CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
October 19, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Ata Khan, Deputy Director, Office of Economic and Business Affairs SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF POMONA AND GRID ALTERNATIVES AT RENACIMIENTO COMMUNITY CENTER RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding and License Agreement between the City of Pomona and GRID Alternatives, and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will consider a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) and License Agreement (Attachment No. 1) with GRID Alternatives SoCal (“GRID”) to activate Renacimiento Community Center in the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood to operate the Solar Installation Career Pathway job-training program, which is part of the Pomona ACTS Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan (WDEOP), from October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028. This MOU is part of a broader effort by the Office of Economic and Business Affairs to establish a Site Stewardship Program which will formalize the procedure by which the City leases or enables non-profit organizations and other entities to use City-owned assets.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with the approval of the MOU and License Agreement between the City and GRID.
DISCUSSION:
Renacimiento Community Center is a community center located at 2383 Chanslor Street in the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood of south Pomona, and is owned and operated by the City of Pomona. Most recently, the City entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Just Us 4 Youth at the community center, prior to their move to a permanent facility.
The City is actively working with GRID Alternatives through the Transformative Climate Communities grant, entitled Pomona ACTS, which has included weekly GRID “pop-up” office hours within the OEBA conference room at City Hall to sign-up residents for potential free solar installation projects. GRID Alternatives is a California non-profit corporation whose mission is to build community-driven solutions to increase access to renewable energy and job training in underserved communities. Part of GRID’s scope within the Pomona ACTS grant also includes a workforce development training program, which requires a reliable space with sufficient size over approximately 18 months. To that end, OEBA seeks to house GRID during the grant term at Renacimiento Community Center through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (Attachment No. 1).
Within the first floor and outdoor courtyard at Renacimiento Community Center, in partnership with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) and The Energy Coalition, GRID Alternatives will implement the “Solar Installation Career Pathway” under the Pomona ACTS Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan (WDEOP), providing solar workforce training, job-skills development, and hands-on solar installation experience to Pomona-area residents. GRID Alternatives Installation Basics Training is a 13-week technical training program serving up to 40 participants. The program includes classroom and hands-on technical training, OSHA 10-hour worksite safety certification, program tools and materials (including tool belts, safety gear, and mock roofs), hands-on experience on single-family solar installations, and job-skills training (resume building, interview preparation, and financial literacy) to prepare participants for employment upon graduation.
The term of the MOU is from October 19, 2026 to December 31, 2028, which coincides with the end of the Pomona ACTS grant term for this initiative.
For broader context, it is important to note that the Office of Economic and Business Affairs (OEBA) is developing a Site Stewardship Program, which will formalize the procedure by which the City leases or enables non-profit organizations and other entities to use City-owned assets citywide, including at Renacimiento Community Center. This stewardship approach is not an entirely new concept to the City, as similar approaches have been taken at the City’s community centers by the Community Services Division (such as the aforementioned Just Us 4 Youth MOU), at historic City-owned sites in partnership with the Historical Society of Pomona Valley, and in other City-owned buildings such as the GIST building in Downtown Pomona, which has been stewarded since 2020 by the African American Advisory Alliance. The goal of this program will be to bring MOU and lease agreements with organizations under one centralized, formal umbrella with enumerated public benefit objectives. OEBA expects to bring forward the Site Stewardship Program for City Council consideration in early 2027.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES & GOALS:
By activating and enabling the stewardship of an underutilized City asset, the MOU between the City of Pomona and GRID helps achieve City Council Priority #3, Focus on Fiscal Sustainability and Economic Investment, specifically Goal C:, Maximize Economic Value of City Assets: “Activate underutilized public and private properties through special events, filming, and cultural programs, particularly in Downtown Pomona and high-traffic corridors, to increase economic activity and enhance community engagement.” CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILY IMPACT:
The MOU between the City of Pomona and GRID will activate an underutilized asset in a neighborhood of Pomona with a high density of residents, including youth, which can increase neighborhood safety and engagement. Also, the GRID workforce program may enroll youth below the age of 24, which would provide this target population with a tangible workforce development opportunity.
Prepared by:
Ata Khan
Deputy Director
Office of Economic and Business Affairs
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment No. 1 – MOU and License Agreement Between City of Pomona and GRID Alternatives
MOU Between City of Pomona and GRID at Renacimiento Center