September 19, 2023
Community Development
DATE: September 19, 2023
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: Lina Velasco, Director of Community Development
Samantha Carr, Environmental Manager
Subject:
Contracts with GRID Alternatives, Groundwork
Richmond, and the Trust for Public Land to lead
implementation of a portion of Richmond Rising’s TCC
Projects
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City and its Co-Applicants were awarded a $35 million Transformative Climate Communities (TCC)
Round 4 Implementation Grant. These contracts will be
funded by the TCC grant. (Account string: 15061219-
400201-16G10)
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
June 21, 2022, December 20, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
On October 27, 2022, the City of Richmond and its Co-
Applicants were awarded a $35M Transformative Climate
Communities (TCC) Round 4 Implementation Grant by
the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC).
Richmond’s project is titled Richmond Rising: Healthy,
Connected, and Climate Strong and focuses on projects
serving the Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, and Coronado
neighborhoods. The City and its Co-Applicants have
completed the Post-Award Consultation (PAC) process
and the $35M TCC grant agreement between SGC and
the lead applicant, City of Richmond has been executed.
In order to implement the Richmond Rising project,
contracts between the City and each of the five Co-
Applicants will be used as the mechanism for distributing the grant funds. City staff members are requesting
AGENDA
REPORT
September 19, 2023
approval of the contracts between the City, Groundwork
Richmond, GRID Alternatives, and Trust for Public Land.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE three sole-source contracts with named grant
co-applicants: 1) $1,088,012.75 with Groundwork
Richmond, 2) $7,741,970.91 with GRID Alternatives, and
3) $4,816,153.60 for Trust For Public Land, to implement certain subprojects funded by the $35M Transformative
Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Richmond Rising
Project focused on serving the Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, and Coronado neighborhoods, with a term beginning
August 23, 2023, and ending December 31, 2028 –
Community Development Department (Lina
Velasco/Samantha Carr 510-620-6706).
DISCUSSION:
On June 21, 2022, the City Council authorized an application submission for the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Implementation Grant. The grant requested applications be limited to five-square miles and focus on supporting disadvantaged communities (California Senate Bill 535: Disadvantaged Communities).
The City’s proposal, Richmond Rising: Healthy, Connected, and Climate Strong, included five Co-Applicants:(1) Groundwork Richmond, (2) GRID Alternatives, (3) Rich City Rides, (4) Trust for Public Land, and (5) Urban Tilth. On October 27, 2022, Richmond’s application was awarded the$35M Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Round 4 Implementation Grant by the California Strategic Growth Council.
Richmond’s TCC project focuses on projects serving the Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, and Coronado neighborhoods. The ten projects included in the Richmond Rising application are:
1. Neighborhood Complete Streets: walking and biking improvements on Harbour Way, Ohio Avenue, and some AC Transit bus stops. – City will be the subproject lead.
2. Richmond Wellness Trail, Phase 2: walking and biking improvements to connect with Phase 1 to connect the Richmond BART and central neighborhoods with the waterfront. – TPL will be the subproject lead.
3. E-Bike Lending Library: long-term free e-bikes access and education to target neighborhood residents to improve carbon-free mobility options. – RichCity Rides will be the subproject leads.
4. Resilient Homes for Healthy Communities: residential solar panel installations and home energy efficiency and health and safety upgrades at no cost to income-qualifying residents. – GRID Alternatives will be the subproject lead.
5. Basins of Relations: residential greywater systems and rainwater capture systems at no cost to income-qualifying residents, installed by local youth who receive training in watershed stewardship and installation. – Urban Tilth will be the subproject lead.
September 19, 2023
6. Bosque del Barrio: tree planting throughout the project area to create a healthy urban forest. – Groundwork Richmond will be the subproject lead.
7. ADA Accessible Garden: edible and pollinator garden at Unity Park with specially designed planting beds so seniors and wheelchair users can comfortably participate in gardening and community activities. – Urban Tilth will be the subproject lead.
8. Orchard for ALL!: creating a distributed orchard through fruit tree giveaways, with tree care and harvest support offered in exchange for a share of the harvest, which will be distributed at free farm stands and in veggie boxes. – Urban Tilth will be the subproject lead.
9. Veggie RX: prescription veggie boxes in partnership with the local health clinic, to provide free fruits and vegetables as preventative care along with community health workers and programming to support change to a more sustainable diet. – Urban Tilth will be the subproject lead.
10. E-Bike Share: expand the City's current bike share program and infrastructure through a partnership with Charleston Mobility. – City Transportation Division will be the subproject lead.
In addition, the Richmond Rising proposal includes four Transformative Plans outlining Community Engagement, Workforce Development, Displacement Avoidance policies and programs, and Indicator Tracking. For more information on the Transformative Climate Communities Grant Awardees visit: California Awards $96 Million for Climate Projects in 10 Frontline Communities | California Governor.
The City and its Co-Applicants have completed the Post-Award Consultation (PAC) process and the $35M TCC grant agreement between SGC and the lead applicant, City of Richmond has been executed. In order to implement the Richmond Rising project, contracts between the City and each of the five Co-Applicants will be used as the mechanism for distributing the grant funds. City staff members are requesting approval of the contracts between the City, Groundwork Richmond, GRID Alternatives, and Trust for Public Land. Additional contract requests necessary to implement Richmond Rising will be brought to City Council for approval.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – TCC Grant Award Letter Richmond
Attachment 2 – GRID Alternatives Contract with Sole Source Form Attachment 3 – Groundwork Contract with Sole Source Form Attachment 4 – Trust for Public Land Contract with Sole Source Form