informed and up to date.
Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) Advocacy TPA worked closely with City staff to strategize and advocate for the City's Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD). As a part of this strategy, TPA set up and participated in meetings with every member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors to advocate for the County's inclusion in the EIFD as a tax increment partner.
As a result of the advocacy meetings, the County of Orange created their own manual and process for applying for the County's share of tax increment in EIFD projects. The County voted in favor of allocating a portion of their sales tax revenues in the Old Town and TOD project planning areas in the City of Placentia to infrastructure upgrades that will facilitate additional investment. This unique and forward -thinking partnership was the first City -County EIFD joint partnership in the State.
2017-2023 Legislative Action and Updates
Since 2017, TPA has been providing the City with regular updates and targeted advocacy on a wide variety of topics and at the State and Federal level, including but not limited to the following policy topics:
• Local Control/Governance • Housing
• Cannabis Regulations • Sober Living Homes
`-N Activity Report 1 City of Placentia
• Short Term Rentals
• Homelessness
• Drones
• Infrastructure Funding
• Wireless Telecommunications
• Transportation Funding
• Park Bond Development
• Drought Regulations
• Cap and Trade Funding
• Statewide Ballot Initiatives
• State and Federal Fiscal Outlooks
• Pension Reform
• Tax Reform
These legislative updates are provided to the City in a number of ways, including both weekly and monthly State and Federal activity reports that TPA sends to City staff, emails, phone conversations, and in-person conversations.
In addition to these updates, TPA has also helped the City take positions on dozens of pieces of legislation and provides City staff with a legislative matrix every month. This matrix includes legislation that will have an impact on the City if they are signed into law. TPA crafts draft letters of support or opposition, delivers the letters to relevant legislators and committee staff, and provides testimony during committee hearings to communicate the City's position.
Other Activities
In addition to the services described above, TPA routinely interacts with various City Departments to assist them in long term funding strategies, legislative analysis and consultation, and understanding the implications of local, state and federal policy decisions. These Departments include Public Works, Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, and Community Development.
Advocacy Trios — Sacramento and Washington D.0
During the course of the contract with the City of Placentia, TPA has scheduled several advocacy trips to Sacramento and Washington D.C. with City staff and members of the City Council to advocate for the City's priorities. These trips have included advocacy on a wide range of City projects including the Placentia Metrolink Station, the Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, the Old Town Infrastructure Improvements Project, Community Project Funding (Earmarks), as well as legislative advocacy on several dozen pieces of legislation and policies. `0 Activity Report 1 City of Placentia