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Richmond City Council
October 1, 2024

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October 1, 2024
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Richmond City Council
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https://cctauthority.sharepoint.com/sites/Common/09Correspondences/Misc. Correspondence/2024/Admin/Richmond Audit City Letter_20240620_Final.docx

Please be advised that the CCTA Board is adamant the City take immediate and effective steps to improve the Program following the results of the audit. CCTA acknowledges and appreciates the cooperation of City staff throughout the course of the audit process and is confident that we can continue to work collaboratively to ensure that Measure J funds are being used to best serve those West County residents that rely on lifeline transit services.

Sincerely,

Newell Arnerich
Chair, CCTA Board

CC: Timothy Haile, Executive Director, CCTA
Rashida Kamara, Accessibility & Equity Programs Manager, CCTA LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager of Community Services, City Lori-Reese Brown, Project Manager II, City
John Nemeth, Executive Director, WCCTAC

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Measure J Audit
City of Richmond Paratransit - DRAFT
May 2024

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Table of Contents

Background & Overview ...................................................................................................................... 3 Data Assessed ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Key Audit Takeaways .......................................................................................................................... 9 Current State of the R-Transit Program ........................................................................................ 11 Areas of Audit Review........................................................................................................................ 14 Summary & Key Recommendation ................................................................................................ 33 Attachments ........................................................................................................................................ 35

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Background & Overview
Measure J General Overview
In November 2004, Contra Costa County voters approved Measure J to provide for the continuation of the county’s half-cent transportation sales tax. Tax revenues are used for a variety of programs and projects, including Measure J Program 15 (MJ15), which funds Countywide Transportation for Seniors and People with Disabilities. The City of Richmond (City) is a recipient of Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) MJ15 funds as a provider of transit services for seniors and people with disabilities.

Program 15 funds include a Measure C guarantee and built in growth from Measure J. The growth portion of the funds is programmed to operators by West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC). Sub-regional program 20B funds are also programmed by WCCTAC, and under the Transportation Expenditure Plan (TEP) are to provide for an expansion of MJ15 funded services.

The City receives MJ15 funding for the county’s unincorporated communities of North Richmond, Kensington, and El Sobrante based on a long-standing agreement between the County, City, and WestCAT. The funding allocation is based on a weighted percentage of seniors, people with disabilities, and low income in each community. WestCAT serves the other unincorporated communities in the area not served by the City.

Measure J revenues are limited to what the TEP directs. They are not intended to fully fund a city or other entity’s transportation services.

Measure J Claims Requirements & Process
Requests for Measure J funds are made annually through a Claims (Claim) process. A Claim is both a request for funding and a reporting of prior years’ projects. The Claim fund request is for the upcoming fiscal year. Reporting is for the latest closed fiscal year, period-to-date for the current fiscal year, and projections for the funding request year. The claimant’s process should be to collect project data, translate it into the requested metrics, and use it to make a case for continued funding.

The City has been presumed eligible for the last five fiscal years, but their requests for funds have been inconsistent and the FY23/24 Claim submitted by the City was rejected by CCTA’s Paratransit Coordinating Council (PCC), which reviews annual Claims and recommends award.

Following an initial review, the City was asked to submit a corrected Claim. The corrected form was denied, and the PCC requested an audit of the City’s program. The table below shows the status of the City’s Claims for the five-year audit review period as of mid-April 2024.

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FISCAL

YEAR CLAIM STATUS
FY19/20 FY18/19 and FY19/20 approved by CCTA following request for revisions and resubmittal. Funds allocated for multiple years by CCTA to City: Total for multiple years $1,720,241
FY20/21 CCTA suspends Claim submittal due to Covid. Funds allocated by CCTA to City:
$697,973
FY21/22 Short-answer Claim response required by CCTA due to Covid. Claim submitted by City. Funds allocated by CCTA to City: $326,468
FY22/23 No Claim filed by City. No funds allocated by CCTA to City.

FY23/24 Claim submitted by City. Issues with Claim triggered audit. No funds allocated by CCTA to City.

Richmond Paratransit Services
The City offers two transit services for residents of Richmond, North Richmond, El Sobrante, and Kensington. Eligible clients include seniors 55+ and people ages 18 to 54 with a qualifying disability. Clients must apply in advance showing proof of eligibility. Once determined eligible, clients can access both services.

R-Transit Paratransit
Per the City’s website, R-Transit Paratransit demand-response service has been offered since 1976. It currently makes pick-ups weekdays between 8:45am and 4:15pm with trips scheduled by advance reservation. Customers can request a ride 1 to 30 days in advance for a $4 one-way fare. Requests for same-day trips are accommodated on a case-by-case basis for a $5 one-way fare. Fares are payable by ticket coupon which must be purchased in advance. Ticket books sell for $20 each.

Door-to-door service is provided in a service area that includes Richmond, North Richmond, El Cerrito, Kensington, El Sobrante, San Pablo, and Pinole. R-Transit can accommodate clients using mobility devices and requiring the assistance of drivers to board. Clients can schedule unlimited trips.

Required Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit service in West County is provided by AC Transit as part of the East Bay Paratransit Consortium. As the City’s R-Transit program is not an ADA paratransit program, ADA paratransit requirements do not apply. However, for the senior and disability populations they serve, and because the program is funded with public tax dollars, the City should be mindful of its obligations under ADA Title II which requires state/local governments to give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services, and activities.

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Lyft Service
Lyft service was added in July 2018. Service is provided by Lyft drivers as part of their normal operations and the City pays a subsidy for the cost of the trip. Clients pay through the Lyft app for the first $3 of the trip cost and any trip costs over $20. Tips are paid at the discretion and expense of the client. Trips can be requested on demand, at any time or day, with no advance reservation required.

Per the City website, service is curb-to-curb and can accommodate mobility device users who are ambulatory, in that they are able to fold and store their device without assistance and can enter and exit the vehicle without assistance. The service area mirrors that of the R-Transit program with the addition of trips to the Veterans Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Martinez. Clients are limited to 40 subsidized trips per month.

Other agencies have grappled with the issue of providing a level of service to ambulatory clients that is not matched for clients requiring mobility assistance. For parity, the City’s service, either operated with their resources, or by a third-party contractor, would need to provide wheelchair and other mobility-aid passengers with the same level of service as the Lyft program. ADA Title II prohibits discrimination based on disability. Again, the City’s R-Transit program is not an ADA paratransit service, but that will not stop potential clients from requesting parity or filing a complaint for non-parity in services.

Other Services in West County
Other senior and disability transit services are available in West Contra Costa County:

• East Bay Paratransit serves ADA eligible riders, seven days a week with longer service hours and for a similar trip cost ($4 minimum-distance based). It does not cover the entire Richmond Paratransit service area.
• WestCAT Paratransit is also limited to ADA eligible riders and overlaps a portion of the Richmond Paratransit service area at a lower fare ($1.25 local/$3 regional) six days a week.
• El Cerrito Easy Ride and San Pablo Senior & Disabled Transportation have the same client eligibility and service structure as Richmond Paratransit, and both also receive Measure J funding. They operate more limited days and hours, but at the same or lower fare ($2 or $4). Each is limited to operating within their city limits. • Richmond Moves is an on-demand, app-based service open to the general public including seniors, within the Richmond city limits. Rides are free for seniors and students.
• Mobility Matters is a private non-profit that provides free rides from volunteer drivers to seniors and veterans without other transportation options.

Richmond R-Transit Paratransit service fills a need in the Richmond area, both geographically and with their eligible client base. They provide rides for seniors and those who may not meet eligibility requirements for East Bay or WestCAT Paratransit. They also cover areas of West 913
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County not covered by other services. The City Lyft rides add another layer of service that would not otherwise be available by providing coverage on all days and hours, with no advance reservation. It is limited, however, to clients who do not need mobility assistance.

As the services closest in structure to the City of Richmond Paratransit, the City of El Cerrito and the City of San Pablo Measure J funded Paratransit services are used for comparison in this report.

Audit Overview
General Overview
• Purpose
o The purpose of the City of Richmond Paratransit audit is to review the City’s service and to understand anomalies and inconsistencies in past fiscal year Claims, triggered by concerns with the FY23/24 Claim. The audit was recommended by the PCC.
• Time frame
o The audit was scheduled for a 90-day period from initial Kick-off to Final Report, dependent on the City providing the needed documentation for an appropriate assessment.
• Audit Scope
o Review of annual Claims for a period of five fiscal years o Presentation of findings associated with non-compliance with the funding agreement.
o Recommendations to address non-compliance findings as well as operational management recommendations.
• Areas of Review
o Claims Submittal & Compliance
o Budget
o Key Performance Indicators
o Program Design & Delivery
o Marketing, Outreach & Feedback

Partners
CCTA Staff & Role
CCTA is responsible for the allocation and oversight of Measure J funds, the annual Claim process, and the audit process. Rashida Kamara, Accessibility and Equity Program Manager, led the audit effort for CCTA.

Audit Team Role – Advanced Mobility Group Staff
The Audit Team was led by Laurie Talbert. Laurie has 30 years’ experience in public transit, including in the provision of Paratransit services. Kirsten Riker focused on the outreach and promotion overview of Richmond’s service. Rose Quiroga-Clement offered administrative 914
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support and as a native Spanish speaker, made inquiries to the City to assess their support of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) clients. Mike Meuller assessed the budget documents provided. Christian Kent, a well-known and respected Paratransit Consultant who trains agencies in providing services, joined the team to lend his professional expertise.

City of Richmond Role
The City was asked to cooperate with the audit by supplying requested documentation, attending meetings, including a Working Group Call to respond to questions, and accommodating the Audit Team for a Site Visit. The primary staff involved in the delivery of service and contributing to the audit included Lori Reese-Brown (Program Manager), Mary Cummings (full-time program administration), Hope Lattell (Finance), and LaShonda White (Community Services).

Audit Timeline & Steps
Kick-off Meeting and Data Request. March 4, 2024. Introductions were made and a data request list was reviewed. Data was requested to be uploaded to a provided Dropbox no later than March 15, 2024. Meeting notes are available as Attachment 1. Meeting attendees included:
• CCTA: Rashida Kamara
• Audit Team: Laurie Talbert
• City of Richmond: LaShonda White, Deborah Dabbs, Hope Lattell, Mary Cummings, Lori Reese-Brown, Nickie Mastay.
• WCCTAC: John Nemeth, Coire Reilly

Initial Document Review and Follow-Up Questions. March 16 to early April. The Audit Team reviewed the documentation provided and sent a list of questions regarding the budget documentation. City Finance and Community Services staff were responsive in providing answers. The Audit Team also made a follow-up request for program documentation that had not yet been provided for all fiscal years.

Marketing Audit - Richmond Locations. March 26, 2024. Kirsten Riker from the Audit Team visited five locations in Richmond, including two senior centers, the library, a community care and resource center, and a medical facility to look for outreach or promotional materials about the City’s transit services and to ask facility staff what they knew about the programs. Notes are available as Attachment 2.

Working Group Call. April 9, 2024: The Audit Team provided the City a list of questions in advance of the meeting. The questions followed the flow of the City entries on the FY23/24 Claims Form. The City was again asked to provide the missing documentation that had not been uploaded to Dropbox by the original deadline. A new deadline of April 16 was established, and the Audit Team stated that they would start their analysis after that date. The City completed the upload of all prior year’s Claims Forms but did not upload any other missing documentation. Meeting notes are available as Attachment 3. Meeting attendees:
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• Audit Team: Laurie Talbert, Christian Kent
• City of Richmond: Lori Reese-Brown, LaShonda White, Hope Lattell, and Mary Cummings

Site Visit to City of Richmond. April 16, 2024. Laurie Talbert from the Audit Team visited the City of Richmond to observe the administrative and dispatch functions of the service, ride along with passengers, and ask additional follow-up questions about the service. LaShonda White and Debbie Dabbs were available for questions at the beginning of the visit and a ride- along was arranged with the part-time driver. Following the ride, Debbie answered additional questions. Mary Cummings, the full-time administrative staffer, called out sick that day and the Program Manager, Lori Reese-Brown, was not present. Following the visit, three additional budget questions were forwarded to LaShonda and Hope and they provided the requested information. Site Visit notes are available as Attachment 4.

Data Assessed
The Audit Team requested that the City provide the following for FY19/20 through FY23/24:
• Claims Forms
o Submitted Claims – initial and revised
o Explanation for years when a Claim was not made, for Covid or other cause • Budget detail
o Cost allocation by program
• Ridership detail – O&D pairs, days, and hours
o Route Match ridership reporting
o Explanation of what manual work is needed to provide detailed information • Paratransit Survey results
• Write-up of City Cost Pool as it relates to program
• Public-facing materials for riders

The Audit Team received the following information and reports from the City as of the final April 16, 2024 deadline:

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While the Audit Team did not receive all the documentation requested, CCTA agreed that what was collected and reviewed was sufficient to assess the City’s program.

Key Audit Takeaways
The Audit Team identified the key takeaways from the Audit. A more thorough assessment of individual review elements is included in this report.

• City documentation is filled with errors and contradictory information. There is data contained within Claims Forms that is contradictory to other notes within the same Claim. Claims include calculations that are illogical and were obvious within a few minutes to even those members of the Audit Team without direct transportation services experience. These issues should have been spotted and corrected before Claims were submitted. The review of Claims alongside other supporting documents and reports shows inconsistencies across multiple reports and data sets and across the five years of review.

• The same issues of inconsistencies and contradictory information can also be an indicator of a lack of understanding of the basic metrics of the program the City is operating. The audit indicates that a lack of understanding of the system is a contributing factor to the inconsistent and incorrect data and a failure to spot these issues by City staff. These issues made it difficult to assess the budget or program metrics, because the Audit Team had little confidence that reported data was accurate.

• City management is not actively engaged in leading the staff or program.

Administrative service delivery and program management staff disagreed on answers to some questions posed on the Working Group Call about daily operations and service metrics. Service-delivery staff could not answer questions about important program elements such as the status of new vehicles. Newer Finance and Community Services Documents Provided
by City
FY20: July 1, 2019 -
June 30, 2020
FY21: July 1, 2020 -
June 30, 2021
FY22: July 1, 2021 -
June 30, 2022
FY23: July 1, 2022 -
June 30, 2023
FY24: July 1, 2023 -
YTD (varied by report)
Detailed C ustomer Trips X X -Thru 4/23 only
Mobility Kind Trip C ount X X X
Vehicle Productivity Report X X X
Vehicle Productivity by Mileage X X -Thru 4/23 only
Operating Statistics X X X X X
Trips By Service Report X
Lyft Service Ridership X - 6 months only
X - 4 months only
in password
protected files
C laims Forms or
Explanation of no C laim X X X X X
Budget Detail X X X X X
Public Materials: Brochure and
C lient Orientatin G uide Received
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staff seem to recognize the Claims trouble spots and understand the budget and flow of funds best. The full-time administrative employee knows the day-to-day system best but doesn’t appear to have the authority to make cultural shifts or functional corrections to the program or service. No one person has the full picture or understanding of the program, or how it operates.

• Positive Client Interactions. The service delivery staff know their riders well and serve them with care. Similarly, the riders engage with the drivers in a positive and familiar way and express the importance and value of the service the City provides for them.

• CCTA Forms and Oversight Needs Improvement. The Claims Forms do not request all the detail that would be used to calculate other inputs within the form. The descriptions of requested data were unclear to the City in some cases. The questions listed in the Project Description Narrative are not sufficient to identify deficiencies in a transit operation. The Coop Agreement and Measure J Strategic Plan do not lay out service expectations or standards that a program must meet for continued funding.

Oversight from CCTA has not been consistent over the last five fiscal years, but the addition of the Accessibility & Equity Program Manager role at CCTA should lend the process the needed leadership and expertise in paratransit operations going forward.

• Administrative costs are out of alignment with program costs and other, like programs. This is due in part to the assignment of indirect Cost Pool Administrative and Liability expenses that are equal to, or greater than, the cost of staff actively engaged in the program. Additionally, the cost of benefits as a ratio of the cost of payroll for those actively engaged in the program is high.

• Lack of Customer Feedback. The City is not actively soliciting feedback from customers, or seeking to understand the needs of those who are not riding. As a result, they are not mining opportunities to improve the customer experience or to solicit new riders.

• Value of Service. The service can fill a hole in West County by providing trips that are both needed and valued by its customers. It serves a vulnerable population with personalized service. The staff know their clients well and provide a measure of social interaction and sense of community that is also of value.

• Lack of Promotion. Given the gap that could be filled in the service market, and the rides available with their low-cost Lyft service, the City should be serving more passengers. The City is not actively promoting their service. While citing lack of resources as a limit to active promotion of their service, the City is also not maintaining low cost, passive forms of promotion such as their website and print materials.

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• Costs Limiting Growth. Program expenditures shown in the FY23/24 Claim for the 3- year reporting period indicate no service or program growth, despite the noted increase in available funding each year. The City is currently operating with just 1.5 drivers and around eight one-way trips per day. While there is room in the full-time driver’s manifest to make a few more daily trips to increase ridership, the projected spend of the program in the Claim does not support another full-time driver or any expansion of services.

Current State of the R-Transit Program
Using primarily the Site Visit, but also review of documents and the Working Group Call, the Audit Team’s assessment of the current state of the City’s R-Transit program is as follows:

Vehicles
The service operates with two 7-seat vans. The configuration of the vans has the tie-down for mobility devices in the center, in front of a two-seat jump seat and limiting access to one of the remaining three seats in the rear of the van. When a mobility aid passenger is aboard with their device, only one other person can comfortably ride. Most trips are single-client trips with room for an attendant. The front passenger seat can also be used, but the client or attendant would need to be physically able to step up into that seat or maneuver to it from the back of the van.

The mobility device ramp on the passenger side of the vans is manually engaged by the driver by pulling up and out on the ramp handle. It requires some strength to engage.

One of the vans is prioritized as the daily trip van with the full-time driver. The second van is used only when needed by the part-time driver.

Mechanical Issues: The part-time van would not shift into Drive for the ride-along trip during the Audit Team’s Site Visit. It was known to the driver that the passenger-side sliding door had to be closed with a certain pressure for the vehicle to register that the door was closed. The van would not shift from Park to Drive if the door was not closed with enough force. It took about 15 minutes, but the driver and Audit Team member managed to correct the issue to travel to the first pick up, arriving at 10:25am for the 10:00am scheduled pick-up. The problem recurred at the client’s home. Efforts to reset the door failed this time and the trip could not be completed. A tow truck was sent for the van and the client’s trip cancelled. The other van picked up the stranded driver and Audit Team staff for a ride-along then returned to the base.

New Vehicles: Two new, larger electric R-Transit vans with rear wheelchair loading were parked at the City lot. The purchase of the vans was approved by the City in September 2023 with
$268,861.76 in anticipated FY23/24 Measure J funds. Additional documentation notes that three Level 2 and one DC fast charger would be installed at the City’s Corporation Yard to support the fleet.

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According to the administrative staff and drivers present for the Site Visit, the new electric vans have not been put in service and cannot be used because the charging system is not compatible, and the vans can’t be charged. It is not known if the noted charging equipment has been installed as indicated. Staff also stated that the van step is too high for seniors to board and there are no handrails to assist in boarding. Nobody that was asked during the Site Visit knew the status of the vans or who was responsible for getting the issues corrected so that the vans could be put into service.

Contracted Services
City staff stated that they are contracting with TransMETRO to provide trips when they don’t have an accessible vehicle and/or driver to operate a trip and for same-day trip requests. In September 2023 the City approved a one-year $250,000 contract with TransMETRO to expand
R-Transit service and conduct outreach with an anticipated 40% increase in ridership as a result. The contract outlines that costs are billed at $92/hour for 8.5 hours per day, or $782 per day for as-needed transportation plus outreach and marketing services of up to $49,808. The Audit Team did not see any indication of active outreach for the R-Transit program performed by TransMETRO or the City. There’s also no indication of an increase in Paratransit ridership.

As no invoices were provided that would confirm how the City is being billed, it is not known if TransMETRO has billed the City for any outreach efforts, or how they are billing for rides.

Staff
The City’s FY23/24 Claim form lists the following staff:
• 2 full-time drivers
• 1 part-time dispatcher
• 1 full-time administrative office staff
• 1 part-time administrative staff: Program Manager

Currently, one of the drivers is working under disability accommodation and drives only part- time. The vehicle records attachment for the same FY23/24 Claim Form indicates there were only 12 days YTD that both vans logged miles, so the part-time driver is rarely on the road. Per staff, the part-time driver has three roles and does administrative work in the AM if they don’t have clients to drive, then takes over for the part-time dispatcher in the afternoon. Therefore, the current day-to-day staffing, confirmed by City staff at the Site Visit, is:
• 1 full-time driver
• 1 part-time driver: limited days AM trips
• 2 part-time dispatchers: including driver
• 1 full-time administrative staff
• 2 part-time administrative staff: Program Manager and driver

On the Working Group Call, staff indicated that the part-time administrative Dispatcher may also drive a van if a driver is not available.

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Per the Site Visit, the office staff and drivers appear to be a close-knit group who communicate well with each other, using work-provided cell phones to manage changes in rides and to handle issues.

Clients and Trips
On the day of the Site Visit, Audit Team staff noted a total of nine one-way trips between the two driver manifests. City staff also shared manifest copies with the Audit Team. A copy of a driver manifest for the primary van from March 26, 2024, showed six one-way passenger trips.

For March 27, 2024, seven one-way passenger rides. It is unknown if AM trips were made with the second van on those days. An evaluation of R-Transit ridership for FY21/22 (the only year that a full 12-months of data was shared) shows the Paratransit service ran 2,042 one-way passenger trips for 59 unique clients. In a 250 service-day year, the average would be eight one-way passenger trips per day between both vans, which aligns with the trips scheduled on the day of the Site Visit.

The drivers indicated during the Site Visit that passengers want to use the Lyft service because they can ride any day or time and it is less expensive at just $3. The Lyft service cannot accommodate users who need mobility assistance, so the Paratransit service is largely operating for wheelchair and other mobility aid users who require assistance. The clients who spoke with Audit Team staff on the day of the Site Visit said they rely heavily on the Paratransit service for their transportation. They love the service, and they love their drivers.

The only Lyft service passenger count documents uploaded by the City that the Audit Team could access were for six months of FY19/20. That data was insufficient to accurately quantify how many clients are currently using the Lyft service, and because the Lyft ridership data includes just customer ID and not names, it cannot be discerned how many Lyft riders also use the Paratransit service. Like the Paratransit ridership that shows a small number of clients using the service actively, during the six months of Lyft ridership provided, the program delivered 657 trips to 77 unique clients.

Systems
Despite having a software system, all the actions witnessed on the Site Visit were performed manually. The service had just switched from Route Match to Via and the staff was still trying to learn the new software. The part-time driver who drove for the first attempted ride-along could not get her tablet operating. It did not accept her known log-in credentials. The driver stopped at the IT office for assistance. IT staff hit the ‘temporary password’ button which gave them a message to get their temporary password from their ‘Dispatch Manager.’ The driver did not know who that was so began service without the tablet using a paper manifest.

The second driver had access to the Via service on their tablet, but Audit Team staff did not witness the driver using it to record any information about the trip. The tablet appeared only to provide navigation between pick-up and drop-off points. The driver turned the volume down on the tablet because they didn’t like the navigation it provided, preferring to drive a familiar route instead. This driver also had a paper manifest.
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The paper manifests require that the drivers write in their run start time, first pick-up time, last drop-off time, and run end time as well as all break start and stop times. They also write in each client pick-up time, drop-off time and start and end odometer reading. Per City staff, this detail is turned in at the end of the day and manually keyed into the software system.

Also, per staff, the new Via program optimizes trip plans based on scheduling of one full-time and one part-time AM van. Because of the disability accommodation of the part-time driver, they do not transport wheelchairs, so the office staff manually overrides the software to move wheelchair riders to the primary driver.

Cited Needs
The administrative staff and drivers interviewed during the Site Visit all answered the same way when asked what they would improve about their own services. They all cited the need for more drivers, access to the new vehicles, and better training on the new Via software system.

Areas of Audit Review
Claims Submittal & Compliance _________________________________________________ Review Items:

City-provided Claims Form, PCC meeting minutes, City-provided Route Match reports

Identified Issue #1:

Errors, inconsistencies, and contradictions in Claims Forms. A simple review of the FY23/24 Claim submitted by the City revealed a list of issues, some of which were highlighted by the PCC. Issues in that FY23/24 Claim include:
• The titled service area map inserted in two locations of the Project Description Narrative is not a map of the service area, but instead, a map of the city block of the Civic Center in Richmond. This is a simple error to spot and should have been corrected before submittal.
• The narrative cites ‘1,770 active clients presently registered in the database’. Table C lists FY22/23 Projected at 3,720 registered clients. Administrative staff explained on the Working Group Call that 1,770 was the more recent and accurate number, but there was no further explanation for the discrepancy.
• Table C asks for an average passenger trip distance. The City instead lists a range of 3- 6 miles. As noted in the Claim Form, the average should be calculated as Revenue Miles divided by passenger trips. Using the YTD FY22/23 Revenue Miles total from the attached Vehicle Productivity by Mileage report would put the average trip distance at 438 miles which is clearly incorrect, and nowhere near the 3-6 mile range cited. It is unclear how the City generated the range reported in the Claim. • Van vehicle mileage (odometer) reported on Table D doesn’t match end odometer numbers on attached Vehicle Productivity by Mileage reports. 922
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• Table A Fare Revenues for FY21/22 Actual were $92,001, but Projected FY22/23 revenues were $20,000. Staff could not explain the unusually high fare revenue for the reported 2,787 passenger trips ($33 per ride), or why the figure was lowered so significantly for the next year’s projections.
• As the City does not pay a subsidy for paratransit fares, the figure listed as Paratransit Fare Subsidy on Table A, should in fact, be the TNC subsidy for the Lyft service.

However, the total value listed of $132,914 Actual for FY21/22 does not make sense.

The highest rate the City would pay for a Lyft ride is $17 (The rider pays the first $3 and the City pays the remainder to $20). At that highest possible per-ride subsidy cost they would have carried 7,881 Lyft passengers. Total ridership between the two services was 2,787. It is unknown what other costs are being accounted for in this line item.
• The Table C-provided definition of Revenue Service Hours, and the industry standard, is ‘Total Hours that a vehicle is available to pick up passengers”. The City Claim cites a

7.5-hour service day (9am – 4:30pm) and offers service approximately 250 days per year. For single-van service, the annual hours would be 1,875. Table C reports 1,200 Projected FY22/23 Revenue Service Hours for both vans.
• At the cited FY22/23 Projected Passenger Trips per Revenue Service Hour of 430 and Projected Revenue Service Hours of 1,200, the City would carry 516,000 passengers.

The Claim cites 2,900 projected passenger trips. Conversely, if the projected passenger trips of 2,900 were divided by the Projected Passenger Trips per Revenue Service Hours of 430, the City would have offered just 6.7 hours of service for the year. The 430 figure is an obvious error and the disparity in total passengers that figure reflects should have been easily spotted and corrected before the Claim was submitted. • Table C includes ‘Fare Subsidy: Number of Tickets Sold’ for the three reported years.

City staff could not provide an explanation for the figures or what they represented during the Working Group Call. City Finance staff cited that the figures were a mistake and should not be there.
• The Vehicle Productivity by Mileage Reports attached with the Claim showed three occasions when impossible mileage was reported to a van. These were 18,936 miles, 595,039 miles, and 650,053 miles travelled, each by a single van in a single day. The total was 1,272,448 miles for the two vans YTD, which is clearly not possible. Based on daily odometer reads in the reports, the correct total is 8,551 miles. An obvious error such as this should have been spotted and corrected before the Claim was submitted. • Additionally, the same reports showed one van operating 51 days YTD and the other 154 days with just 12 days overlapping. The staff chart in the narrative showed 2 full- time drivers, but two drivers would only have been needed on 12 days. • The Project Description Narrative cites that “All Measure J Program 15 funds were expended in the past 3 years (2019-2022)”, but Table A shows a FY21/22 Actual ending reserve balance of $103,759.

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Recommendation:

The fact that many of the contradictions and errors in the FY23/24 Claims Form were easy to spot, and that even after being called out, weren’t corrected in subsequent submissions, indicates a lack of oversight, understanding of system metrics, and QA review. City staff either don’t have the experience or understanding of their program to accurately report on it or they are not applying their experience to this process. As the source of revenue for their program, the City must prioritize Claim submittals. It may be necessary to engage new staff, or a third-party contractor, experienced in service delivery and program metrics, to manage the Claims process.

Identified Issue #2:

Failure to File Claims or Make Corrections. While citing a lack of resources as a reason for their limited promotion or limited services, the City has missed years of filing a Claim, has not submitted Claims in a timely manner, or has submitted Claims with data that the PCC has noted as inconsistent or incomplete, requiring resubmittal.

Recommendation:

The City must prioritize filing a Claim every year and addressing all issues noted in the Claims expeditiously.

Identified Issue #3:

Non-Compliance with Coop Agreement. While neither the Coop Agreement nor cited Measure J Expenditure and Strategic Plans address level of service, service quality, or performance expectations for Measure J funded programs, the PCC, per their bylaws, has the duty to ‘Review annual claims for Measure C and Measure J funds, applications … and make recommendations regarding these claims and applications as appropriate.’ The PCC has made a recommendation for this audit based on the contents of Claims Forms and in response to questions about service quality and performance. Their request for an audit is their authority to question the City’s compliance with the Coop Agreement.

Recommendation:

CCTA’s Coop Agreement with Measure J fund recipients should include language that addresses minimum standards of service and performance expectations or should expressly cite the PCC’s duty to determine if the transit entity is meeting performance expectations, and thereby the agreement. The consequences for failing to meet performance expectations should also be addressed.

Identified Issue #4:

Unmet Needs – The only record of Table E Unmet Needs reported in the FY23/24 Claim was for ”Patrons outside your service area requesting rides”. City staff identified this as callers who ask about service who do not reside in the service area. They also cite not keeping a log of calls 924
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received. It is unclear how this Unmet Need is being recorded, if not through a call log. Other Table E categories not completed by the City include “Patrons inside your service area requesting rides outside of your service area” and “Number of same-day ride denials due to capacity.” No numbers were added for these categories, though City staff noted during the Site Visit that they get requests for trips to Oakland and the City notes in their Claim narrative that ‘…same-day service is limited due to high demand if a same day appointment is scheduled.’

Recommendation:

The City should keep a log of all customer calls. That log can include checkboxes for each of the categories of Unmet Needs identified in the Claims Form. That information could prove valuable in assessing program needs and future changes or expansion.

Budget ________________________________________________________________________ Review Items: City provided budget documentation, Claims Forms

Identified Issue #5:

Lack of Budget Detail for Review. A Claim was filed by the City and accepted by CCTA for FY19/20. For FY20/21 and FY21/22, the Claim submittal process was suspended, or only a brief narrative was requested due to Covid. The City failed to submit a Claim for FY22/23, though they provided a Claim Form for that year to the Audit Team. The provided form is not complete and shows no program costs. A Claim was filed by the City for FY23/24 which includes program costs. The only complete Budget Detail to Claim comparison for reported Actuals is for FY21/22.

The City provided the full five years of program budgets, but invoices, expense reports, and receipts would all be required to do a full fiscal audit of program expenses. There is not sufficient back-up documentation to confirm what was spent and that direct costs cited were spent on the program. Additionally, because only two complete Claims were submitted for the five fiscal years of review, and they represent the first and last years, there is no way to track the flow of the expenditures to budget or to follow reserve balance.

Recommendation:

Future years’ Claims must be complete so that true program costs can be understood, to allow for a rolling assessment of expenditures and reserves, and so CCTA can follow Claims against budget if needed.

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Identified Issue #6:

Limited Detail Available Shows Inconsistencies. The two Claims years with program cost detail noted above do not match the budget detail provided by the City for the same year.

While not all totals represent actuals, they are inconsistent enough to point them out. • The FY19/20 Claim provided by the City to the Audit Team was not complete, but the CCTA approved version dated May 8, 2019, put the Estimated program year expenditures at $1,110,000 while the same budget year detail showed an Actual program cost of $687,134.26. The difference could reflect the first four months of the Covid pandemic that closed out the fiscal year.
• The FY23/24 Claim put FY21/22 Actual expenditures at $959,525.00 but the same budget year detail showed Actual program expenditures of $813,881.05. • For FY22/23 the Projected program cost cited in the FY23/24 Claim was $960,405.00 while the budget Actual put it at $854,769.37.

And, as cited earlier, the FY23/24 Project Description Narrative cites that “All Measure J Program 15 funds were expended in the past 3 years (2019-2022),” but Table A shows a $103,759 ending reserve balance for FY21/22.

Recommendation:

Future years’ Claims must be complete so that true program costs can be understood, to allow for a rolling assessment of expenditures and reserves, and so CCTA can follow Claims against budget if needed.

Identified Issue #7:

Cost Pool Indirect Costs Burden the Program. The City is charging an administrative and liability expense to the program as part of a Cost Pool distribution. The Cost Pool memos provided by the City as Attachment 5 indicate that the City has earmarked a much higher total Cost Pool expense to the program than they are charging against it. For FY22/23 the City consultant calculated an Indirect Administrative Charges Cost Pool expense to the “1003 Transportation Operation”, which includes only the Paratransit/Lyft services, of $744,016, but charged $220,202 to the service. They consider the $523,814 difference a subsidy to the program. An additional $41,058 was charged to the program for General Liability Cost Pool in the same fiscal year. If charged at the fully calculated administrative rate, the City would be burdening the program with a total of $785,074 in indirect costs – 82% of the total Projected program expenditures for that year. It is unfathomable that the City’s calculations would result in that percentage of a program’s funding to an expense that does not directly deliver service or impact customers. The fact that the City lowered that value to 27% of projected program expenditures is a reasonable course of action, but the percentage burden against a program that provides services to a vulnerable population is still too high.

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Recommendation:

The City’s Paratransit program should request an exemption from City Cost Pool expenses or CCTA should set a limit on the percentage of indirect costs that can be charged against a Measure J funded project.

Identified Issue #8:

Imbalance in administration costs to operations costs. It is not clear from the Claim Form or the City-provided budget detail how they assign program costs to the Operations and General Administration categories in Table A of the Claims Form. The ratio they show is high, however, compared to the other West County services. For FY21/22 Actuals the General Administration Expenditure was $465,066 and Paratransit Operations Expenditures plus the TNC Fare Subsidy cost was $494,459, putting admin at 48% and operations at 52% of the total program cost.

Comparatively, the City of El Cerrito Paratransit was 21% to General Administration and the City of San Pablo shows 9% to General Administration.

Recommendation:

As already noted, the Cost Pool indirect cost is putting a burden on the program and should be eliminated or limited to free up funds for the direct delivery of service.

Assuming the Cost Pool expense is included in the General Administration Expenditure, pulling it from the program total and administrative expenditures would result in Administration Expenditures of 30% of the total program cost.

Identified Issue #9:

No cost allocation by program. The City budget does not breakdown costs by the R-Transit and Lyft programs. The Lyft program subsidy has been confirmed by City staff as the Professional Services line item in their budget, and easy to pull out. Other items such as Paratransit Scrip Books (Fare Revenue), payroll and benefits for drivers, and operator uniform costs can also be pulled into the Paratransit side, but other budget line items cannot easily be allocated to the two programs.

Recommendation:

To understand the true costs of the two programs and assess if contracted services are providing an overall lower cost ride, the two programs should be assigned percentages of shared costs to determine an estimated program allocation for future year Claims.

Identified Issue #10:

Balance of payroll to benefits. Per City response to cite their average ratio of benefits to payroll, they cited a City standard calculation of 85% of salary costs for benefits. For the five fiscal years of audit review, the Paratransit program benefits were higher than the City average, ranging from 92% for FY23/24 YTD, to a high of 118% for FY20/21. 927
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Recommendation:

It is unclear why the benefits to salary ratio is higher for this program unless the longevity of staff – some noted being with the program for 25 years – is impacting costs with legacy or length-of-service benefits. The City should assess the issue to understand and validate the higher benefits cost ratio.

Identified Issue #11:

Cost per Passenger. The cost per passenger is high and is out of line with other, similar programs. The FY21/22 actual program cost was $813,881.05 per the provided City budget detail. The FY23/24 Claim Form showed Actual FY21/22 passenger trips of 2,787 for a cost per passenger of $292.03. By comparison, the City of El Cerrito Paratransit had a $100 cost per passenger from expected revenue and the City of San Pablo’s cost per passenger was $83 for the same fiscal year. County Connection’s National Transit Database records for 2022 show a $79 cost per Paratransit rider.

Recommendation:

Again, the Cost Pool expense, as well as the higher-than-average benefits costs, are impacting overall program cost and the cost per passenger. However, removal of Cost Pool costs would only lower the FY21/22 cost per passenger to $202.75, still well above the other services. The City must work from both sides to reduce the cost per passenger by lowering costs and increasing riders.

Key Performance Indicators ___________________________________________________ Review Items:

City-submitted Claims Forms, Working Group Call, Site Visit, City-provided Route Match reports

Identified Issue #12:

Lack of understanding of program metrics. City staff has relied on reporting from Route Match, but that information is inconsistent from report to report and staff is not always clear on what the information represents. Lack of understanding of metrics means staff have no way to recognize errors in them, so they are reporting out with errors and inconsistencies. This was clear on the Working Group Call. Staff could not agree on the definition or reporting of a trip, how fare revenue was defined across documentation, the existence of a mandatory $2.50 annual client ID or how those funds were being accounted for, or how the % on-time performance was calculated, among other things.

The City provided six unique Route Match reports in response to the audit data request. Those reports were scattered over the five fiscal years requested, with no complete set of reports for any one year. The City was emailed a table of missing reports and asked to send the 928
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documentation, then reminded on the Working Group Call to supply at least one full fiscal year of reports by the extended April 16 deadline. No additional reports were received. The most complete reporting year is FY21/22. See table below for an example of inconsistencies in the reporting provided by the City for that fiscal year. Only ‘Guests’, ‘No Shows’, and ‘Cancels’ match from across the five Route Match reports provided. Figures for all other metrics were different for each report provided for the same fiscal year. For Total Paratransit Passengers, for example, Route Match reporting varies from a low of 2,042 passengers to a high of 3,309 - a variance of 62% for the same fiscal year metric.

Recommendation:

Manual keying of handwritten manifest times and numbers is likely contributing to the errors seen on the Claims Forms, as well as inconsistencies in Route Match reports.

Without a QA review by staff who understand the metrics being reported and the knowledge needed to make corrections, errors will persist. City staff need to work with Via to ensure that the system is set up in a way that lets them take the best advantage of any automated data logging. City staff also need training specific to the provision of paratransit services to understand performance metrics and standards of service, or a new staff person needs to be pulled into the program to provide the needed experience. Alternatively, service delivery could be contracted to an experienced vendor.

Identified Issue #13:

Lack of oversight and review of program reports. As the table above demonstrates, City staff are pulling Route Match reports with clear inconsistencies in metrics for the same time period.

The FY23/24 Claims Form review demonstrates similar inconsistencies in reporting within the Claim and to supporting Route Match documentation. If someone is reviewing these documents, they are missing the obvious or they see the issues but are not correcting them before CCTA review. Administrative staff are not being held by management to a standard of report reviews, reconciliation, or quality, and thus a standard of service review and quality.

Route Match Reports FY21/22
Total
Paratransit
Passengers
Paratransit:

Wheelchair
Paratransit:

Ambulatory Attendants Guests
Revenue
Miles
Revenue
Hours
Revenue/Fare
Revenue
No
Shows Cancels
Mobility Kind Trip Count 434 1,336
Vehicle Productivity by Mileage 16,349
Vehicle Productivity Report 3,309 467 1,420 1,272 150 3,878,655 815.62 7,910.00 $ 36 Operating Statistics 3,178 1,250 150 984,591 1,452.35 676.00 $ 36 252 Trips By Service Report - Did not
receive for FY21/22
Detailed Customer Trips 2,042
FY23/24 Claims Form data for
FY21/22 Actuals
2,787
(includes TNC) 763 990.42 $92,001.00 36 252
Service Metric
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Recommendation:

City staff either need training specific to the provision of paratransit services to understand performance metrics and standards of service, or a new staff person or third-party contractor needs to be pulled into the program to provide the needed experience. An ongoing internal audit of various reports should be done, and a QA review of all supporting reports and documentation used for Claims Forms reporting must be completed before Claims submittal to CCTA.

Identified Issue #14:

Metrix requested in Claim submittal. The definitions of some metrics in the Claims Form confused City staff. For example:
• In the Claims Form, ‘Total Passenger Trips’ was defined as the ‘...movement of a person on a vehicle...’, but per City staff, Route Match reports a single vehicle movement as one trip, regardless of the number of passengers on board. In the Claims Form, this is intended to be total passenger boardings, but staff were confused by the contradiction with internal reports using the word ‘trip.’ • Average Trip Distance is requested but the total Revenue Miles is not part of the reporting, so there is no easy way for reviewers to validate the response given. • There is no call-out for the unique service passenger totals, service hours, or miles.

Reporting from the Lyft program does not include actual trip miles or duration, but claimants could be using the combined service total passenger number from the Claim Form to calculate metrics when the other side of the data set is not a factor ( i.e. calculating total of passengers from multiple different services against Revenue Miles for just one service program).

Additionally, data that could prove helpful in assessing successful programs and those in need of assistance, is not being requested.

Recommendation:

The Audit Team provided recommended revisions to the Claims Form tables and Project Description Narrative to CCTA. The revisions should clear up data requests by claimants and help the PCC and CCTA more easily see highlights and deficiencies in funded programs.

Program Design & Delivery ____________________________________________________ Review Items:

Working Group Call, Site Visit

Identified Issue #15:

Low Ridership. Program ridership reported in Claims and cited in Route Match reports is low for the cost of the program and potential client pool. While data on total boardings is 930
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inconsistent across reports, a total ridership for both the Paratransit and Lyft program in the range of 2,800-3,000/year is a fair assessment. In FY23/24 projections for El Sobrante Paratransit ridership were 2,080 and for San Pablo, 4,200. Both serve smaller geographic areas, have shorter service hours, and receive substantially less Measure J funding.

Recommendation:

The current state of the program, with the number and condition of operating vehicles and 1.5 drivers, limits the City’s ability to carry more Paratransit riders with City resources. The provided manifests show multiple driver breaks and gaps between picks-ups for the primary van and driver where additional trips could be operated, but demand may not be there to fill those spots. The City is also contracting TransMETRO which would also increase their capacity, but again, demand may not be there. To increase demand, the City needs to commit to promoting its service and implementing a service plan to add drivers and vehicles, or contract more trips to TransMETRO.

Additionally, the City needs to more precisely define and confirm Unmet Needs.

The limited Lyft program data received shows an average trip subsidy cost to the City of $8.73. Staff time dedicated to assisting Lyft riders appears to be minimal. This program has the greatest potential with unlimited capacity, to increase ridership at the lowest cost. Robust promotion of this service could have an immediate impact on increasing overall program ridership.

Identified Issue #16:

Vehicles. The two current 2011 vans are in poor condition. One stopped operating properly during a client pick-up on the day of the Site Visit and was towed. The demonstrated need to force the door closed on the day of the ride-along is a safety concern. If the door is not stable, it could open mid-trip. The City has recognized the age and condition of the vehicles and purchased two new all-electric vans as replacements. However, according to City staff at the Site Visit, and evidenced by the fact that the service is still being operated with the two older vans, the new vans are not being used. Staff cited that they couldn’t be charged. It is unknown what the exact issue is regarding charging of the vehicles. Staff also cited that the new electric vans weren’t appropriately outfitted to board passengers at the side door because the step is too high and there are no handrails for support.

Recommendation:

To avoid cancellations or limiting trip scheduling, the City must prioritize issues that are preventing the new vans from being put into service. An examination of the maintenance program is also warranted to understand who is responsible for maintenance, the inspection and service maintenance regimen, and maintenance standards. If not done recently, the fleet should be inspected with respect to current condition and useful life.
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Identified Issue #17:

Drivers. While the City’s Paratransit drivers are both full-time employees, one drives only part- time due to a cited disability accommodation. They spend the remainder of their full-time hours assisting with dispatch functions and office duties. Vehicle logs for FY23/24 showed only 12 days YTD that both vans operated, so the part-time driver is not driving often. City staff also stated that they manually adjust daily ride scheduling to avoid including a wheelchair passenger on their manifest on the days they do drive.

Whether the limitation of 1.5 drivers is impacting ridership, or the daily ridership needs don’t necessitate two full-time drivers is unclear.

Recommendation:

If they have not done so, the City should assess the fitness of its existing drivers to perform the duties of the job. Per the Audit Team Paratransit Consultant, paratransit drivers are typically expected to be able to lift 40 lbs. to be considered fit for duty. If it is not already, this qualification should be included in the job description and verified in the hiring process for any future drivers. The City should also assess if the dispatch and administrative needs require the extra time that the 2nd full-time driver is dedicating to them. At a minimum, the City should report on Claims Form the staffing that represents the day-to-day contribution of employees to the operation, rather than their official classification.

Identified Issue #18:

Rider ID Card. The Client Guide and City staff indicate that an Identification Card is required for all qualifying clients. City administrative staff on the Working Group Call were not in agreement over the need to renew the card annually and Finance staff were not aware that a card was required or that $2.50 is charged per card. Nobody was aware of how the revenue for the cards was being reported. They did agree, however, that the card is not, in fact, required at the time of a trip or to purchase ride coupons, in contradiction to print materials. Instead, it appeared to be a way to requalify passengers as eligible for service based on their address.

Recommendation:

As the card appears to have no use to clients, and the revenue is not accounted for, the City should reconsider the need for the card. As an extra step to receive services with a $2.50 fee, it is a barrier to onboarding new clients. If the card is being used only for requalifying clients based on address, the City should develop a simple, annual address verification process for clients.

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Identified Issue #19:

Clients in Unincorporated Areas. As noted earlier, the City receives Measure J funding to provide service in the county’s unincorporated communities of North Richmond, Kensington, and El Sobrante. The Measure J Claims Form requests detail on registered clients in unincorporated areas to validate the availability of service. City staff cited that that data must be manually culled from Route Match and that the effort is labor intensive. The two March manifests provided by the City included pick-ups and drops-offs at home addresses in unincorporated areas, so it is clear that a level of service is being provided. While there is no documentation to support the FY21/22 entry of 416 clients in unincorporated areas, the provided manifests support that they have clients registered outside of city limits.

While City staff indicated that Via will allow for this reporting, the Via contract provided by the City as Attachment 6 defines the data sets it provides, and there is no indication that it will provide that client detail.

Recommendation:

If Via does not, in fact, include that information, the City should inquire if a field can be added in the client database to indicate if the client’s home address is in an unincorporated area. A simple Google map search of the address would show the administrative support staff if they should note an unincorporated address in that new field. Once the manual work is done to assess its existing client database, doing that search for each new client would take just a few minutes.

Identified Issue #20:

Fare Revenue. Fares of $4/$5 are in line with other Paratransit services in the area and higher than the average fare paid by a Lyft service rider. Per City staff, Fare Revenue is reported in Claim Forms as the value of ticket books sold, not the value of tickets collected from riders for the reported fiscal year. Other reporting for ‘Fare Revenue’ or ‘Revenue’ appears to be for the tickets collected, but staff could not confirm that on the Working Group Call. They were unaware that Fare Revenue was appearing in other report locations and weren’t certain what it represented. That would explain why the Claims Form doesn’t match the reports. However, the Route Match reports also don’t match each other, as the earlier table shows. It also explains why a simple calculation of the total Fare Revenue does not equal an average $4.50 rider fare multiplied by the number of passenger boardings.

Additionally, anomalies in the value of Fare Revenue in the Claims Form make no sense: a high of $92,001 Actual fare revenue for FY21/22 to a low of $0 Actual fare revenue reported collected for FY20/21 and FY22/23 in the budget detail provided. When asked about the high $92,001 fare revenue year, City staff stated that they must have anticipated a service increase or other issue that would result in more riders. However, the $92,001 was a fiscal year Actual value, not a Projected value.
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Because Fare Revenue is for tickets sold, the City should have a liability record for tickets sold but not used. According to the Finance staff, they do not track that liability.

Additionally, all staff were unaware of where the $2.50 per client annual Rider ID Card cost was being included as revenue – in the City general fund or to the Paratransit Fare Revenue.

Finance staff were not even aware that an ID fee was being charged.

Recommendation:

The City needs to have a clear understanding of how Fare Revenue is defined for both the budget and in system reporting. If two unique values are used, they should be named differently and reported as ‘Ticket Sale Revenue’ and ‘Fare Revenue’. A record of liability should be maintained for the outstanding value of tickets sold but not collected and if the required ID card is maintained, and used only for the Paratransit and Lyft service, it should be considered as program revenue. If, in fact, the 1,770 noted active clients are each required to obtain a new ID annually at a cost of $2.50, it represents more than $4,300 in revenue.

Identified Issue #21:

Staff & Driver Training. Per staff on the Working Group Call, driver training isn’t needed. The reason seemed to be that because a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is not required for vehicles with their passenger-carrying capacity, no special training was deemed necessary. The Audit Team confirmed that a CDL is not required. City staff instead noted that pre-Covid, an administrative employee with the program would ride along every six months or so to check that the drivers were operating the vehicle appropriately. In cases where a driver is not available, staff cited that an administrative employee would drive the van and that they could use training because ‘...she’s not a driver’, but she’s pretty good.’

Per the Site Visit, drivers say that they need to turn in a photo of their valid driver’s license annually and maintain CPR First Aid certification through the City. They stated that they receive no other training. Drivers cited that vans have insurance cards and accident kits on board, and they were confident that they knew the procedures to handle an accident.

When asked about drug testing, administrative staff didn’t know if testing was done. The drivers are part of a union, but it is an administrative, not a drivers’ union. All staff said they have no regular interaction or communication with the union; they just pay their dues. It appears that the union contract does not hold the drivers accountable to drug testing.

Recommendation:

At a minimum, and per basic program needs, any driver transporting members of the public, regardless of vehicle size, should have Defensive Driving Training with a 934
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refresher every three years. The Audit Team’s Paratransit Consultant noted that the ADA has a list of requirements for employees who work with customers with disabilities to be ‘trained to proficiency’ to include use and care of accessibility equipment; securement of mobility devices; sensitivity training; and understanding disability in general. While not an ADA paratransit service, given the specialized population they serve, drivers should, at a minimum, have mobility device training and training for working with riders with physical and cognitive disabilities. A training program should be implemented and maintained. Pre-employment and accident/incident drug testing should be required if it is not, and random drug testing implemented.

Identified Issue #22:

Personal Care Attendants (PCA). The City is carrying a high number of free PCAs compared to client passengers considering that they carry seniors in addition to passengers with disabilities.

While inconsistent across the unique Route Match reports, for FY21/22, as the earlier chart shows, reported attendant numbers were around 1,250 compared to total Paratransit passengers of around 1,850 (approximately 1,400 ambulatory and 450 wheelchair). Based on these figures, two-thirds of riders are boarding with an attendant. City staff stated on the Working Group Call that they want clients to have a free attendant for all rides, and two if they need it. They don’t certify or verify attendants, saying instead, that whoever can help them load is the attendant.

Recommendation:

Encouraging the use of Paratransit service PCAs can be beneficial in reducing customer incidents. However, the PCA is not a substitute for the driver, and the operator should not be delegating safety-related or rider loading responsibilities to PCAs under any circumstances. A transit entity cannot require that a rider be accompanied by a PCA and the ADA states that transit entity personnel must assist individuals with disabilities with the use of ramps, lifts, and securement systems. The possibility that attendants are being encouraged to ride with a client because of a driver limitation or other reason is concerning.

The Audit Team’s Paratransit Consultant identified that in their experience, for ADA paratransit services, the percentage of clients bringing a free attendant is generally 14%-16%. As the City is around 67%, they should assess both the abilities of the current drivers to assist riders, make it clear to passengers that PCA’s are welcome but not required, and that only one PCA is allowed per customer.

Identified Issue #23:

Software systems and data handling. Staff noted that they were no longer paying a fee to Route Match for the software. They cited purchasing the software ‘5-7 years ago’ and no longer had any interaction, training, or support from Route Match. They recognized the software’s 935
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limitations and incompatibility with other IT services within the city, and had, at the time of the audit, secured a new software system with Via. It was expected to roll out on April 11, 2024.

On the day of the Site Visit the Via software was not working properly. One of the drivers could not log into their tablet, and IT was unable to help. The driver proceeded on route without using the tablet. The second driver had their tablet operating but turned the sound down because it was giving audio driving directions that were not their preferred driving route. The driver didn’t engage with the tablet for the ride-along trip.

As the Route Match costs would not have been included in recent year’s budgets, the new Via contract cost will be an add-on to the existing program costs, which will have an impact on overall cost and cost per passenger.

Recommendation:

Per staff, the Via training crew visited twice, but they moved too quickly and didn’t give time for City staff to understand the system. Staff need additional training and support for the new Via software. They need a clear understanding of the system automation options, and how to make best use of the program, not only with their current limited capacity, but if the program can be grown. While City management staff seemed confident that new software would be a valuable tool in addressing program issues, they must also recognize that software is not a substitute for good program management, and both are needed to realize the full advantages of a software system.

Marketing, Outreach & Feedback ______________________________________________ Review Items:

City-provided Lyft Brochure and Client Orientation Guide, program website, other entity websites, Marketing Audit

Identified Issue #24:

Website. The Richmond Paratransit website should be the primary source of public information for the R-Transit and Lyft services. It is presented on the City’s website under a ‘Transportation’ parent page which also highlights biking, commuter resources, and other public transit services.

The Audit Team reviewed the website and found it to include basic information in English about the two programs, including service area, fares, and steps to apply. The information, however, is not current. The landing page for the Paratransit service includes a notice from 2018 stating that the office is relocating and a Holiday Service Schedule from 2019. Other pages within the program site also reference meetings to be held in 2019. Visitors to the page may question if the program is actively operating.
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The Lyft brochure provided to the Audit Team does not list the website as a resource. Contrary to information submitted in Claims, no other link to the website was found on the websites of other municipalities or WCCTAC. Additionally, an incorrect link to the website is printed on the front of the Client Orientation Guide.

Recommendation:

The program website should be updated regularly. A website is the most basic information a program can offer, and the City is not taking advantage of what can be their most valuable information and promotional tool. As the program pages already exist, keeping them active and updated should cost the City very little.

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The website should offer information in Spanish, or at a minimum, it should include a statement, in Spanish, citing a phone number to call for assistance. If the City has not already done so, the website should be made screen-reader compatible.

A QR code and short URL leading to the program website should be generated and added to print materials. City staff should reach out to jurisdictions, senior resources, and centers for independent living to request that a link to the pages be added to their websites.

Identified Issue #25:

Equity for Limited English Proficiency (LEP). A native Spanish speaker from the Audit Team contacted the primary information number, 510-307-8026, which appears on the website and Lyft brochure, and requested assistance in Spanish on two different occasions. In both instances, she was told “No Habla Espanol” by the person answering the phone who then terminated the call. The Audit Team member was not given the option to speak to someone in Spanish.

On the Working Group Call staff cited that they don’t have regular Spanish language assistance, but that the part-time driver is a native speaker. The budget detail cites an annual staff supplement for bilingual services. Per the Finance response to questions, the payroll supplement is paid to the part-time driver of the Paratransit service, so limited translation would be available only to riders of that driver’s vehicle or over the phone in instances where they are providing administrative support.

Recommendation:

This and lack of printed materials in Spanish is contrary to requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act specifically, as failing to accommodate LEP persons is akin to discrimination on the basis of national origin. The City should connect with a translation services line such as AT&T, to provide consistent assistance in other languages over the phone. Print materials and website information should be available in Spanish or at a minimum, include a Spanish language statement with detail on how to receive language assistance. All materials should be made available, upon request, in large print, Braille, audio, or a digitally accessible format per the ADA.

Identified Issue #26:

Program Brochure. The City references a Lyft brochure in their annual Claims to CCTA. The brochure was provided to the Audit Team. The brochure is in English, and no Spanish language version appears to exist. No accompanying brochure specific to the Paratransit service appears to exist.

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The Audit Team reviewed the Lyft brochure and found it to include basic information about the Lyft program, including trip cost, and steps to apply. It does not include a website address. The information, again, is not current, as the back panel of the brochure encourages potential users to attend 2019 workshops. As with the website, potential clients looking at the brochure may question if the program is actively operating. Additionally, the information blends promotion of the Lyft service with ‘Hours of Operation’ of the Paratransit service, confusing readers about when the Lyft service is available. The Claims Forms indicate that the Lyft brochures are available at ‘…senior centers, government offices, senior housing complexes, doctor/dental offices and anywhere seniors travel.’ The Audit Team visited five senior and medical centers in Richmond on March 26, 2024, but did not find Lyft brochures to be available at any of the locations. A listing of the sites visited, and the Audit Team experience at these locations is available in Attachment 2.

Recommendation:

Ideally, the City should develop a new brochure with promotional information about both the Paratransit and Lyft services. The brochure should be available in English and Spanish, or at a minimum, it should include a statement, in Spanish, citing a phone number to call for assistance. The existing Lyft brochure should be updated, and the most valued attributes of the service highlighted. The brochure should include a QR code leading to the service website. The brochures should be delivered in inexpensive plexiglass holders to all the locations cited in the Claims Form and a business card or note added to the back of the racks citing who to contact to refill the rack. Printing costs should be minimal, and as a passive form of promotion, once new brochures have been delivered, staff time to restock should be minimal.

Identified Issue #27:

Client Orientation Guide. The City provided the Audit Team with a Client Orientation Guide during the Site Visit, and another was offered by senior center staff on an Audit Team visit to locations in Richmond. One Guide was dated 2020-2021 and the second was dated 2021 and included a 2021 Holiday Schedule. Both include a web address on the front: www.rtransit.com

that opens to a site offering to sell the URL. The actual City site is https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2880/R-Transit-Paratransit.

The Guide includes information that does not align with information given by the City on the Working Group Call or at the Site Visit. For example:
• Clients are told in the Guide that No Shows or Late Cancellations will result in a charge equal to the fare. On the Working Group Call, staff said this is not their practice.
• One of the two Guides states that reservations can be made up to 10 days in advance while the other Guide, the website, City staff, and Claims submittals cite that reservations can be made 30 days in advance.
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• The Guide outlines the need for an Identification Card, renewed annually, that must be shown to receive services or purchase ride coupons. Staff on the Working Group Call said that the ID is required but is never requested from a client. During the Site Visit ride along, the Audit Team staff witnessed riders boarding and purchasing ticket books and an ID was never requested.
• The Guide states that ‘one certified’ PCA will be allowed. Staff have stated that they do not ask for any certification and allow two attendants in some cases.

Recommendation:

Errors in the Client Orientation Guide should be corrected, and the booklet updated annually so that new clients receive accurate information. Updated Guides should be distributed to centers for independent living, senior centers, and other sites that are able to promote and share information about the City’s services.

Identified Issue #28:

Client and Ridership Opportunities. Data from the City’s FY23/24 Claim Form cites 1,770 active registered clients in Richmond’s R-Transit program. According to the United States Census Bureau, Richmond had a population of approximately 114,000 in 2022, with 14% aged 65 or older, representing approximately 16,000 residents. Richmond’s R-Transit program is open to all residents ages 55+, which means more than 16,000 seniors are eligible for the R- Transit and Lyft services. As much of Richmond is an Equity Priority Community with a higher- than-average rate of poverty, access to low cost, on-demand transportation should attract a much larger user base than currently exists. The lack of users can be attributed, in part, to poor outreach and promotion.

Additionally, for the 2020 period that the City provided Lyft data, the average total one-way trip cost was $11.85. After the subsidy, riders paid an average of $3.12 per one-way trip. Less costly than the Paratransit service, and available all hours and seven days a week, there should be a significant untapped market for the program.

Recommendation:

Given the previously noted low cost of subsidized Lyft rides, the limited staff time needed to support the Lyft program, and the extended hours and days of operation it affords clients, the City should focus on robust promotion of the Lyft program to increase its client base and ridership. However, the City should also assess if the existing Lyft service must also be supplemented to provide parity in programs to accommodate customers in need of mobility assistance.

Identified Issue #29:

Customer Feedback. The City offers a Paratransit Survey on its website soliciting ratings on a variety of elements of its service including the reservation process, drivers, vehicles, and trip 940
33 Measure J Audit
City of Richmond Paratransit

delivery. The City provided the Audit Team with all survey submissions. Since 2015, they have received a total of 10 individual survey responses. The most recent was from 2018.

All surveys fall outside of the five-year window of audit review, and at just 10 total responses, are an insufficient data set to be used to assess the City’s service. What is relevant, however, is that the survey is not being used.

Additionally, when asked if they kept a log of client feedback received via the phone, they said they do not.

Recommendation:

The City should contact all clients once per year, via mail or email, for the express purpose of soliciting feedback on their service. The survey should be featured prominently on the website in English and Spanish, and an option to call the City to complete the survey over the phone should be provided. Responses should be analyzed each year for ways to improve the customer experience. Third-party contractors are often used to manage and implement surveys for transit agencies, which not only saves staff time but also adds a measure of objectivity.

A log of all client comments, complaints, and commendations should be maintained and the information used to evaluate and improve the program.

Summary & Key Recommendation
The condition of the City of Richmond’s Claims and their program have been an item for discussion at PCC meetings going back to 2019. In the last five years, no marked improvements are apparent in their Claims submittals. While Covid had an impact on all transit operations, other entities have demonstrated success in their recovery efforts and have stabilized their programs.

The City has made efforts to improve their transportation program, namely, its Lyft service, new vehicles, and updated software. For the service gap it fills, the City of Richmond’s Lyft program has added value and new client options to their program, but without data from the City for ridership, or cost allocation for just the Lyft program, it is difficult to assess the program’s quantitative success.

The two new electric vans would be very beneficial, but as noted in this report, they are not currently operational. Additionally, without two full-time drivers to operate the new vans, or outreach to attract new riders, the vehicles will continue to carry the same low number of daily passengers.
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The impact of replacing Route Match with Via software has yet to be realized, as the system was new to staff at the time of the audit. As noted in this report, the manual entry of data, lack of understanding of metrics, and an unengaged management and unempowered staff are preventing the City from making the best use of the new software.

A senior and paratransit operation is needed to serve residents in this area of West County. The City of Richmond R-Transit program provides a valued service to a small, vulnerable population and the dedication of the drivers and administrative support staff to those clients is clear.

However, the potential demand is not being realized due to the various issues documented in this report. The City’s service is suffering from low ridership, high costs, and mismanagement.

As described in this report, identified issues touch every aspect of the City’s transportation operation, and for the five years of review. As such, a complete shift is warranted. In this complete shift, the City will be required to turn over the program management to a separate public agency or new entity. An organization with an understanding of service metrics and standards, and an understanding of the needs of West County residents, such as WCCTAC, would be ideal.

If the service were to remain under the auspices of the City, a new, full-time administrator should be put in charge of the program to prioritize corrections, focusing first on issues of safety and customer care. The position should report directly to senior/executive management in the City. That person should have experience in the delivery of transit services for seniors and persons with disabilities. The service will be monitored and evaluated regularly by CCTA and other agencies, such as WCCTAC.

To enhance CCTA’s responsibilities of the Measure J Sales Tax authority, it should develop a performance improvement plan for the City and schedule regular reviews of the program changes. The PCC should assume the role of monitoring the City’s performance improvements. The City should also assess the cost and potential benefits of transitioning Paratransit service delivery to a contracted vendor.

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Attachments

1. Kick-off Meeting and Data Request Notes. March 4, 2024

2. Marketing Audit Notes. March 26, 2024

3. Working Group Call Notes. April 9, 2024

4. Site Visit Notes. April 16, 2024

5. Cost Pool Memos provided by City

6. Via Contract provided by City

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Atachment 1
Richmond Paratransit Audit Kick-Off
Monday, March 4, 10:30am
AGENDA + NOTES
Invitees/Atended:

CCTA:

Rashida Kamara
AMG:

Laurie Talbert
City of Richmond:

Lori Reese-Brown
LaShonda Wilson
Hope Latell
Deborah Habbs
Mary Cummings
John Nemeth
Coire Reilly
Nickie Mastay
Cher-Lor Arce

Agenda:
• Introduc�ons of teams
a. Richmond staff role in program
i. Lori – PM for program
ii. La Shonda – Deputy City Manager – Transporta�on/community services iii. Hope-Finance Manager
iv. Cher & Nickie – Financial
v. Mary & Deborah- Clients
vi. John & Coire - WCCTAC
b. Iden�fy project contacts
i. Lori/LaShonda – Program Administra�on
ii. Hope – Finance Contact
iii. John/Coire (WCCTAC) – Programming-Funding
• Project Intro and Background
a. CCTA overview
• Next Steps – through end of March/early April
a. Data – documenta�on collec�on
b. Working mee�ng with Richmond staff
c. On-site observa�ons
• Expecta�ons for documenta�on – FY19/20 to FY23/24
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Per PM - City can provide documenta�on by end of next week. Audit Team will set up Dropbox. a. Claims reports – or no claim explana�on
i. City - No claims in Covid year
b. Budget detail
i. City - Budget detail available end of next week
c. Ridership detail – O&D pairs, days and hours
i. City - Requires manual work + Route Match. Select a sampling? ii. CCTA – manual work not needed at this point
d. Paratransit Survey results
e. Write up of City Cost Pool as it relates to program
i. City – Total document available. Write up may take longer. • Ongoing
a. Bi-weekly check ins
b. Ongoing Q&A

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Attachment 2
City Of Richmond MJ15 Marketing Audit
March 26, 2024
Audit Team staff Kirsten Riker visited five locations in Richmond on March 26, 2024 to verify that reported marketing efforts were valid. The assessment was performed in a ‘mystery shopper’ format posing as a member of the public gathering information for a family member.

Details of the site visits are listed below:
• Richmond Senior Annex, 5801 Huntington Avenue
Audit Team staff found no R-Transit, Lyft brochures, or other information on display at the Senior Annex. Annex staff was friendly, helpful, and complementary of senior transit services in Richmond, though unclear on service details of R-Transit and the Lyft program.

Senior Center staff used her computer to print a three-page application packet and told Audit Team staff that it could be turned in or mailed to the Civic Center Plaza for enrollment. While not sure of exact costs, she said some of the people who use the Annex also use the Lyft program and commented that she “doesn’t think a lot of people know about it.”

• Richmond Library – Main Branch, 325 Civic Center Plaza The Richmond library had no brochures about R-Transit and staff suggested I visit the nearby senior center for more information. The library displays AC Transit schedules.

• Richmond Senior Center, 2525 Macdonald Avenue
Senior Center staff was friendly and helpful. R-Transit Orientation Guides (9 pages, stapled, in English, dated 2021 with a 2021 Holiday Schedule) were displayed on a resources table, along with color brochures for Richmond Moves (which were available in English and Spanish). No information about the R-Transit-LYFT program was on display. Senior Center staff mentioned a LYFT component but could not find any brochures.

Senior Center staff looked up information on her computer and provided three printed/stapled pages of information about it. While looking at the website she noted the outdated “upcoming workshop” (listed as November 18, 2019) on the program website and suggested to “just ignore that!” Staff could not say when the next workshop would be but said, “there should be more workshops set up to teach people all the ins and outs of this service.” Staff indicated familiarity with at least one of the R-Transit drivers who apparently stops in every day for ice/water.

• North Richmond Center for Health / Community Resource Center, 1501 Fred Jackson Way
No information was available about senior transportation services. Staff was helpful and looked online for paratransit information and wrote down phone numbers for two paratransit operators (Richmond Paratransit and East Bay Paratransit). She also started to mention Richmond R-Transit, but then said, “Oh wait, no, that’s just a center. These are the ones to call [indicating the paratransit services she had already written down].”

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• Richmond Care Center / Family Medicine (Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation), 2970 Hilltop Mall Road, #304
The Richmond Care Center is a large, multi-story medical office building with various medical/dental offices. Audit Team staff visited the Sutter medical office as it appeared to have the largest practice on the directory. No brochures, posters, or other information was displayed in the main Care Center lobby or in the Sutter office/waiting room.

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Attachment 3
City Of Richmond MJ15 Working Group Call
April 9, 2024

Present:

Audit Team: Laurie Talbert (Audit Lead), Christian Kent (Paratransit Consultant) City of Richmond: LaShonda (Community Services-CS), Lori (PM), Hope (Finance), Mary (Admin Staff)
Introductions and Coordination of April 16 Visit
Introduced Paratransit Consultant. For visit on 16th, City staff cited that 8:45am is first possible trip out, but Driver 2 has a trip starting later, so come after 9am. Send Admin staff cell number so they can update the time if needed. Riding with Driver 1. Second driver is part-time limited.

Status of Data Request
Acknowledge receipt of survey and Cost Pool detail. We still need the items in the table that were requested by the original deadline of March 15 and listed in a March 25 via email. Priority is for the Claims Forms. We need to complete our evaluation and start on the report. We need all remaining data by the day of the Site Visit, April 16.

Questions for City
Questions are based on FY23/24 Claims Form. One version comes from the CCTA PCC meeting minutes, the other uploaded by the City. They are not the same. These questions follow the PCC version. Note¿ Questions sent to City in advance. Not able to cover all questions. Notes include only those covered from the original list and follow-up questions asked on the call. • PARATRANSIT FARES:
o What is cost to rider per one-way trip?
 City: $4 one-way in advance $5 same-day.
o How many same-day trips do you take @ $5?
 City: Once a day or every other.
o Are all passengers boarding the vehicle charged? - attendants, guests, guardians 948
 PM: Attendants are free – there can be more than one.  Paratransit Consultant: ADA allows one free attendant.  PM: We want them to have an attendant for all rides. If they need two attendants, we allow it.
 Paratransit Consultant: Understandably, two attendants may serve different purposes
 PM: Guests pay. I don’t know what a ‘guardian’ is – maybe caregiver.  Audit Lead: It is referenced on one of your Route Match reports.  PM: I’m not sure.
o How is fare payable?
 Admin staff: Pay with a ticket. Driver sells them by check - no cash - and turn it into office. Also, can buy at the office and cashier window too. They collect $20 per book.
o Is the fare revenue based on tickets sold or tickets collected at the time of the ride?  PM: I believe Fare Revenue on Claim Form is tickets sold – not collected.  Paratransit Consultant: Is there any other way to pay?  City: No.
 Audit Lead: How is the difference reconciled? You could sell $1M in tickets and only $500k have been used. Is this recorded as liability? • Finance: No. The liability is not recorded anywhere.
o Is the same definition of ‘revenue’ used on all data where ‘revenue’ is reported? The numbers don’t match Route Match reports.
 PM: Not sure why those numbers wouldn’t match. Not sure where the information comes from. Admin staff draws up the report. It could be based on what the manifest says is owed from riders – and they input what riders pay, so fare collected not tickets sold.
• HOURS: Please confirm hours for passenger contacts:
o Service hours for first p/u time to last drop/off time  City: 8:45am/4:15pm last pick up – last drop-off could be 4:30pm. PM: We contract to a supplemental van service, TransMETRO. If we can’t meet schedule, then we engage TransMETRO.
o Reservation days/hours that a rider can call to request ride and #  City: 24/7 and leave message 510-307-8026. In person from 8:30am - 5 o General information/customer support days/hours and #  City: 8:30am-5pm 510-307-8026. They only have a ½ time person – then Admin staff takes over. Admin staff and Dispatcher do it. PM: We formerly had a staff of 14, had to scale back.
o What days/hours are Lyft users supported with ride scheduling assistance?  PM: Can call anytime to 510-307-8026. Admin staff has given their personal cell to assist people.
o What do ‘business hours’ and ‘office hours’ represent? Both mentioned in claim form.
 PM: 8:30am – 5pm They are the same thing. 510-307-8026 o Is language translation offered on all these lines for all days/hours? 949
 Admin staff: We call HR and they will put someone on to translate.  PM: No. Right now it is only the part-time driver. They speak Spanish. o What languages are supported?
 Admin staff: Not sure.
 PM: Right now it is limited Spanish only.
• STAFFING:
o Two full-time drivers are noted in Claims Form, but for FY24, claim vehicle logs show just 13 days when both vehicles recorded service miles. With just one vehicle operating most of the time, what does second driver do when not on the road?  PM: At the time we had two FT drivers. One driver’s schedule was reassessed. They have a disability and can’t lift things – restrictions.

Sometime Dispatcher goes out to drive, that’s why the two drivers are listed  PM: One part-time Dispatch, One full-time Admin, and PM is part time Admin as management.
• OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK
o Besides the online survey, what personal opportunities are there for client feedback?
 PM: We work through the Commission on Aging and WCCTAC. o Do you keep a log of feedback you receive via phone?
 Admin staff: No. Phone log for feedback is not kept.
o When did staff last attend a Commission on Aging monthly meeting?  PM: In the last few weeks.
• ROUTE MATCH SOFTWARE
o Does the city use software system independently? ie. generate all reports and do all data entry?
 Admin staff: We generate everything and enter information o Does Route Match provide software support and/or training? Can you call with issues?
 PM: Route Match has glitches. We had a contract, then we bought their software, but it is not compatible with City systems. Route Match does nothing for us now. We stopped paying for Route Match 5-7 years ago. New software from Via, based in Route Match reporting. More fields for clarity.

Rolls out this week. They are doing training on 4/10. Needed new tablets – working with IT.
• CLIENTS
o FY23/24 claim lists both ‘Active Clients’ (1,770) and ‘Registered Clients’ (FY2023 Projected 3,720). What is the difference between the two?  City: Active is the more current as active clients.
 Admin staff: I look at obituaries and see when they stopped riding and remove them. We don’t have as many active clients.
o Is there a fee to register as a client?
 Admin staff: They purchase an ID annually. $2.50 each year.  Audit Lead: Do they show it to the driver when they ride? 950
 Admin staff: No. It has always been in place, but they don’t need it to ride. If they don’t get an ID they aren’t eligible to ride.
 Audit Lead: And they have to get a new one every year?  PM: No
 Admin staff: Yes, we have them do it every year for $2.50. o How does that cost factor into the budget or revenue?  PM: The money is City funds, but I don’t know how it is accounted for.  Finance: I didn’t know there was an ID or $ collected for it  Admin staff: I’m not sure why we still do this.
o Do clients ever have to reapply – proving continued eligibility?  Admin staff: Annually when they do the ID card.
o Claim narrative states that Route Match doesn’t provide a breakdown of people registered by incorporated and unincorporated. One version of claim form breaks it out – how were the numbers generated for the table?
 PM: Route Match doesn’t give us that. The new Via software will let us.  Audit Lead: What would it take from the City to be able to do this now with Route Match?
 PM: Admin staff did it manually for the Claim Form and it took her a week. • FARE REVENUE
o Fare Revenue FY22 was $92,001 actual but FY23 is $20k projected. Why such a significant change?
 PM: I don’t know. With the supplemental service TransMETRO they were trying to serve more people, we must have figured we’d get a lot more riders.  Audit Lead: This was actual reported revenue, not a projection (Post meeting note – TransMETRO wasn’t contacted until October, 2023 and would not have been a factor for FY22 revenue)
 PM: Not sure. For the $20K we didn’t think we’d have the service. Not sure about the $92k in fares.
o How do you calculate projected fare revenue? What rider cost are you using?  PM: We look at how many people we might carry plus internal challenges.

We thought we could use ECIA money, but could only be used inside Richmond.
o Have there been any periods of time over the last five claim years when fares were not collected? If so, when?
 PM: We never stopped collecting fares during Covid
o If you had two full-time drivers, could you fill the vans?  PM: We want the option for 2 full-time van drivers so the passengers have options. It could be Lyft, Paratransit or TransMETRO. Union drivers – just 1.5 now, and only drivers for the city. They are part of the General Admin union. • PASSENGER TRIPS
o When did Lyft service start?
 Admin staff: July, 10th 2018.
o For ‘Total Passenger Trips’ on the Claims Form are you recording total Passenger Boarding counts?
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 PM: Yes
 Admin staff: No. It is the trip we count, not how many are on board-just the trip.
 PM: No, we include both. It is everyone who boards a vehicle that is included.
 Audit Lead: How does Route Match define a ‘trip’ then and what do you think the Claim Form is asking for with ‘trip’?
• PM: They are asking for trips
• Admin staff: A trip is a single trip from one place to the other with a registered client – not all who board. Route Match gives us this. o Do ‘Total Passenger Trips’ on Table C include both Paratransit and Lyft rides?  PM: Yes.
o Does number of Wheelchair Passengers on claims form represent total WC trips given or number of clients in database that use a WC?
 Admin staff: Not sure. It should be total clients in wheelchairs. o Do clients declare their PCA? Is the need verified by their Dr.? Both disability qualified and seniors? Is their name part of the manifest so driver knows who is eligible?
 Admin staff: Yes, or they just show up. They cite an attendant when they are eligible. Self-declared for an attendant.
 Audit Lead: So, no certification or check with doctor? • PM: Whoever can help them load is the attendant
o Are they each counted in passenger trip total?
 Yes.
o Do they each pay a fare?
 City: Attendants No. Guest Yes. Don’t know what a guardian is. o Can you confirm that reported trips are one-way trips?  PM: Yes.
o How are you calculating Revenue Service Hours?
 PM: Route Match tells us what it is.
 Audit Lead: Are Lyft hours included anywhere?
• PM: No.
o How are you calculating Passenger trips per Revenue Service Hours. Are LYFT passengers included, but hours aren’t?
 City: We use total passengers from both services to do the calculation. o How do you define a No-Show?
 Admin staff: We get there and there’s no answer.
o What if a passenger has repeated no shows? Do you have rider policies?  Admin staff: Policy was that you had to pay for the trip anyway, but we don’t do that anymore. Repeated no shows are rare.
o How do you define a cancellation?
 Admin staff: When they call in and cancel or do it at the door when we go to pick them up. No time frame for a cancel.
o Does the city ever cancel a ride for any reason?
952
 PM: Nope. If a driver calls in sick, they divide rides between the part-time driver and Dispatcher. Or contact TransMETRO. (Follow-up Note: On the day of the Site Visit, two one-way rides were cancelled by the City after a client had been loaded because the van would not operate.) o What training do drivers get?
 Admin staff: Pre-covid I rode with them every 6 months, to do a driver check and make sure they follow traffic rules. They don’t need training. Deborah is the only one who would need training because she’s not a driver, but she’s pretty good.
 PM: They just need a state DL. Class B isn’t required by the number of seats. o How do you calculate % on-time performance
 PM: That comes from Route Match
 Admin staff: Not sure what it means.
 Audit Lead: Could it be for adherence to your pick-up window?  PM: That’s it. From the scheduled pick-up time.
o What are your service standards and goals for no-shows, cancellations, and on-time performance?
 PM: We have goals that we report out. It is in the City-wide budget. We have a goal of no cancellations.
 Audit Lead: It would be nice to see a copy of that.
 PM: We can send it. (Note: information not received) • FARE SUBSIDY
o What does the $44 represent in the FY23/24 claim?
 CS: This doesn’t make sense. It must be a mistake. We are trying to correct that stuff to help us clean things up.
• VEHICLE PRODUCTIVITY
o There are days when no vehicle is operating in FY23/24 claim. What reasons would there be?
 PM: TransMETRO is new – just this year. If it shows no operation then a van was out of service or no available driver. The rides go to TransMETRO and that info is recorded in Route Match. Just no vehicle records from them.

They bill us every month.
 Admin staff: TransMETRO does not give that information to us.  PM: They give it to us in our invoices, but it doesn’t go to Admin staff. Route Match won’t capture mileage because we don’t put it in. TransMETRO sells the ticket books and it gets counted in Fare Revenue. TransMETRO invoices per trip – at a cost based on vehicles and the trip. Cost shows up in the budget, but not sure where. Not sure the basis for the charges either – per rider?
• UNMET NEEDS
o How are ‘outside the service area’ requests recorded – both from patrons outside? and for trips outside? What detail do you keep?
 Admin staff: They are callers who want to be riders but aren’t eligible because of where they live.
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Attachment 4
City Of Richmond MJ15 Site Visit
April 16, 2024

Present:

Audit Team: Laurie (Audit Lead)
City of Richmond: LaShonda (Community Services – CS), Deborah (Dispatcher), Drivers 1 (full-time) and Driver 2 (part-time)
Vehicles in Lot
There were three R-Transit vehicles in the lot. Van 1927 and two Electric vehicles. Van 1922 was already out on the road. Per drivers, it is the primary vehicle. 1927 is the back up because it is in worse shape. Richmond Moves had 12 vehicles in the lot in a variety of sizes, both electric and hybrid. Per Driver 2, the vehicles aren’t shared and Richmond Moves uses Via contracted drivers.

Audit Lead spoke with a Via driver who said that charging is tough as the chargers in the City lot are also used by the public and sometimes when he returns, they are full and he has no spot to charge.

He has to take a chance on charging the next morning.

Per both drivers and Dispatcher: The new vehicles were secured by a former Transportation Department employee, and they cannot be used yet. They are intended to replace the two older vans. All three cited the same issues:

1. The charging system was incompatible with the charging units at the City, so they can’t b
e charged.

2. The vehicles have a lift for WC, but don’t accommodate seniors well. The first step is to
o high and there are no rails to hold onto for support when climbing the steps.

3. The vans aren’t registered yet.

All three also stated they don’t know who is managing the issues, how or when the problems will be resolved.

Office Visit Pre-Ride
The office was hard to find. Audit Lead didn’t find the Cashier’s Desk while they were there.

CS, Dispatcher and Driver 2 were there. Because full-time Admin Staff was sick, Dispatcher was at the phones. Driver 2 had two AM trips (a round-trip for a single rider) then would relieve Dispatcher when they left at 12:30pm. Driver 2 acts in an admin capacity when not driving. Driver 2 is a full- time employee but does primarily admin work as they only run extra AM trips that are not WC. They have a disability accommodation and admin does not book trips for them for WC passengers.

Dispatcher gave Audit Lead a manifest sample. They are printed with the ride pick-up info, but the driver enters all times and odometer readings. Those are manually entered into the system the following day.

Asked CS if ‘Transportation Services’ is R-Transit only. Per CS, as long as it is coded for 1003, it includes only Paratransit. Audit Lead requested a TransMETRO invoice, additional information about the Cost Pool General Liability charge that was not addressed in the Cost Pool Memo, and 954
detail about how they were paying for the Via system – a one-time cost or a monthly SaaS. (Audit Lead followed-up with an email the next day detailing the request and received the additional Cost Pool and Via information)
Via rollover: It was the first week. They couldn’t get the tablets operating – they would not accept the passwords. Via came only twice for training, and they moved too fast and didn’t give time for notes. The staff needs more help.

Ride along with Driver 2
Driver 2 and Audit Lead started by going to the IT office because the driver tablet would not let them log in with their password. IT could not help them. The ‘forgot password’ gave a response saying to get your temporary password from the ‘Dispatch Manager’ , but neither knew who that was. They opted to proceed without the tablet, as driver knew the client well and knew where she lived. Driver 2 and Audit Lead went to van 1927. Driver 2 had a single round-trip rider pick up for the day. The van was stuck in Park and would not shift into Drive. Driver 2 cited that if the door is not closed properly, the van won’t shift into Drive. They opened and closed the right-side slider, pushing on it to close it tight. It still would not come out of Park. As staff had already identified that the driver had a disability accommodation, Audit Lead was not comfortable with the force they needed to use to try to get the back side of the door latched. Audit Lead tried with the same result then circled the van and saw a seatbelt sticking out of the left sliding door. Audit Lead opened the door, cleared the seatbelt then closed it and the van released from Park. Driver 2 noted that they would not stop the van at the first pick up, as they were afraid it would lock up again.

Arrived to pick up the passenger at 10:25am for her scheduled 10am pick up. She had a walker and boarded independently. Driver 2 secured her lap belt, then the walker. The passenger was out of ride coupons and gave a check for $20 to purchase a new book. Driver 2 took four, $2 tickets from the book to pay for both trip directions, as they would be waiting at the drop off location to return the client back home. The client acknowledged that the van was late but praised the service and drivers.

Ticket System
The drivers have a stack of books, numbered, and a sign-out sheet in the glove compartment. Checks are returned to the office at the end of the day, but the sign-out sheet which logs the rider, ticket book number, and total collected, remains in the van until all coupon books have been sold.

At the end of the shift the drivers turn in their pre and post ride checklist, their manifest, any checks they received and the ticket sign-out sheet if it is full.

Driver 2 had, in fact, shut off the van upon arrival, and the van would not shift out of Park again.

Both the driver and Audit Lead tried opening and closing the two doors, pushing hard to lock them in place, but could not get the van to release from Park. Driver 2 called Dispatcher who cancelled the rider trip and called to have the Maintenance Yard pick up the van with a tow truck. They also arranged for Driver 1 to pick them up before their next client trip.

After the passenger was deboarded Audit Lead asked Driver 2 about the service and what changes are needed while waiting for Driver 1. They said, ‘We need help’. They need training in the new Via 955
system, they need the new vehicles to be outfitted properly and working, and they need more drivers. They said they don’t get enough money to run the service – they ‘need more money’ . They said it is a good service, and the riders like the drivers. They are sending trips to TransMETRO because of the van issues, and Driver 2 limitations, but the riders don’t want to ride with TransMETRO and will often change their trip time to one where they are sure the City van can pick them up. Driver 2 said they were fearful that the audit will shut down the Paratransit service.

Per Driver 2, more passengers want to use Lyft because of the hours and because it is just $3, but only the ambulatory can ride. And they don’t understand that they have to apply for R-Transit first to use it. ‘People just don’t understand. ’ Driver 2 also cited that if a rider makes less than 50k/year they get the trip free. (Audit Team could find no information about a low-income program) The drivers have City-provided cell phones to speak to each other and the Dispatcher.

Per Driver 2 – Pre-Covid they may have multiple riders at a time, but now it is mostly just one at a time. The set up of the WC area appears to comfortably only allows for one WC passenger with one ambulatory at the same time – could be an attendant.

Driver 2 insisted that they drive the van regularly, but Dispatcher indicated (and vehicle records support) that they only drive occasionally.

Ride along with Driver 1
Driver 1 arrived at the inoperative van and was able to shut the door to allow the vehicle out of Park.

Says they ‘knows the magic trick’ to closing it. They advised Driver 2 to cancel the tow and drive directly to the Maintenance Yard. Driver 2 called Dispatcher who said Maintenance wanted it towed. Driver 2 moved the van out of the lot where it was blocking cars and onto the street. They were advised to leave the key under the mat and the door unlocked. Driver 2 was fearful after the van drove away that the ticket books and check they had received would be stolen from the van.

Driver 1 drove to their pickup for a wheelchair client. It was an 11am pick up. On the way, their tablet was giving driving directions. They turned the volume down saying they like their route better.

Because they had assisted Driver 2, they arrived at 11:15am. They said they have a 15-minute window (On the Working Group Meeting, City staff cited 20-minute.) Driver 1 loaded the client, she moved to the seat, and they secured her wheelchair. Driver 2 belted her in. They collected four $2 tickets for both directions of her trip, as the same driver would be taking her home later. Driver 1 did not use the tablet for any part of the trip, instead recording rider pick up time on a paper manifest.

Her drop off was at the city, so the group returned to the office and Driver 1 took their lunch. Driver 2 confirmed that the tow was complete and drove their car to the Maintenance Yard to recover the tickets and check.

When asked about training, both drivers said they receive no special training. They have to keep a valid license and give a photo of it each year. They also maintain CPR/First aid, attending City classes to keep renewed. When asked, Driver 1 cited that onboard they have their insurance card and an accident kit and that they were comfortable with knowing how to handle an accident.

Audit Lead asked Driver 1 what they would improve in the service:
- They need more drivers, and should stop using TransMETRO for trips 956
- They need new vehicles, but not those new electric vans – gas vans. They think charging will be too hard and they already have a key to fill up at any of the City fuel spots. T hey also said they didn’t know what was happening with the new vehicles and why they weren’t being fixed.
- If Via was working it would be okay. One complaint is that it gives out loud driving directions, but drivers know better how to get there. Also, the mapping doesn’t include points of interest so they can’t use location name for pick-up and drop-off – it has to be a street address.

O
ffice Visit Post-Ride
Audit Lead spoke with Dispatcher, asking follow-up questions:

1. Do you have a rider guide or info you give them?
a. Yes. Gave a copy (dated 2020/2021)

2. How many days in advance can a rider reserve?
a. They prefer 3-4. One day isn’t enough time because it is harder to schedule in a
nd TransMETRO needs their trip info the day before if possible. They can take up to 30 days ahead.
b. Appointment returns are scheduled the same time as the pick-up, so the only same-day requests they receive are for entirely new trips. If they are AM they can sometimes work them into the Driver 2 schedule. It doesn’t work for Tr
ansMETRO because they send the manifest the day before. (Note: this does no
t align with statements by staff on Working Group Call that TransMETRO is used for same-day trips)

3. Will the Via system involve any other system changes? a. Not sure. The system has an ‘optimize’ feature that schedules the ride but they don’t use it because it gives wheelchairs to Driver 2, and they can’t take them, so they still manually schedule.
b. They need more training on Via to know it better. They came just twice and it was m
any months apart. They printed out their guide and are trying to train themselves.

4. Drug testing of drivers/union?
a. They know they are part of the union because they pay dues, but otherwise they don’t really know anything about it. No random drug testing – they have never been tested or the drivers either that they know of.
5 . What would you improve about the service?
a. Want more drivers
b. Need resolution to the vehicles. Why don’t they have them to use? c. Otherwise, things are running smoothly.
d. They didn’t understand why they couldn’t serve other people – they get calls s
ometimes and they have to turn them down. They get lots of ride requests to Oakland.
957
450 C
ivic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804
Telephone: (510) 620-6869 Fax: (510) 620-6542 www.ci.richmond.ca.us

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Transportation Division
A
pril 4, 2024
RE
: Cost Pool
T
he following is a brief explanation of our cost pool provided by the Deputy Director of Finance, Mubeen Qadar in the draft budget staff report pages 10 and 11 on June 7,2022. While the Cost Pool allocations are significant, the City’s General Fund subsidy to Transportation Operations for FY2022-23 was $523,814.

Attachment 5
958

450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804
Telephone: (510) 620-6869 Fax: (510) 620-6542 www.ci.richmond.ca.us

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Transportation Division

April 22, 2024

RE: Cost Pool – General Liability

The following is a brief explanation of our General Liability portion of the cost pool provided by the Deputy Director of Finance, Mubeen Qadar in the draft budget staff report page 9 on June 7,2022.

Workers Compensation and General Liability: Rates are generally derived from the Actuarial report that factors in several drivers around the number of existing claims and expected claims depending on the existing risk and targeted confidence level of the Risk Reserve. The initial rates, in the proposed draft budget presented on May 3, 2022, were to achieve 65 percent confidence Risk Reserve level, resulting in significant increases in charges from the current year budget level. To avoid drastic budget increases to the City departments, the City staff proposes that the increase in the confidence level should be implemented gradually over several years. Until the City develops a formal plan for the Confidence Level increment, the proposed draft budget for FY 2022-2023 is set to increase the General Liability Charges by five percent city-wide from the FY 2021-2022 budget level.

Workers Compensation charges are only increasing by one percent in each category listed in Table 7 below.

959

CITY OF RICHMOND

CONTRACT AMENDMENT
Department: Project Manager:

Project Manager E-mail: Project Manager Phone No:

P.R. No: Vendor No: P.O./Contra ct No:

Description of Services:

Amendment No. ___ modifies the: (2nd or subsequent amendments attach Amendment History page)

Term, Payment Limit and Service Plan
Payment Limit and Service Plan

Term and Service Plan
Service Plan
The parties to this Contract Amendment do mutually agree and promise as follows:

1. Parties. The parties to this Contract Amendment are the City of Richmond, California, a municipal corporation (City), and the following named Contractor:

Company Name:

Street Address:

City, State,
Zip Code:

Contact Person:

Telephone: Email:

Business License No: / Expiration Date:

A California [ ] corporation, [ ] limited liability corporation [ ] general partnership, [ ] limited partnership, [ ] individual, [ ] non-profit corporation, [ ] individual dba as [specify:]
[ ] other [specify:]

2. Purpose
. This Contract Amendment is being entered into to amend the Contract between City and Contractor which was approved by the City Council of the City of Richmond or executed by the City Manager on , which original term commenced on and terminates with an original
contract payment limit of $ . Said contract shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Original Contract" and is incorporated herein by reference.

3. Original Contract Provisions. The parties hereto agree to continue to abide by those terms and conditions of the Original Contract, and any amendments thereto, which are unaffected by this Contract Amendment.

Transportation
Denée Evans
[email protected]
621-1718
15056
5755

TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY ENABLED INTEGRATED SERVICES FOR ON DEMAND LOCAL ELECTRIC SHUTTLE ✔
2 NOMAD TRANSIT, LLC
10 CROSBY STREET, FLOOR 2
NEW YORK, NY 10013

GARRETT BRINKER
(574) 286-4710
[email protected]
✔
Delaware, LLC.

October 19, 2021
October 1, 2021
July 7, 2024
1,000,000.00
DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 Attachment 6
960
Contract Amendment/EJ/TE 09-26-07

4. Amendment Provisions. This Contract Amendment is subject to the Amendment Provisions attached here
to, which are incorporated herein by reference, and which control over any conflicting provisions of the Original Contract, or any amendment thereto.

5. City of Richmond Business License Active Status Maintained. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section

7.04.030, the Contractor must maintain its City of Richmond business license for this Contract Amendment to be deemed to be in effect.

6. Insurance Coverage Updated and Maintained. Pursuant to the Original Contract, the Contractor shall provide the City with updated insurance certificates, and the Contractor
shall maintain insurance coverage, for this Contract Amendment to be deemed to be in effect.

7. Signatures. These signatures attest the parties’ agreement hereto:

CITY OF RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA
a municipal corporation
By _______________________
Title:

I hereby certify that the Original Contract
and this Amendment have been approved
by the City Council or executed by the City
Manager.

By _______________________
City Clerk
Approved as to form:

By_______________________
City Attorney
List of Attachments:

1. Amend ment Provisions

2. Updated Insurance Certificates
CONTRACTOR:
______________________________
(*The Corporation Chairperson of the Board, President or Vice-President should sign on the line below.)
By____________________________
Title:________________________
(*The Corporation Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary should sign on the line below.)
By:___________________________
Title:________________________
(NOTE: Pursuant to California Corporations
Code Section 313, if Contractor is a
corporation or nonprofit organization, this
Contract (1) should be signed by the
Chairperson of the Board, President or
Vice-President and
the Chief Financial
Officer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary; (2)
should have both signatures conform to
designated representative groups pursuant
to Corporations Code Section 313.

NOMAD TRANSIT, LLC
DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF Manager
DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 Mayor
961
Contract Amendment between the City of Richmond and
Amendme
nt No. P.O./Contract No.

AMENDMENT PROVISIONS (PAYMENT LIMIT AND SERVICE PLAN)

1. Paragraph 3 (Payment Limit) of the Original Contract is hereby amended to increase the
payment limit by $
. Paragraph 3 of the Original
Contract is amended to read as follows:
"3. Payment Limit. City's total payments to Contractor under this Contract Amend
ment shall not exceed $
including expenses."
“The City of Richmond shall not pay for services that exceed the Contract Payment Limit without the prior written approval of the City Manager if the total Contract amount does not exceed $10,000 or without the prior approval of the City Council if the total Contract amount is over $10,000.”

2. The Service Plan (Exhibit A) of the Original Contract is hereby amended to include the f
ollowing tasks and/or services:

Contract Amendment/EJ/TE 9-26-07

NOMAD TRANSIT, LLC
2 5755
312,500.00
1,650,731.00

See attachments for:

i. Additional TaaS vehicle hours to the current contract and ii. SaaS paratransit service order that outlines the project scope for our paratransit software DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 962
Amendment #2
to the
City of Richmond Standard Contract
Nomad Transit, LLC (“Via”) and the City of Richmond (“Customer” and, together with Via, the “Parties”) have entered into that certain agreement titled City of Richmond Standard Contract (the “Agreement”), dated October 1, 2021. Upon execution of this Amendment #2 (the “Amendment”), the Parties agree to modify the Agreement as follows:

1. Pa
ragraph 3 (Payment Limit) of the Original Contract is hereby amended to increase the payment limit by $139,128.00. Paragraph 3 of the Original Contract is amended to read as follows:
“3. P
ayment Limit. City’s total payments to Contractor under this Contract Amendment shall not exceed $1,477,359.00. including expenses.”

2. Section 3 of the Transit- as-a-Service (TaaS) Service order of the Agreement is hereby revised by adding the following language and attached pricing table” “For the duration of the contract term, 1762 vehicle hours will be added at the current rate of $78.96.”

3. Conf
licts, Use of Terms, Governing Law. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Agreement. Except as expressly provided herein, the terms and conditions of the Agreement remain unchanged. This Amendment #2 will be governed by the same law as the Agreement.

This Amendment #2 is effective as of March 1, 2023
Nomad Transit, LLC City of Richmond
By:

By:

Nam
e: Name:

Title
: Title:

DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF Manager
Alex Lavoie
DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 Mayor
Eduardo Martinez
963
Richmond, CA DEPLOYMENT SERVICE ORDER
By this service order (the “Order”), Nomad Transit LLC, a Delaware company with its principal office located at 10 Crosby Street, Floor 2, New York, New York 10013 (“ Via”), and the customer identified below (“Customer”) agree to collaborate towards the operation by Customer of the deployment (the “Deployment”) in Richmond, CA Customer Name: City of Richmond
Customer Entity Type / State of Incorporation: City
Customer Notice Address: 440 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA 94804
Customer Email: [email protected]
Term: The duration of the Deployment shall last until the last day of the calendar month during which a period of 60 months following Launch expires, subject to extension by mutual agreement of the parties on terms to be agreed (including any increase in monthly fees for additional months).

Services: Customer will receive access to the standard Via Solution and automatic software updates, comprised of:
(a) Fully localized proprietary routing and matching algorithms that analyze all trip requests, assign riders dynamically to the best-suited vehicle, and group passengers headed in the same direction into efficient shared rides powered by Via’s patented technology;
(b) Integrated reservation system to accept and schedule trips booked in real time, in advance, or on a recurring basis; (c) Downloadable iOS and Android rider apps that allow customers to book rides, track vehicles in real time, pay for trips, and troubleshoot any issues. The rider apps shall be dedicated to this Deployment. For the avoidance of doubt, the rider apps used in connection with the Transit- as a-Service (TAAS) SERVICE ORDER will not be utilized in connection with this Deployment ;
(d) A web-based booking portal to book trips;
(e) Downloadable driver app that provides efficient turn-by-turn directions; the app allows drivers to start and end driving time, schedule breaks, and contact live support; and (f) Access to the Via Operations Console (“VOC”), which allows administrators to perform a variety of functions, including booking trips, checking trip details, adjusting account information, and providing customer support, and accessing reports, as provided for in Appendix 1.
(g) Access to the data reporting set out in Appendix 1, made available via the VOC.

Support Services – Installation. Via provides installation support for up to four weeks after the Deployment begins serving Riders, consisting of:
(a) Localization for the Deployment Zone (defined below), including optimizing the algorithm, configuring back -end, and defining acceptable pick-up and drop off points;
(b) Testing and quality assurance;
(c) Helping Customer to build a launch plan and rider acquisition strategy; and (d) Instruction for drivers, dispatchers, and managers on Via’s best practices as remote launch support Support Services – Ongoing. The following services are included in the fees up to the number of hours per month identified below:
(a) Operational support and system adjustments: Includes algorithm adjustments and changes to virtual bus stops / pickup points at request of Customer: up to 10 hours per month (b) Expert consulting: up to 5 hours per month
● Marketing and growth: help setting up complex promotions, review and assistance for third party tools that can integrate into Via’s tech
● Operations: Including supply optimization analysis, payment & fraud investigation, and business case/unit economics analysis
● Service expansion: Including feasibility analysis for service expansions or additional projects (c) Tech Support: Dedicated Via point of contact will use commercially reasonable efforts to respond within one business day for non-critical issues (upon receipt of a detailed description of the issue as requested by Via) and to ensure that assistance is provided within a reasonable time frame. Via will also provide Customer with an appropriate channel for alerting Via to system outages or other critical issues, with respect to which Via will provide emergency assistance.

Via will notify Customer if Customer is within 1 hour of exceeding the capped hourly limit on Operational Support and System Adjustments and/or Consulting Services. If requested, hours beyond those set out above will be charged on an hourly rate.
(d) Additional Services. Via can provide optional add-on services, including consulting, fixed route referral, live agent support, multi-modal or third-party trip planner integrations, media and advertising services, marketing support, or access to our Remix® transit planning software for an additional fee. More details available upon request.

DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 964
Customer Responsibilities.
(a) General. Customer will operate and manage the Deployment as set forth in the Terms, Customer shall cooperate with Via as necessary for the purpose of setting up the Deployment and its specifications, including by providing prompt feedback to Via’s inquiries and providing local insights, in order to meet mutually agreed upon deadlines. (b) Launch. Within one week of signing this Order, the Parties will mutually agree on the targeted launch date of the Deployment (“Launch”). Launch shall be no fewer than 12 weeks following execution of this Order. In the event that the Launch date is moved at Customer’s request or delayed due to Customer’s inaction, Customer will be charged a Technology Fee (as defined in Section “Fees” below) to accommodate hosting and other direct IT costs.
(c) Zone: Customer and Via will agree at least three months prior to launch on the exact geographical scope for the Deployment zone (“Deployment Zone”). Any changes or expansions to the Deployment Zone may result in additional fees.
(d) Support Requests. At the start of the project, Via will direct Customer towards the relevant CRM tools to log requests. In order to trigger a Product Maintenance request, requests for product maintenance must contain detailed information about the nature of the request. Requests for additional features may be subject to additional fees.
(e) Payment Processing. The fees set forth above do not include any owed to the third-party payment processor. Via will facilitate an introduction to its recommended payment processor and Custo mer is responsible for entering an agreement with such payment processor in order to be able to process credit card payments.

Fees.

Customer shall pay Via the following Fees for the Term, subject always to the Minimum Monthly Fee set out below:

Fee Category Amount Invoicing Terms
Installation Fee $30,000 Payable upon signing of this Order
Monthly Fees
Year 1 per-vehicle fees ● For 1-3 vehicles: $1,000 per vehicle per calendar month with a minimum of
$2,000 per month (i.e., 2-vehicle
minimum)
● For 4-10 vehicles: $400 per vehicle per
calendar month
● For 11-15 vehicles: $350 per vehicle per
calendar month

Subject to a minimum of $1,000 per month (i.e a
2-vehicle minimum) (the “Minimum Monthly
Fee”)
Advance Annual Payment in
accordance with paragraph 1
below

Year 2 per-vehicle fees ● For 1-3 vehicles: $1,050 per vehicle per calendar month with a minimum of
$2,200 per month (i.e., 2-vehicle
minimum)
● For 4-10 vehicles: $420 per vehicle per
calendar month
● For 11-15 vehicles: $370 per vehicle per
calendar month

Advance Annual Payment in
accordance with paragraph 1
below
Year 3 per-vehicle fees ● For 1-3 vehicles: $1,105 per vehicle per calendar month with a minimum of
$2,210 per month (i.e., 2-vehicle
minimum)
● For 4-10 vehicles: $440 per vehicle per
calendar month
● For 11-15 vehicles: $390 per vehicle per
calendar month

Advance Annual Payment in
accordance with paragraph 1
below
DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 965
Year 4 per-vehicle fees ● For 1-3 vehicles: $1,160 per vehicle per calendar month with a minimum of
$2,320 per month (i.e., 2-vehicle
minimum)
● For 4-10 vehicles: $460 per vehicle per
calendar month
● For 11-15 vehicles: $410 per vehicle per
calendar month

Advance Annual Payment in
accordance with paragraph 1
below
Year 5 per-vehicle fees ● For 1-3 vehicles: $1,220 per vehicle per calendar month with a minimum of
$2,440 per month (i.e., 2-vehicle
minimum)
● For 4-10 vehicles: $485 per vehicle per
calendar month
● For 11-15 vehicles: $430 per vehicle per
calendar month

Advance Annual Payment in
accordance with paragraph 1
below
Total Minimum Amount
for 60 Months
$162,840 assuming 2 vehicles (excluding additional vehicles in excess of the minimum and any Fees for any Additional Services)

The Customer agrees to pay the Minimum Monthly Fee ( i.e., the monthly vehicle minimum fees set out in the table above) for a period of 12 months in advance and annually thereafter (the "Advance Annual Fee"). Via will submit an invoice for Advance Annual Fee upon signature of this Order payment due in accordance with the Terms. For the avoidance of doubt, the first Advance Annual Fee is due in advance of Launch. Via will invoice the Advance Annual Fee annually thereafter for the remainder of the Term .

In the event that the per -vehicle-fees incurred for a given month exceed the Minimum Monthly Fee, Customer shall be responsible for paying the difference for each such month (“Monthly True-Up”) within 15 days of the date of such invoice.

Via will calculate any fees due as Monthly True Up each month and provide Customer with an invoice calculating the per- vehicle fees actually incurred based on the actual number of active vehicles used during the previous month.

The Customer agrees that the sample invoice set out in Appendix 2 is satisfactory to Customer, both in substance and format.

Via shall calculate the Fees due. For the avoidance of doubt, (i ) the number of vehicles per month for purposes of the above fees shall be the maximum number of distinct vehicles input by Customer that use the Via Solution on any given day over the course of the applicable calendar month and (i i) in the event the duration of the Deployment does not exactly match calendar months, monthly fees will be prorated for the first and/or last calendar months of the Deployment, as applicable, so that Customer will only be charged for the portion of such months during which the Via Solution was available to be used for the Deployment.

Customer shall reimburse all travel expenses of Via personnel for purposes of the Deployment. Installation-related services described above will initially be performed remotely, and if Via deems it necessary, in person by Via personnel for a limited period around launch. Thereafter, services will continue to be performed remotely as applicable, provided that Via personnel can be sent to Customer’s location for additional trips upon reasonable request.

Twilio. Price includes our generic package for Twilio cost for 4 SMS notifications and 1.25 minutes of Twilio voice time per ride, at a maximum of $0.05 per ride on average for all rides completed within each calendar month. Any costs associated with Twilio in excess of $0.05 per ride will be billed to the Customer as at cost plus 10% on a monthly basis.

Launch Delay. If the Launch Date is delayed for more than a calendar month by Customer for any reason, Customer shall be responsible for paying Via for a $1,000 monthly technology fee for the cost of maintaining the technology infrastructure for Customer’s deployment during the period of delay (the “ Technology Fee”). The Technology Fee shall be payable monthly at the beginning of the month in which it is incurred. In the event that the duration of the delay does not exactly match calendar months, the Technology Fee will be prorated for the relevant month in which Launch occurred.

Branding. The Deployment will be branded as R-Transit powered by Via. The “powered by Via” banner must be used only in the exact format provided by Via and will be prominent on all assets promoting the Deployment, including (but not limited to) printed collateral, digital materials, websites, and any vehicle wraps. The “powered by Via” banner will have equal prominence on all marketing materials to any additional partner logos or trademarks. Via may provide pre -approved brand assets and guidelines that must be complied with in all marketing communications distributed by the Customer.

Additional Terms.

1. Use Rights.

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(a) Use Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions herein, Via will provide the Services, as defined herein . The Services will include all related services, functions or responsibilities not specifically described in this Agreement, but that are required or reasonably necessary for the proper performance of the Via Solution in connection with the Customer trans portation service. Via will grant Customer subscription, access, and use rights (“Use Rights”) for the specific applications and deployment types identified in this Order.

(b) License to the Applications. In connection with the provision of the Via Solution, Via provides a limited, non -exclusive license during the Term to Customer to the applications for use with the devices for the Customer transportation service and sublicense to riders, drivers and local operators, subject to the term s set out in Via’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Customer shall be solely responsible for displaying a privacy policy to riders and ensuring it contains terms that are both compliant with applicable law, and sufficient to permit Via and its agents to la wfully perform hereunder.

2. Disclaimer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary express or implied in in this Agreement, Via shall have no liability to Customer or any passenger (including no duty to defend, indemnify or hold Customer harmless) for any Transport Incident where “Transport Incident” means any accident, incident or other situation involving any Passenger (including negligent, willful and/or criminal acts and omissions), Device, vehicle or equipment employed by Customer in the use, provision or servicing of the Customer Transportation Service and/or any employee or agent of Customer operating such vehicle, Device or equipment or otherwise acting on behalf of Customer (including the acts and omissions of such employees or age nts while using the Application or viewing or using any device from which the Application is displayed). Transport Incidents include actual or alleged violations of Applicable Laws and the Transportation Law components thereof.

3. Compliance with Applicable Laws. Prior to launch of the Deployment, the parties will work together to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including The California Consumer Privacy Act.

This Order shall be governed by the terms and conditions set forth in the City of Richmond Standard Contract signed between the parties, as of October 1, 2021 (the “Terms”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meaning in the Terms. By signing below, the parties agree to the Terms.

NOMAD TRANSIT LLC CITY OF RICHMOND

By: By:

Name: Name:

Title: Title:

Date: Date:

DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF 3/1/2023
Manager
Alex Lavoie
DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 Eduardo Martinez
4/11/2023
Mayor
967
Appendix 1 to Service Order

VOC use and Data Sharing

Authorized Users
The below exhibit sets forth the members of the Customer’s “Core Team” of personnel who are designated authorized users of the VOC including access to the data detailed below (the “ Core Team”). Access to the VOC is conditional upon Customer notifying Via with reasonable advance notice of the name, title, email address and any other details Via may reasonably require of the members o f the Customer Core Team. The Core Team may be updated during the Term subject to Via’s consent.

Exhibit 1.

Core Team
Title: Transportation Services Project Manager Name: Denee Evans Name: Mary Cummings
Name: Deborah Dabbs
Customer to provide details no later than one month prior to Launch
Customer to provide details no later than one month prior to Launch

Customer Core Team will be granted suitable permissions to allow them to manage and authorize access of additional Customer personnel as secondary users (“ Secondary Users”) to the VOC. All Core Team and Secondary Users will be subject to Customer’s confidentiality and non -disclosure obligations, as described in the Terms. For the avoidance of any doubt, Customer’s Core Team responsibility includes granting permissions to S econdary Users only to the extent such permission is needed for the Customer’s operation of the Deployment and in compliance with applicable privacy legislation and removing any Secondary User access once it is no longer needed. Via retains the right to deny or revoke any Core Team or Secondary User access if Via suspects that such access may be causing or have caused a breach of the Terms, or any user guidance Via issues from time to time.

Authorized Operators

Customer may not provide access to the Via Solution to any third party except with Via’s prior written consent. In the event that Customer wishes to engage a third -party operator (“Operator”) to operate the Deployment, Customer shall provide Via a copy of an Operator Acknowledgement Form in the form required by Via, duly executed by such Operator, as a prerequisite for Via’s allowing the Operator access to the Via Solution. For the avoidance of doubt, no Operator will be allowed access to the Via Solution witho ut having signed the Operator Acknowledgement Form. Customer Core Team will be responsible for grant of VOC permissions to the Operator’s team, which will be considered Secondary Users for all purposes. As between Customer and Via, Customer shall remain responsible for acts and omissions of any Operator as it relates to Operator's access to the Via Solution.

Data Sharing Plan

As part of the Deployment, and as detailed below, Via will make access to data available to members of the Customer’s Core Te am, and any above-authorized Customer’s Secondary User(s) and/or Operator(s), for the purpose of research and program evaluation for the duration of the Term. The data will be accessible in the VOC and may not be shared through any other method unless otherwise authorized in writing by Via. Any and all data made available under this Order are trade secrets of Via, and subject to the confidentiality and other protective provisions set forth in the Terms at all times. Customer may not share any such data with anyone not aut horized in accordance with this Appendix 1.

To protect Via’s Intellectual Property Rights and the privacy of ride rs, Via will provide the following data tables and dashboards in the form of aggregated reports and data tables to Customer through VOC:
● Service KPI Dashboards: Visualized dashboards and graphs of Key Performance Indicators. These dashboards provide a high- level view of the overall service performance across a number of metrics and periods of time. Dashboards are available for download as .jpeg files or in raw form as excel spreadsheets. ● Data Generator: Set of tables with granular raw data about the servic e that are available for download as excel or csv spreadsheets.

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The reports will be refreshed daily. The reports are aggregated and any information about individual riders is de-identified. [Additional off-the-shelf reporting may be made available to Customer upon request at Via’s discretion. Custom reports will need to be scoped and may come at additional cost.]

SERVICE KPI DASHBOARD
Dashboard Report Metrics
Service Operations
Metrics & Graphs

● Total ride requests
● Requests during service hours
● Met Demand
● Met Demand Rate
● Completed rides
● Completed Rides Rate
● Detailed Ride Requests Status
● Active Riders
● Driver Hours
● Utilization
Rider Experience
Metrics & Graphs

● Average Ride Duration
● Average Ride Rating
● Average Pickup Walking Distance (corner-to-corner services only) ● Aggregation Rate
● Average ETA
● Dropoff Time Requested vs. Scheduled*
● Dropoff Time Scheduled vs. Actual*
● Pickup Time Requested vs. Scheduled*
● Pickup Time Scheduled vs. Actual*
*Pre-booked rides only
Rider Growth
Metrics & Graphs

● Accounts Created
● Active Riders
● Total Riders Who Requested a Ride
● Total Riders Who Completed a Ride
● Completed Rides Per Rider
Ride Rating
Metrics and Graphs
● Avg. Ride Rating
● Total Bookings with Ratings
● Percent Bookings with Ratings
● Total Five Star Ratings
● Percent Five Star Ratings
● Label per Rating
● Rating Distribution
Advanced
Prebooking Metrics
& Graphs
(prebooking only)
● Request Source
● Recurring Type
● Hours Booked in Advance
● Hours Canceled in Advance

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DATA GENERATOR
Table Data Columns
Ride Request Table

● Request Creation Date & Time
● Request ID
● Request Status
● Rider ID
● Wheelchair Accessible
● Booking Method
● Number of Passengers
● Booking type (PB+OD only)
● Origin Address
● Origin Lat + Long
● Destination Address
● Destination Lat + Long
● Actual Pickup Time
● Cancelation Time
● No Show Time
● Ride Price
● Ride Distance
● Ride Duration (min)
● Ride Rating
Rider Activities
Table
● Rider ID
● Account Creation Date
● Total Requests
● Total Completed Rides
● Total Cancellations
● Total No Shows
Drivers Table

● Drive ID
● Driver Name
● Driver Email
● Active Status
● Total Shift Hours
● Avg. Shift Hours Per Day
● Avg. Shift Hours from First Assignment Per Day
● Avg. Break Hours Per Day
● Total Accepted Rides
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● Avg. Rating From Riders
Vehicles Table

● Vehicle ID
● Active Status
● Visual ID
● Short Visual Identifier
● Maker
● Color
● Vehicle Capacity
● Max Capacity
● Wheelchair Capacity
NTD S-10 Report
Available upon
request for required
reporting to the
FTA. (United States
only)
● Service Date
● Day of the Week
● Vehicles Operated in Maximum Service (VOMS)
● Actual Vehicle Hours
● Actual Vehicle Miles
● Vehicle Revenue Hours
● Vehicle Revenue Miles
● Unlinked Passenger Trips
● Passenger Miles Traveled

DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 971

Appendix 2 to the Service Order
Sample Invoice

CONFIDENTIAL

[VIA ENTITY NAME]
Via Transportation, Inc.
10 Crosby Street, Floor 2
New York NY 10013 United States

Bill To
[Partner] [Address]

Invoice

Date
Invoice #

Terms Net 15
Due Date
PO #
Billing Period

Description Rate Quantity Amount

[Description of the Fee: Vehicle Fees, Ride Fees and/or Total Vehicle Hours]
Tax Code Summary

Please make checks payable to:
[__]
P.O. Box 7410493
Chicago, IL 60674-0493

Wire Instructions:

Bank of America, N.A.
222 Broadway,
New York, NY 10038
Wire Routing # - 026009593
ACH Routing # - 021000322
Account # - 483065995955
Swift Code - BOFAUS3N

Total
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CCPA and CPRA Service Provider Addendum

This CCPA and CPRA Addendum (this “Addendum”), effective as of [Date], is incorporated into and forms part of City of Richmond Standard Contract signed between the parties, as of October 1, 2021, as well as all subsequent service orders, renewals, and amendments (collectively, the “Agreement”), entered into by and between City of Richmond (“Customer”) and Nomad Transit LLC (“Service Provider”).

The parties acknowledge and agree that Service Provider is a service provider for the purposes of the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”) and California Privacy Rights Act (the “CPRA”). Service Provider certifies that it (i) understands the rules, restrictions, requirements, and definitions of the CCPA and CPRA, and (ii) understands and will comply with the restrictions set forth in the CCPA, CPRA, and this Addendum.

With respect to personal information collected and processed by Service Provider pursuant to the Agreement (the “Personal Information”), Service Provider shall not:

(a) Sell the Personal Information;
(b) Share the Personal Information for cross-context behavioral advertising purposes; (c) Retain, use, or disclose the Personal Information, except as necessary for the specific business purposes listed in (i) to (vi) below or any other business purposes specified in the Parties’ Agreement or as otherwise permitted by the CCPA or CPRA:
i. Performing the services described in the Agreement, which include but are not limited to the maintenance and servicing of user accounts, provision of customer service and support, processing of transactions and payments, verification o f user information, provision of analytics services, data storage, training, and the fulfillment of similar services on behalf of the Customer; ii. Ensuring security and integrity of services, including but not limited to debugging and otherwise repairing the services to restore intended service functionality; iii. Undertaking internal research for technological development and demonstration; iv. Undertaking activities to improve, upgrade, or enhance the services; v. Short-term transient uses, provided that personal information is not disclosed to third parties (i.e., parties that are not themselves service providers or con tractors) and is not used to build a consumer’s profile or otherwise alter the consumer’s experience outside their current interactions with the business; and
vi. Advertising and marketing services, including the auditing of such services, as authorized or directed by the Customer, and as permitted under the CCPA or CPRA. (d) Engage in any activity prohibited by any other provision of the CCPA and CPRA currently in effect.

Service Provider claims no ownership or other proprietary r ights in any of the Personal Information. Customer grants Service Provider the right to access, modify, and use the Customer Data for the purpose of performing Service Provider’s obligations under the Agreement, including to provide the Services and incidental to providing the Services, to improve the DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 973
Services, and to create derivative works, including aggregate consumer information and deidentified data, to the extent such uses are permitted by the CCPA and CPRA.

Service Provider shall notify Customer if it determines that it can no longer meet its obligations under the CCPA or CPRA.

Customer has the right, upon notice of at least sixty (60) days, to take reasonable and appropriate steps to stop and remediate any unauthorized use of Personal Information.

For purposes of this Addendum, the terms “personal information,” “service provider,” “third party,” “contractor,” “business purpose,” “commercial purpose,” “cross-context behavioral advertising,” “deidentified,” “sell,” and “share” are as defined in the CCPA and CPRA. “CCPA” and “CPRA” refer to both the statutes and any implementing regulations that are in effect.

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Addendum and the Agreement, the provisions of this Addendum shall control.

NOMAD TRANSIT LLC CITY OF RICHMOND
By:

By:

Name:

Name:

Title:

Title:

Date:

Date:

DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF 3/1/2023
Manager
Alex Lavoie
DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 4/11/2023
Eduardo Martinez
Mayor
974

Date: Date:

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Contract Amendment between the City of Richmond and
Amendme
nt No. P.O./Contract No.

AMENDMENT PROVISIONS (AMENDMENT HISTORY)
The first Contract Amendment was approved by City Council of the City of Richmond or executed by the City Manager on for one or more of the following provisions (check those that apply):

Increased contract payment limit by $ ________________for a payment limit not to exceed $ _________________________.

Term Amendment (insert new termination date):________________________

Service Plan
The second Contract Amendment was approved by City Council of the City of Richmond or executed by the City Manager on for one or more of the following provisions (check those that apply):

Increased contract payment limit by $ ________________for a payment limit not to exceed $ _________________________.

Term Amendment (insert new termination date):________________________

Service Plan
The third Contract Amendment was approved by City Council of the City of Richmond or executed by the City Manager on for one or more of the following provisions (check those that apply):

Increased contract payment limit by $ ________________for a payment limit not to exceed $ _________________________.

Term Amendment (insert new termination date):________________________

Service Plan
The fourth Contract Amendment was approved by City Council of the City of Richmond or executed by the City Manager on for one or more of the following provisions (check those that apply):

Increased contract payment limit by $ ________________for a payment limit not to exceed $ _________________________.

Term Amendment (insert new termination date):________________________

Service Plan
The fifth Contract Amendment was approved by City Council of the City of Richmond or executed by the City Manager on for one or more of the following provisions (check those that apply):

Increased contract payment limit by $ ________________for a payment limit not to exceed $ _________________________.

Term Amendment (insert new termination date):________________________

Service Plan

NOMAD TRANSIT, LLC
2 5755
May 7, 2022
338,231.00
1,338,231.00
✔
✔
✔
Decemeber 6, 2022
312,500.00
1,650,731.00
1,650,731.00
1,650,731.00
1,650,731.00
✔
DocuSign Envelope ID: 8A70B365-91E2-4305-802C-079B8E38E9FF DocuSign Envelope ID: 1A278702-88E7-4D10-BBB4-A706CEDAE365 976

450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804-1630
Telephone: (510) 620-6512 Fax: (510) 620-6542 www.ci.richmond.ca.us

COMMUNITY SERVICES - TRANSPORTATION

May 9, 2024

Contra Costa Transportation Authority
2999 Oak Road, Suite 100
Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Re: City of Richmond Draft Responses to Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) Measure J15 Audit (May 2024)

To CCTA Staff:

On May 7, 2024, the City of Richmo nd received a Draft Measure J 15 Audit regarding the City of Richmond’s Paratransit Program. City staff responses to the issues identified in the audit and recommendations were due on May 9, 2024. For ease off reading, City staff created a matrix to combine the language from the audit (identified issue s and recommendations) with responses from the City. Given the time constraints to review the audit and provide responses, the attached represents a draft and the City reserves the right to update its responses after further review of the audit.

As we continue to provide services to the community, here are a few things we are excited about:
• Vehicles: Recently received two (2) new R -Transit vehicles that are electric and have more space to allow for more passengers. The City Council authorized use of ECIA funds for the purchase of the vehicles since we are operating R -Transit at a deficit and Measure J were unavailable. If this wasn’t the case, the City should have had sufficient Measure J funds available in the fund balance to purchase new vehicles.
• Software: Authorized the purchase of new tablets to enable the download of new route management software. This new software will allow us to collect and disseminate better information for reporting purposes. Our previous software was unable to collect the type of data often requested by PCC and CCTA, and via claim forms. We are also working with LYFT to see if we can collect the information requested.
• Outreach: Created new R -Transit outreach materials, attended more community events (including the El Sobrante stroll event and passed out dozens of flyers to residents informing them of R -Transit/LYFT services in their community), and hired a consultant to help do community outreach in Richmond and unincorporated areas. We are open to attend meetings, events, etc. within Richmond or unincorporated areas. Please invite us and help us share information!!
977
City of Richmond – Paratransit Audit
May 9, 2024

Page 2 ends

• Finances: Staff continues the monthly review of R -Transit’s budget. The City’s Deputy City Manager, Nickie Mastay, and Community Services Department Finance Manager, Hope Lattell, both copied on this email, are involved in the review of claim forms (narrative and budget) prior to submission. Including myself, Nickie and Hope, are not paid through Measure J funds but we are engaged to ensure there is extra review of R-Transit related documents. • Other Transit Options: Richmond is a multi -modal city with resident access to BART, AC Transit, Ferry and Amtrak. In addition, the City provides Richmond MOVES, an on-demand shuttle, which will soon cover all of Richmond, only costs $2/ride, and is free for students and seniors. This service is primarily grant - funded, and is therefore, cost efficient for ambulatory seniors and community members. This program has been operational since 2022 and we have seen steady increases in use by residents. This program, along with others such as bike and car share programs, offer other mobility options to R -Transit and other users.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this very important issue. The City of Richmond cares deeply Please contact me at 510-620-6828 or at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.

Respectfully,

LaShonda White

LaShonda White
Deputy City Manager
978

1 DRAFT City of Richmond Responses to the Paratransit Audit (Audit Received: May 7, 2024 and Draft Responses Provided: May 9, 2024)

Issue as Identified by Auditor Auditor Recommendation City Response #1: Errors, inconsistencies, and contradictions in Claims Forms.

A simple review of the FY23/24 Claim submitted by the City revealed a list of issues, some of which were highlighted by the PCC. Issues in that FY23/24 Claim include:
• The titled service area map inserted in two locations of the Project Description Narrative is not a map of the service area, but instead, a map of the city block of the Civic Center in Richmond. This is a simple error to spot and should have been corrected before submittal. • The narrative cites ‘1,770 active clients presently registered in the database’. Table C lists FY22/23 Projected at 3,720 registered clients. Administrative staff explained on the Working Group Call that 1,770 was the more recent and accurate number, but there was no further explanation for the discrepancy.
• Table C asks for an average passenger trip distance. The City instead lists a range of 3-6 miles. As noted in the Claim Form, the average should be calculated as Revenue Miles divided by passenger trips. Using the YTD FY22/23 Revenue Miles total from the attached Vehicle Productivity by Mileage report would put the average trip distance at 438 miles which is clearly incorrect, and nowhere near the 3-6 mile range cited. It is unclear how the City generated the range reported in the Claim. • Van vehicle mileage (odometer) reported on Table D doesn’t match end odometer numbers on attached Vehicle Productivity by Mileage reports.
• Table A Fare Revenues for FY21/22 Actual were $92,001, but Projected FY22/23 revenues were $20,000. Staff could not explain the unusually high fare revenue for the reported 2,787 passenger trips ($33 per ride), or why the figure was lowered so significantly for the next year’s projections. • The figure listed as Paratransit Fare Subsidy on Table A is, in fact, a Taxi/TNC subsidy. • The Table C-provided definition of Revenue Service Hours, and the industry standard, is ‘Total Hours that a vehicle is available to pick up passengers”. The City Claim cites a 7.5-hour service day (9am – 4:30pm) and offers service approximately 250 days per year. For single-van service, the annual hours would be 1,875. Table C reports 1,200 Projected FY22/23 Revenue Service Hours for both vans. • At the cited FY22/23 Projected Passenger Trips per Revenue Service Hour of 430 and Projected Revenue Service Hours of 1,200, the City would carry 516,000 passengers. The Claim cites 2,900 projected passenger trips. Conversely, if the projected passenger trips of 2,900 were divided by the Projected Passenger Trips per Revenue Service Hours of 430, the City would have offered just 6.7 hours of service for the year. The 430 figure is an obvious error and the disparity in total passengers that figure reflects should have been easily spotted and corrected before the Claim was submitted. • Table C includes ‘Fare Subsidy: Number of Tickets Sold’ for the three reported years. City staff could not provide an explanation for the figures or what they represented during the Working Group Call.

City Finance staff cited that the figures were a mistake and should not be there. • The Vehicle Productivity by Mileage Reports attached with the Claim showed three occasions when impossible mileage was reported to a van. These were 18,936 miles, 595,039 miles, and 650,053 miles travelled, each by a single van in a single day. The total was 1,272,448 miles for the two vans YTD, which is clearly not possible. Based on daily odometer reads in the reports, the correct total is 8,551 miles. An obvious error such as this should have been spotted and corrected before the Claim was submitted.

The fact that many of the contradictions and errors in the FY23/24 Claims Form were easy to spot, and that even after being called out, weren’t corrected in subsequent submissions, indicates a lack of oversight, understanding of system metrics, and QA review. City staff either don’t have the experience or understanding of their program to accurately report on it or they are not applying their experience to this process. As the source of revenue for their program, the City must prioritize Claim submittals. It may be necessary to engage new staff, or a third- party contractor, experienced in service delivery and program metrics, to manage the Claims process.

City Response:
• The service area map is posted on the City’s website under Transportation services and has been posted for 20+ years.

The Service Area map has also been submitted and
received in all previous claim forms and not never changed. • We number of registered clients provided was accurate based on our count and the system database RouteMatch.

Projections to register 3,720 additional clients was based on doubling the amount of active clients given our contract with LYFT Inc to offer 24/7 service.
• Table C information provided was what the software
“RouteMatch” provided. We rely on the software and have used it for over 20 years and have use the same software to complete and submit previous claim forms that were
accepted and approved. We have corrected this by getting a new software to calculate these fields and other fields of information.
• The Routematch software calculates this information
• The low fare revenue projected in FY 22/23 ($20k) was on the delay of receiving Measure J revenue to effectively operate.

• “The figure listed as Paratransit Fare Subsidy on Table A is, in fact, a Taxi/TNC subsidy” That is correct this is the column we have always used to report this information on all previous and current claim forms we have submitted.

• “The Table C-provided definition of Revenue Service Hours, and the industry standard, is ‘Total Hours that a vehicle is available to pick up passengers” . The City Claim cites a 7.5- hour service day (9am – 4:30pm) and offers service
approximately 250 days per year. For single-van service, the annual hours would be 1,875. Table C reports 1,200
Projected FY22/23 Revenue Service Hours for both vans.”

This information is correct given that we only have 1.5 drivers. We were not able to mee single-van service use.

Shared rides are not reported through LYFT to meet this projection. Also, the City’s projections were based on receiving Measure J funds to support the service financially. 979

2 • Additionally, the same reports showed one van operating 51 days YTD and the other 154 days with just 12 days overlapping. The staff chart in the narrative showed 2 full-time drivers, but two drivers would only have been needed on 12 days.
• The Project Description Narrative cites that “All Measure J Program 15 funds were expended in the past 3 years (2019-2022)”, but Table A shows a FY21/22 Actual ending reserve balance of $103,759.

Identified Issue #2:

Failure to File Claims or Make Corrections. While citing a lack of resources as a reason for their limited promotion or limited services, the City has missed years of filing a Claim, has not submitted Claims in a timely manner, or has submitted Claims with data that the PCC has noted as inconsistent or incomplete, requiring resubmittal.

Recommendation:

The City must prioritize filing a Claim every year and
addressing all issues noted in the Claims expeditiously.

City Response:

The City understands the importance of filling claims annually and completely. Additional City staff are now participating in and learning more about the claim form and services. In addition, the City is switching to a new scheduling platform that should drastically assist with accurate information gathering and support completing the forms. As of May 9, 2024, the City has submitted the outstanding claim forms or requested information for FY 21/22 and FY 22/23.

Identified Issue #3:

Non-Compliance with Coop Agreement. While neither the Coop Agreement nor cited Measure J Expenditure and Strategic Plans address level of service, service quality, or performance expectations for MJ15 funded programs, the PCC, per their bylaws, has the duty to ‘Review annual claims for Measure C and Measure J funds, applications … and make recommendations regarding these claims and applications as appropriate. ’ The PCC has made a recommendation for this audit based on the contents of Claims Forms and in response to questions about service quality and performance. Their request for an audit is their authority to question the City’s compliance with the Coop Agreement.

Recommendation:

CCTA’s Coop Agreement with MJ15 fund recipients should
include language that addresses minimum standards of
service and performance expectations or should expressly cite the PCC’s duty to determine if the transit entity is meeting performance expectations, and thereby the agreement. The consequences for failing to meet performance expectations should also be addressed.

City Response:

City staff agree with this recommendation and would
appreciate guidance and clear language regarding minimum standards of service and performance expectations.

Identified Issue #4:

Unmet Needs – The only record of Table E Unmet Needs reported in the FY23/24 Claim was for ”Patrons outside your service area requesting rides” . City staff identified this as callers who ask about service who do not reside in the service area. They also cite not keeping a log of calls received. It is unclear how this Unmet Need is being recorded, if not through a call log. Other Table E categories not completed by the City include “Patrons inside your service area requesting rides outside of your service area” and “Number of same-day ride denials due to capacity. ” No numbers were added for these categories, though it seems likely that there are instances of these occurrences and the City notes in their narrative that ‘ …same-day service is limited due to high demand if a same day appointment is scheduled. ’
Recommendation:

The City should keep a log of all customer calls. That log can include checkboxes for each of the categories of Unmet
Needs identified in the Claims Form. That information could prove valuable in assessing program needs and future
changes or expansion.

City Response:

City staff agree that keeping a log of customer calls, outside of those already captured in the scheduling system, would
provide information helpful in completing the Claim Form and addressing community needs. City staff plan to discuss this recommendation and as appropriate, will incorporate this into the proposed Richmond Paratransit Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP).

Identified Issue #5:

Lack of Budget Detail for Review. A Claim was filed by the City and accepted by CCTA for FY19/20. For FY20/21 and FY21/22, the Claim submittal process was suspended, or only a brief narrative was requested due to Covid. The City failed to submit a Claim for FY22/23, though they provided a Claim Form for that year to the Audit Team. The provided form is not complete and shows no program costs. A Claim was filed by the City for FY23/24 which includes program costs.

The only complete Budget Detail to Claim comparison for reported Actuals is for FY21/22.

The City provided the full five years of program budgets, but invoices, expense reports, and receipts would all be required to do a full fiscal audit of program expenses. There is not sufficient back-up documentation to confirm what was spent and that direct costs cited were spent on the program. Additionally, because only two complete Claims were submitted for the five fiscal years of review, and they represent the first and last years, there is no way to track the flow of the expenditures to budget or to follow reserve balance.

Recommendation:

Future years’ Claims must be complete so that true program costs can be understood, to allow for a rolling assessment of expenditures and reserves, and so CCTA can follow Claims against budget if needed.

City Response:

City staff agree with this recommendation and will adhere to future Measure J Claim Form deadlines. City staff are hopeful that the new scheduling software, additional training and understanding of the Claim Forms, and the addition of the Community Services Department Finance Manager to the
team, will assist City staff in completing the forms. As of May 9, 2024, the City has submitted the outstanding claim forms or requested information for FY 21/22 and FY 22/23.

The City provided the full five years of program budgets, per the request of the Auditor. Since this audit was not a full fiscal audit, City staff did not recall a request from the Auditor for “invoices, expense reports, and receipts. ” The City has various financial checks and balances in place and information is 980

3 collected and retained in our financial management system, MUNIS. The majority of costs are for salaries and benefits, cost poll allocations, and a contract with LYFT. If requested, City staff have access to all required back-up information to substantiate ALL paratransit-related costs.

Identified Issue #6:

Limited Detail Available Shows Inconsistencies. The two Claims years with program cost detail noted above do not match the budget detail provided by the City for the same year. While not all totals represent actuals, they are inconsistent enough to point them out. • The FY19/20 Claim provided by the City to the Audit Team was not complete, but the CCTA approved version dated May 8, 2019 put the Estimated program year expenditures at $1,110,000 while the same budget year detail showed an Actual program cost of $687,134.26. The difference could reflect the first four months of the Covid pandemic that closed out the fiscal year. • The FY23/24 Claim put FY21/22 Actual expenditures at $959,525.00 but the same budget year detail showed Actual program expenditures of $813,881.05.
• For FY22/23 the Projected program cost cited in the FY23/24 Claim was $960,405.00 while the budget Actual put it at $854,769.37.

And, as cited earlier, the FY23/24 Project Description Narrative cites that “All Measure J Program 15 funds were expended in the past 3
Recommendation:

Future years’ Claims must be complete so that true program costs can be understood, to allow for a rolling assessment of expenditures and reserves, and so CCTA can follow Claims against budget if needed.

City Response:

City staff agrees with the recommendation and will complete future years’ Claim Forms as required.

Identified Issue #7:

Cost Pool Indirect Costs Burden the Program. The City is charging an administrative and liability expense to the program as part of a Cost Pool distribution. The Cost Pool memos provided by the City as Attachment 5 indicate that the City has earmarked a much higher total Cost Pool expense to the program than they are charging against it. For FY22/23 the City consultant calculated an Indirect Administrative Charges Cost Pool expense to the “1003 Transportation Operation” , which includes only the Paratransit/Lyft services, of $744,016, but charged $220,202 to the service. They consider the $523,814 difference a subsidy to the program. An additional $41,058 was charged to the program for General Liability Cost Pool in the same fiscal year. If charged at the fully calculated administrative rate, the City would be burdening the program with a total of $785,074 in indirect costs – 82% of the total Projected program expenditures for that year. It is unfathomable that the City’s calculations would result in that percentage of a program’s funding to an expense that does not directly deliver service or impact customers. The fact that the City lowered that value to 27% of projected program expenditures is a reasonable course of action, but the percentage burden against a program that provides services to a vulnerable population is still too high.

Recommendation:

The City’s Paratransit program should request an exemption from City Cost Pool expenses or CCTA should set a limit on the percentage of indirect costs that can be charged against a MJ15 funded project.

City Response:

All City of Richmond departments have Cost Pool expenses allocated to their budgets. It is how the City of Richmond operates and represents the true cost of operating a
department. The City’s Cost Allocation Plan is developed by an external consultant.

An exemption from City Cost Pool expenses would require Richmond City Council approval and would essentially be a subsidy from the General Fund.

The City will wait for direction from CCTA if a limit is set on indirect costs that can be charged against a MJ15 funded project.

Identified Issue #8:

Imbalance in administration costs to operations costs. It is not clear from the Claim Form or the City-provided budget detail how they assign program costs to the Operations and General Administration categories in Table A of the Claims Form. The ratio they show is high, however, compared to the other West County services. For FY21/22 Actuals the General Administration Expenditure was $465,066 and Paratransit Operations Expenditures plus the TNC Fare Subsidy cost was $494,459, putting admin at 48% and operations at 52% of the total program cost.

Comparatively, the City of El Cerrito Paratransit was 21% to General Administration and the City of San Pablo shows 9% to General Administration.

Recommendation:

As already noted, the Cost Pool indirect cost is putting a burden on the program and should be eliminated or limited to free up funds for the direct delivery of service. Assuming the Cost Pool expense is included in the General Administration Expenditure, pulling it from the program total and
administrative expenditures would result in Administration Expenditures of 30% of the total program cost.

City Response:

Without direction from CCTA regarding the City’s Cost Pool or limits to indirect costs, the City automatically allocates cost pool charges to the paratransit program, as it does to other departments. The City will wait for direction from CCTA if a limit is set on indirect costs that can be charged against a MJ15 funded project.

Identified Issue #9:

No cost allocation by program. City budget does not breakdown costs by the R-Transit and Lyft programs. The Lyft program subsidy has been confirmed by City staff as the Professional Services Recommendation:

To understand the true costs of the two programs and assess if contracted services are providing an overall lower cost ride, City Response:
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4 line item in their budget, and easy to pull out. Other items such as Paratransit Scrip Books (Fare Revenue), payroll and benefits for drivers, and operator uniform costs can also be pulled into the Paratransit side, but other budget line items cannot easily be allocated to the two programs. the two programs should be assigned percentages of shared costs to determine an estimated program allocation for future year Claims.

City paratransit staff will need to discuss this identified issue with the City Finance Department to understand if this
recommendation is feasible.

It is City paratransit staff’s understanding that cost pool charges are based on general liability, workers compensation, administrative charges/indirect charges, and rent. This cost would not be applicable to the LYFT program.

Identified Issue #10:

Balance of payroll to benefits. Per City response to cite their average ratio of benefits to payroll, they cited a City standard calculation of 85% of salary costs for benefits. For the five fiscal years of audit review, the Paratransit program benefits were higher than the City average, ranging from 92% for FY23/24 YTD, to a high of 118% for FY20/21.

Recommendation:

It is unclear why the benefits to salary ratio is higher for this program unless the longevity of staff – some noted being with the program for 25 years – is impacting costs with legacy or length-of-service benefits. The City should assess the issue to understand and validate the higher benefits cost ratio.

City Response:

City’s average benefits rate is approximately 85%, however, individual staff benefits rate depends on several factors and can be above or below the City’s average. Healthcare cost depends on an employee’s individual enrollments, retirement rates depend on the employee CalPERS plan status i.e. Classic Plan vs. PEPPRA Plan. CalPERS Unfunded Actuarial Liability cost depends on the latest valuation report issued by CalPERS and is a fixed amount that the City is obligated to pay. The UAL is charged to the City departments as fixed charge per the number of employees. Removing the healthcare cost and UAL cost from the benefits, Transportation division benefits rate ranges from 33% to 42% for the years from 2021 through 2024.

Identified Issue #11:

Cost per Passenger. The cost per passenger is high and is out of line with other, similar programs.

The FY21/22 actual program cost was $813,881.05 per the provided City budget detail. The FY23/24 Claim Form showed Actual FY21/22 passenger trips of 2,787 for a cost per passenger of $292.03. By comparison, the City of El Cerrito Paratransit had a $100 cost per passenger from expected revenue and the City of San Pablo’s cost per passenger was $83 for the same fiscal year.

County Connection’s National Transit Database records for 2022 show a $79 cost per Paratransit rider.

Recommendation:

Again, the Cost Pool expense, as well as the higher-than- average benefits costs, are impacting overall program cost and the cost per passenger. However, removal of Cost Pool costs would only lower the FY21/22 cost per passenger to $202.75, still well above the other services. The City must work from both sides to reduce the cost per passenger by lowering costs and increasing riders.

City Response:

Please see responses to Identified Issues #7-10 regarding potential removal of cost pool expenses.

City staff will continue to examine the program and look at ways to be more efficient and effective.

Identified Issue #12:

Lack of understanding of program metrics. City staff has relied on reporting from Route Match, but that information is inconsistent from report to report and staff is not always clear on what the information represents. Lack of understanding of metrics means staff have no way to recognize errors in them, so they are reporting out with errors and inconsistencies. This was clear on the Working Group Call. Staff could not agree on the definition or reporting of a trip, how fare revenue was defined across documentation, the existence of a mandatory $2.50 annual client ID or how those funds were being accounted for, or how the % on-time performance was calculated, among other things.

The City provided six unique Route Match reports in response to the audit data request. Those reports were scattered over the five fiscal years requested, with no complete set of reports for any one year. The City was emailed a table of missing reports and asked to send the documentation, then reminded on the Working Group Call to supply at least one full fiscal year of reports by the extended April 16 deadline. No additional reports were received. The most complete reporting year is FY21/22. See table below for an example of inconsistencies in the reporting provided by the City for that fiscal year. Only ‘Guests’ , ‘No Shows’ , and ‘Cancels’ match from across the five Route Match reports provided. Figures for all other metrics were different for each report provided for the same fiscal year.

Recommendation:

Manual keying of handwritten manifest times and numbers is likely contributing to the errors seen on the Claims Forms, as well as inconsistencies in Route Match reports. Without a QA review by staff who understand the metrics being reported, errors will persist. City staff need to work with Via to ensure that the system is set up in a way that lets them take the best advantage of any automated data logging. City staff also need training specific to the provision of paratransit services to understand performance metrics and standards of service, or a new staff person needs to be pulled into the program to provide the needed experience. Alternatively, service delivery could be contracted to an experienced vendor.

City Response:

City staff agree that manual entry of information is not effective and look forward to the full implementation of the new Via system. In addition, staff agrees that additional training and the creation of SOPs will help staff better understand program procedures and metrics.

Identified Issue #13: Recommendation: City Response:
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5 Lack of oversight and review of program reports. As the table above demonstrates, City staff are pulling Route Match reports with clear inconsistencies in metrics for the same time period.

The FY23/24 Claims Form review demonstrates similar inconsistencies in reporting within the Claim and to supporting Route Match documentation. If someone is reviewing these documents, they are missing the obvious or they see the issues but are not correcting them before CCTA review. Administrative staff are not being held by management to a standard of report reviews, reconciliation, or quality, and thus a standard of service review and quality.

City staff either need training specific to the provision of paratransit services to understand performance metrics and standards of service, or a new staff person or third-party contractor needs to be pulled into the program to provide the needed experience. An ongoing internal audit of various reports should be done, and a QA review of all supporting reports and documentation used for Claims Forms reporting must be completed before Claims submittal to CCTA.

City staff understand the concerns and agree that analysis of metrics and reports is necessary. Additional training of existing staff, brining on experienced staff, and/or the creation of SOPs will assist with QA, program delivery, and accurate submission of Claim Forms.

Identified Issue #14:

Metrix requested in Claim submittal. The definitions of some metrics in the Claims Form confused City staff. For example:
• In the Claims Form, ‘Total Passenger Trips’ was defined as the ‘...movement of a person on a vehicle...’, but per City staff, Route Match reports a single vehicle movement as one trip, regardless of the number of passengers on board. In the Claims Form, this is intended to be total passenger boardings, but staff were confused by the contradiction with internal reports using the word ‘trip.’ • Average Trip Distance is requested but the total Revenue Miles is not part of the reporting, so there is no easy way for reviewers to validate the response given. • There is no call-out for the unique service passenger totals, service hours, or miles. Reporting from the Lyft program does not include actual trip miles or duration, but claimants could be using the combined service total passenger number from the Claim Form to calculate metrics when the other side of the data set is not a factor ( i.e. calculating total of passengers from multiple different services against Revenue Miles for just one service program).

Additionally, data that could prove helpful in assessing successful programs and those in need of assistance, is not being requested.

Recommendation:

The Audit Team provided recommended revisions to the
Claims Form tables and Project Description Narrative to CCTA.

The revisions should clear up data requests by claimants and help the PCC and CCTA more easily see highlights and
deficiencies in funded programs.

City Response:

City staff welcome any updates/revisions to the Claim Form that can assist with the process.

Identified Issue #15:

Low Ridership. Program ridership reported in Claims and cited in Route Match reports is low for the cost of the program and potential client pool. While data on total boardings is inconsistent across reports, a total ridership for both the Paratransit and Lyft program in the range of 2,800- 3,000/year is a fair assessment. In FY23/24 projections for El Sobrante Paratransit ridership were 2,080 and for San Pablo, 4,200. Both serve smaller geographic areas, have shorter service hours, and receive substantially less MJ15 funding.

Recommendation:

The current state of the program, with the number and condition of operating vehicles and 1.5 drivers, limits the City’s ability to carry more Paratransit riders with City resources. The provided manifests show multiple driver breaks and gaps between picks- ups for the primary van and driver where additional trips could be operated, but demand may not be there to fill those spots. The City is also contracting TransMETRO which would also increase their capacity, but again, demand may not be there. To increase demand, the City needs to commit to promoting its service and implementing a service plan to add drivers and vehicles, or contract more trips to TransMETRO. Additionally, the City needs to more precisely define and confirm Unmet Needs.

The limited Lyft program data received shows an average trip subsidy cost to the City of $8.73. Staff time dedicated to assisting Lyft riders appears to be minimal. This program has the greatest potential with unlimited capacity, to increase ridership at the lowest cost. Robust promotion of this service could have an immediate impact on increasing overall
program ridership.

City Response:

The current number of paratransit staff, including drivers, the cost of the LYFT contract, cost pool allocation, and other operating cost, are aligned with proposed revenue. When paratransit had additional drivers, the General Fund subsidized the program annually which led to a deficit over $1 million. The city has detailed information that is available from Lyft for all years audited. Unfortunately, it appears that this information was not fully provided to the auditor. As part of the outstanding FY 22–23 claim form that was recently submitted, city staff provided detailed Lyft information regarding number of rides, zip code for pick up, and average miles. Staff agrees that additional promotion of the paratransit and Lyft programs is needed. Staff has recently received support from an intern to develop new outreach materials. Staff is also bringing those materials to various City of Richmond events for distribution and have created a draft outreach plan to help continue to spread the word about these programs.

Identified Issue #16:

Vehicles. The two current 2011 vans are in poor condition. One stopped operating properly during a client pick-up on the day of the Site Visit and was towed. The demonstrated need to force the Recommendation:

To avoid cancellations or limiting trip scheduling, the City must prioritize issues that are preventing the new vans from being City Response:

The city has two new vans that will be put into rotation and utilized for providing paratransit services in the near future. The 983

6 door closed on the day of the ride-along is a safety concern. If the door is not stable, it could open mid-trip. The City has recognized the age and condition of the vehicles and purchased two new all-electric vans as replacements. However, per City staff at the Site Visit, and evidenced by the fact that the service is still being operated with the two older vans, the new vans are not being used. Staff cited that they couldn’t be charged. It is unknown what the exact issue is regarding charging of the vehicles. Staff also cited that the new electric vans weren’t appropriately outfitted to board passengers at the side door because the step is too high and there are no handrails for support.
put into service. An examination of the maintenance program is also warranted to understand who is responsible for
maintenance, the inspection and service maintenance
regimen, and maintenance standards. If not done recently, the fleet should be inspected with respect to current condition and useful life.
current vehicles, as well as the new vehicles, are serviced by our public works fleet division. Based on conversations with experienced city mechanics, a determination will be made if city vans will receive maintenance internally or externally.

Identified Issue #17:

Drivers. While the City’s Paratransit drivers are both full-time employees, one drives only part-time due to a cited disability accommodation. They spend the remainder of their full-time hours assisting with dispatch functions and office duties. Vehicle logs for FY23/24 showed only 12 days YTD that both vans operated, so the part-time driver is not driving often. City staff also stated that they manually adjust daily ride scheduling to avoid including a wheelchair passenger on their manifest on the days they do drive.

Whether the limitation of 1.5 drivers is impacting ridership, or the daily ridership needs don’t necessitate two full-time drivers is unclear.

Recommendation:

If they have not done so, the City should assess the fitness of its existing drivers to perform the duties of the job. Per the Audit Team Paratransit Consultant, paratransit drivers are typically expected to be able to lift 40 lbs. to be considered fit for duty. If it is not already, this qualification should be included in the job description and verified in the hiring process for any future drivers. The City should also assess if the dispatch and administrative needs require the extra time that the 2nd full-time driver is dedicating to them. At a minimum, the City should report on Claims Form the staffing that represents the day-to-day contribution of employees to the operation, rather than their official classification.

City Response:

City staff will review the identified issues and
recommendations with our human resources department.

Identified Issue #18:

Rider ID Card. The Client Guide and City staff indicate that an Identification Card is required for all qualifying clients. City administrative staff on the Working Group Call were not in agreement over the need to renew the card annually and Finance staff were not aware that a card was required or that $2.50 is charged per card. Nobody was aware of how the revenue for the cards was being reported. They did agree, however, that the card is not, in fact, required at the time of a trip or to purchase ride coupons, in contradiction to print materials. Instead, it appeared to be a way to requalify passengers as eligible for service based on their address.

Recommendation:

As the card appears to have no use to clients, and the revenue is not accounted for, the City should reconsider the need for the card. As an extra step to receive services with a $2.50 fee, it is a barrier to onboarding new clients. If the card is being used only for requalifying clients based on address, the City should develop a simple, annual address verification process for clients.

City Response:

City staff agrees with his recommendation and will discuss the usefulness of this card and other verification processes.

Identified Issue #19:

Clients in Unincorporated Areas. The MJ15 Claims Form requests detail on registered clients in unincorporated areas. City staff cited that that data must be manually culled from Route Match and that the effort is labor intensive. The two March manifests provided by the City included pick-ups and drops-offs at home addresses in unincorporated areas, so it is clear that a level of service is being provided. While there is no documentation to support the FY21/22 entry of 416 clients in unincorporated areas, the provided manifests support that they have clients registered outside of city limits.

While City staff indicated that Via will allow for this reporting, the Via contract provided by the City as Attachment 6 defines the data sets it provides, and there is no indication that it will provide that client detail.

Recommendation:

If Via does not, in fact, include that information, the City should inquire if a field can be added in the client database to indicate if the client’s home address is in an unincorporated area. A simple Google map search of the address would show the administrative support staff if they should note an unincorporated address in that new field. Once the manual work is done to assess its existing client database, doing that search for each new client would take just a few minutes.

City Response:

City staff understands the request for information regarding the number of register clients and pick up and drop offs within the unincorporated areas. City staff is able to more easily determine this information for lift trips and has done so for FY 21/22 and FY 22/23. Staff continue to work to analyze the data for other years. In addition, City staff has already worked with via to provide city and county maps showing the incorporated areas so that the new scheduling software can easily collect and report this information.

Identified Issue #20:

Fare Revenue. Fares of $4/$5 are in line with other Paratransit services in the area and higher than the average fare paid by a Lyft service rider. Per City staff, Fare Revenue is reported in Claim Forms as the value of ticket books sold, not the value of tickets collected from riders for the reported fiscal year.

Other reporting for ‘Fare Revenue’ or ‘Revenue’ appears to be for the tickets collected, but staff could not confirm that on the Working Group Call. They were unaware that Fare Revenue was appearing in Recommendation:

The City needs to have a clear understanding of how Fare Revenue is defined for both the budget and in system
reporting. If two unique values are used, they should be named differently and reported as ‘Ticket Sale Revenue’ and ‘Fare Revenue’ . A record of liability should be maintained for City Response:

The City records the value of ticket books sold and not the value of tickets utilized in each FY . City staff have not tracked and/or reported this level of information on the claim forms, as this is not a current request. City staff will adhere to this request if direction changes.
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7 other report locations and weren’t certain what it represented. That would explain why the Claims Form doesn’t match the reports. However, the Route Match reports also don’t match each other, as the earlier table shows. It also explains why a simple calculation of the total Fare Revenue does not equal an average $4.50 rider fare multiplied by the number of passenger boardings.

Additionally, anomalies in the value of Fare Revenue in the Claims Form make no sense: a high of $92,001 Actual fare revenue for FY21/22 to a low of $0 Actual fare revenue reported collected for FY20/21 and FY22/23 in the budget detail provided. When asked about the high $92,001 fare revenue year, City staff stated that they must have anticipated a service increase or other issue that would result in more riders. However, the $92,001 was a fiscal year Actual value, not a Projected value.

Because Fare Revenue is for tickets sold, the City should have a liability record for tickets sold but not used. According to the Finance staff, they do not track that liability.

Additionally, all staff were unaware of where the $2.50 per client annual Rider ID Card cost was being included as revenue – in the City general fund or to the Paratransit Fare Revenue. Finance staff was not even aware that an ID fee was being charged. the outstanding value of tickets sold but not collected and if the required ID card is maintained, and used only for the Paratransit service, it should be considered as program revenue. If, in fact, the 1,770 noted active clients are each required to obtain a new ID annually at a cost of $2.50 it represents more than $4,300 in revenue.

The City collects detailed information on each fare book sold which is included in our MUNIS system (financial system). Any anomalies regarding fare revenue shown as actuals may have been a result of revenue from non-paratransit revenue
mistakenly hitting the wrong account. The City receives revenue from other transportation-related activities and the revenue may have been recorded in the wrong account. MUNIS reports will show the revenue although staff is able to drill down and recognize that the revenue was recorded wrong.

Within the last FY to address this issue and provide additional support to paratransit, a Finance Manager is now working with paratransit staff and ensuring that revenue and expenditures are hitting the correct accounts.

The only revenue the City receives to support paratransit services from the Measure J funds and fare book sales.

The City’s Business Office located in the Finance Dept receives all fares collected. All fares received do not come directly to the Transportation Division but is mailed or brought to the City’s Business Office who then records. We have used the same claim form to report in prior years and this was never a question. So maybe it’s the contents of the claim form and the spreadsheet that is unclear.

City staff will investigate the Rider ID card to determine if this is a requirement for paratransit riders that we still need to utilize.

If this is a feasible or required option, we will move forward accordingly.

Identified Issue #21:

Staff & Driver Training. Per staff on the Working Group Call, driver training isn’t needed. The reason seemed to be that because a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is not required for vehicles with their passenger-carrying capacity, no special training was deemed necessary. The Audit Team confirmed that a CDL is not required. City staff instead noted that pre-Covid, an administrative employee with the program would ride along every six months or so to check that the drivers were operating the vehicle appropriately. In cases where a driver is not available, staff cited that an administrative employee would drive the van and that they could use training because ‘..she’s not a driver’, but she’s pretty good.’
Per the Site Visit, drivers say that they need to turn in a photo of their valid driver’s license annually and maintain CPR First Aid certification through the City. They stated that they receive no other training. Drivers cited that vans have insurance cards and accident kits on board, and they were confident that they knew the procedures to handle an accident.

When asked about drug testing, administrative staff didn’t know if testing was done. The drivers are part of a union, but it is an administrative, not a drivers’ union. All staff said they have no regular interaction or communication with the union; they just pay their dues. It appears that the union contract does not hold the drivers accountable to drug testing.

Recommendation:

At a minimum, and per basic program needs, any driver
transporting members of the public, regardless of vehicle size, should have Defensive Driving Training with a refresher every three years. The Audit Team’s Paratransit Consultant noted that the ADA has a list of requirements for employees who work with customers with disabilities to be ‘trained to proficiency’ to include use and care of accessibility
equipment; securement of mobility devices; sensitivity
training; and understanding disability in general. While not an ADA paratransit service, given the specialized population they serve, drivers should, at a minimum, have mobility device training and training for working with riders with physical and cognitive disabilities. A training program should be
implemented and maintained. Pre-employment and
accident/incident drug testing should be required if it is not, and random drug testing implemented.

City Response:

Commercial licenses are only required for passenger vehicles based on the number of seats.

The statement “she’s not a driver but pretty good” was meant to say that everyone is doing the best they can do given the lack of resources and funding. Because vans are utilized for the service, the part-time scheduler may drive if necessary if they have a CA D/L.

In addition to requiring a CA/DL, City staff is working with the City’s Human Resources Department to discuss offering non- required driving courses that can support driver training (i.e.

Defensive Driver Safety and Maneuvering Driver Course). 985

8 Identified Issue #22:

Personal Care Attendants (PCA). The City is carrying a high number of free PCAs compared to client passengers considering that they carry seniors in addition to passengers with disabilities.

While inconsistent across the unique Route Match reports, for FY21/22, as the earlier chart shows, reported attendant numbers were around 1,250 compared to total Paratransit passengers of around 1,850 (approximately 1,400 ambulatory and 450 wheelchair). Based on these figures, two-thirds of riders are boarding with an attendant. City staff stated on the Working Group Call that they want clients to have a free attendant for all rides, and two if they need it. They don’t certify or verify attendants, saying instead, that whoever can help them load is the attendant.

Recommendation:

Encouraging the use of Paratransit service PCAs can be beneficial in reducing customer incidents. However, the PCA is not a substitute for the driver, and the operator should not be delegating safety-related or rider loading responsibilities to PCAs under any circumstances. A transit entity cannot require that a rider be accompanied by a PCA and the ADA states that transit entity personnel must assist individuals with disabilities with the use of ramps, lifts, and securement systems. The possibility that attendants are being encouraged to ride with a client because of a driver limitation or other reason is concerning.

The Audit Team’s Paratransit Consultant identified that in their experience, for ADA paratransit services, the percentage of clients bringing a free attendant is generally 14%-16%. As the City is around 67%, they should assess both the abilities of the current drivers to assist riders, make it clear to passengers that PCA’s are welcome but not required, and that only one PCA is allowed per customer.

City Response:

The City agrees that the use of Paratransit service PCAs can be beneficial in reducing customer incidents and may help a client feel comfortable and supported during transit. City staff agrees with the recommendation and will assess both the abilities of the current drivers to assist riders, make it clear to passengers that PCA’s are welcome but not required

If it is the city’s discretion and not a requirement, City staff will discuss the number of PCAs authorized per customer and will include that information in our updated policies.

Identified Issue #23:

Software systems and data handling. Staff noted that they were no longer paying a fee to Route Match for the software. They cited purchasing the software ‘5-7 years ago’ and no longer had any interaction, training, or support from Route Match. They recognized the software’s limitations and incompatibility with other IT services within the city, and had, at the time of the audit, secured a new software system with Via. It was expected to roll out on April 11, 2024.

On the day of the Site Visit the Via software was not working properly. One of the drivers could not log into their tablet, and IT was unable to help. The driver proceeded on route without using the tablet. The second driver had their tablet operating but turned the sound down because it was giving audio driving directions that were not their preferred driving route. The driver didn’t engage with the tablet for the ride-along trip. As the Route Match costs would not have been included in recent year’s budgets, the new Via contract cost will be an add-on to the existing program costs, which will have an impact on overall cost and cost per passenger.

Recommendation:

Per staff, the Via training crew visited twice, but they moved too quickly and didn’t give time for City staff to understand the system. Staff need additional training and support for the new Via software. They need a clear understanding of the system automation options, and how to make best use of the
program, not only with their current limited capacity, but if the program can be grown. While City management staff seemed confident that new software would be a valuable tool in addressing program issues, they must also recognize that software is not a substitute for good program management, and both are needed to realize the full advantages of a software system.

City Response:

This is a new service our drivers our navigating through it and with the lack of resources its challenging to be effective.

Identified Issue #24:

Website. The Richmond Paratransit website should be the primary source of public information for the R-Transit and Lyft services. It is presented on the City’s website under a ‘Transportation’ parent page which also highlights biking, commuter resources, and other public transit services.

The Audit Team reviewed the website and found it to include basic information in English about the two programs, including service area, fares, and steps to apply. The information, however, is not current. The landing page for the Paratransit service includes a notice from 2018 stating that the office is relocating and a Holiday Service Schedule from 2019. Other pages within the program site also reference meetings to be held in 2019. Visitors to the page may question if the program is actively operating.

The Lyft brochure provided to the Audit Team does not list the website as a resource. Contrary to information submitted in Claims, no other link to the website was found on the websites of other Recommendation:

The program website should be updated regularly. A website is the most basic information a program can offer and the City is not taking advantage of what can be their most valuable information and promotional tool. As the program pages already exist, keeping them active and updated should cost the City very little.

The website should offer information in Spanish, or at a minimum, it should include a statement, in Spanish, citing a phone number to call for assistance. If the City has not already done so, the website should be made screen-reader compatible.

A QR code and short URL leading to the program website
should be generated and added to print materials. City staff City Response:

City staff agrees. Resources would allow us to keep this current. 986

9 municipalities or WCCTAC. Additionally, an incorrect link to the website is printed on the front of the Client Orientation Guide.
should reach out to jurisdictions, senior resources, and centers for independent living to request that a link to the pages be added to their websites.

Identified Issue #25:

Equity for Limited English Proficiency (LEP). A native Spanish speaker from the Audit Team contacted the primary information number, 510-307-8026, which appears on the website and Lyft brochure, and requested assistance in Spanish on two different occasions. In both instances, she was told “No Habla Espanol” by the person answering the phone who then terminated the call. The Audit Team member was not given the option to speak to someone in Spanish.

On the Working Group Call staff cited that they don’t have regular Spanish language assistance, but that the part-time driver is a native speaker. The budget detail cites an annual staff supplement for bilingual services. Per the Finance response to questions, the payroll supplement is paid to the part-time driver of the Paratransit service, so limited translation would be available only to riders of that driver’s vehicle or over the phone in instances where they are providing administrative support.

Recommendation:

This and lack of printed materials in Spanish is contrary to requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act specifically, as failing to accommodate LEP persons is akin to discrimination on the basis of national origin. The City should connect with a translation services line such as AT&T, to provide consistent assistance in other languages over the phone. Print materials and website information should be available in Spanish or at a minimum, include a Spanish language statement with detail on how to receive language assistance. All materials should be made available, upon request, in large print, Braille, audio, or a digitally accessible format per the ADA.

City Response:

It’s a challenge to offer bilingual service if we do not have the resources for hiring additional staff to assist. We only have one part-time and one full-time office staffers due to the lack of resources. City staff can work with Human Resources to identify bilingual speakers that paratransit staff can send calls or clients to.

Identified Issue #26:

Program Brochure. The City references a Lyft brochure in their annual Claims to CCTA. The brochure was provided to the Audit Team. The brochure is in English, and no Spanish language version appears to exist. No accompanying brochure specific to the Paratransit service appears to exist.

The Audit Team reviewed the Lyft brochure and found it to include basic information about the Lyft program, including trip cost, and steps to apply. It does not include a website address. The information, again, is not current, as the back panel of the brochure encourages potential users to attend 2019 workshops. As with the website, potential clients looking at the brochure may question if the program is actively operating. Additionally, the information blends promotion of the Lyft service with ‘Hours of Operation’ of the Paratransit service, confusing readers about when the Lyft service is available. The Claims Forms indicate that the Lyft brochures are available at ‘ …senior centers, government offices, senior housing complexes, doctor/dental offices and anywhere seniors travel. ’ The Audit Team visited five senior and medical centers in Richmond on March 26, 2024, but did not find Lyft brochures to be available at any of the locations. A listing of the sites visited, and the Audit Team experience at these locations is available in Attachment 2.

Recommendation:

Ideally, the City should develop a new brochure with
promotional information about both the Paratransit and Lyft services. The brochure should be available in English and Spanish, or at a minimum, it should include a statement, in Spanish, citing a phone number to call for assistance. The existing Lyft brochure should be updated, and the most valued attributes of the service highlighted. The brochure should include a QR code leading to the service website. The
brochures should be delivered in inexpensive plexiglass holders to all the locations cited in the Claims Form and a business card or note added to the back of the racks citing who to contact to refill the rack. Printing costs should be minimal, and as a passive form of promotion, once new
brochures have been delivered, staff time to restock should be minimal.

City Response:

Clients who have called our office are aware of the LYFT service and the van service. The active workshops held in 2019 were because of the newly operated LYFT service. As stated previously we would love to update and provide
continual workshops and new brochures but operating with limited resources is a challenge in making this a viable service.

Identified Issue #27:

Client Orientation Guide. The City provided the Audit Team with a Client Orientation Guide during the Site Visit and another was offered by senior center staff on an Audit Team visit to locations in Richmond. One Guide was dated 2020-2021 and the second was dated 2021 and included a 2021 Holiday Schedule. Both include a web address on the front: www.rtransit.com that opens to a site offering to sell the URL. The actual City site is https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2880/R-Transit- Paratransit.

The Guide includes information that does not align with information given by the City on the Working Group Call or at the Site Visit. For example:
• Clients are told in the Guide that No Shows or Late Cancellations will result in a charge equal to the fare. On the Working Group Call, staff said this is not their practice. • One of the two Guides states that reservations can be made up to 10 days in advance while the other Guide, the website, City staff, and Claims submittals cite that reservations can be made 30 days in advance.
• The Guide outlines the need for an Identification Card, renewed annually, that must be shown to receive services or purchase ride coupons. Staff on the Working Group Call said that the ID is required Recommendation:

Errors in the Client Orientation Guide should be corrected, and the booklet updated annually so that new clients receive accurate information. Updated Guides should be distributed to centers for independent living, senior centers, and other sites that are able to promote and share information about the City’s services.

City Response:

These are not discrepancies, but service provided by our servicers TransMetro and LYFT. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding on the auditor’s behalf. All information is correct and accurate. 987

10 but is never requested from a client. During the Site Visit ride along, the Audit Team staff witnessed riders boarding and purchasing ticket books and an ID was never requested. • The Guide states that ‘one certified’ PCA will be allowed. Staff have stated that they do not ask for any certification and allow two attendants in some cases.

Identified Issue #28:

Client and Ridership Opportunities. Data from the City’s FY23/24 Claim Form cites 1,770 active registered clients in Richmond’s R-Transit program. According to the United States Census Bureau, Richmond had a population of approximately 114,000 in 2022, with 14% aged 65 or older, representing approximately 16,000 residents. Richmond’s R-Transit program is open to all residents ages 55+, which means more than 16,000 seniors are eligible for the R-Transit and Lyft services. As much of Richmond is an Equity Priority Community with a higher-than-average rate of poverty, access to low cost, on-demand transportation should attract a much larger user base than currently exists. The lack of users can be attributed, in part, to poor outreach and promotion.

Additionally, for the 2020 period that the City provided Lyft data, the average total one-way trip cost was $11.85. After the subsidy, riders paid an average of $3.12 per one-way trip. Less costly than the Paratransit service, and available all hours and seven days a week, there should be a significant untapped market for the program.

Recommendation:

Given the previously noted low cost of subsidized Lyft rides, the limited staff time needed to support the Lyft program, and the extended hours and days of operation it affords clients, the City should focus on robust promotion of the Lyft program to increase its client base and ridership. However, the City should also assess if the existing Lyft service must also be supplemented to provide parity in programs to accommodate customers in need of mobility assistance.

City Response:

City staff agrees that there is an untapped market to attract potential users to the service, however lack of revenue prevents the City from accomplishing this goal. The City did however contract out to LYFT since 2018 to ensure mobility options for all users. We now need resources to increase clientele, without resources the service will continue to operate ineffectively.

Identified Issue #29:

Customer Feedback. The City offers a Paratransit Survey on its website soliciting ratings on a variety of elements of its service including the reservation process, drivers, vehicles, and trip delivery. The City provided the Audit Team with all survey submissions. Since 2015, they have received a total of 10 individual survey responses. The most recent was from 2018.

All surveys fall outside of the five-year window of audit review, and at just 10 total responses, are an insufficient data set to be used to assess the City’s service. What is relevant, however, is that the survey is not being used. Additionally, when asked if they kept a log of client feedback received via the phone, they said they do not.

Recommendation:

The City should contact all clients once per year, via mail or email, for the express purpose of soliciting feedback on their service. The survey should be featured prominently on the website in English and Spanish, and an option to call the City to complete the survey over the phone should be provided.

Responses should be analyzed each year for ways to improve the customer experience. Third-party contractors are often used to manage and implement surveys for transit agencies, which not only saves staff time but also adds a measure of objectivity.

A log of all client comments, complaints, and commendations should be maintained and the information used to evaluate and improve the program.

City Response:

Due to decreased financial resources and staffing contracting a service to do surveys was unavailable. In the past we relied on a citywide survey conducted to report findings.

There is nothing in the Measure J Claims form that state we must complete surveys. In 2015 to present no surveys have been conducted due to the lack of resources and staffing.

988

CITY OF RICHMOND

PARATRANSIT SERVICES

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN UPDATE

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OCTOBER 1, 2024
Presenters: LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager – Community Services Wayne Tanda, Consultant
989

RECOMMENDED ACTION
• RECEIVE a presentation regarding the Richmond Paratransit Audit commissioned by the Contra Costa Transportation
Authority;
• APPROVE the City of Richmond’s responses to the Audit and the Performance Improvement Plan; and
• AUTHORIZE the reduction of the cost pool amount allocated to the Richmond Paratransit Program by $351,000 in Fiscal Year 2024-25 which would increase the General Fund’s obligation by $351,000
990

OVERVIEW

1. Richmond Paratransit Services

2. Paratransit Audit

3. City’s Performance Improvement Plan
• Accurate Performance and Financial Data
• Continuous Monitoring, Evaluation, & Incremental Improvements • Functional Paratransit Vehicles
• Paratransit Staffing
• Lower Administrative Cost (Cost Pool Allocation)

4. Next Steps

5. Outreach
991

RICHMOND PARATRANSIT
• Since 1976, the City of Richmond has provided paratransit services for seniors and mobility impaired adults.
• R-Transit program - a door-to-door demand responsive service using the City’s specialty equipped vehicles operated by trained City staff
• LYFT - Launched in 2018, serves all seniors via the LYFT app that provides on demand curb-to-curb trips
• Paratransit is funded through Measure J - dedicated to transportation for seniors and people with disabilities, commonly referred to as paratransit
• Contra Costa Transportation Authority administers Measure J funds
992

OVERVIEW OF RICHMOND PARATRANSIT

SERVICES
Program Service Provider Projected
Annual
Rides
Funding Source
R-Transit with
City Staff
Door-to-door City staff 2,100 Measure J
R-Transit with
TransMetro
Door-to-door TransMetro 600 Environmental &
Community
Investment
Agreement
R-Transit with
Lyft
Curb-to-curb Lyft 19,000 Measure J
993

RICHMOND PARATRANSIT SERVICE AREA
994

RICHMOND PARATRANSIT AUDIT
• In February 2024, the CCTA Board authorized an audit of the Richmond paratransit program for the five-year period from FY 2018-19 through FY 2023-24.
• The audit was completed in June 2024.
• Paratransit audit included 29 findings/recommendations • Per CCTA’s direction, the City submitted a Letter of Intent to CCTA on July 20, 2024, stating intention to continue providing paratransit services
• Per CCTA’s direction, City submitted Performance Improvement Plan to CCTA on August 19, 2024, outlining a proposed plan to improve service delivery, evaluate staffing needs, and address the high cost pool allocation 995
FY 2024 -25 PARATRANSIT PERFORMANCE

IMPROVEMENT PLAN
# Desired Outcome Audit Recommendation
1 Accurate performance and financial data 1,4,5,12,13,19,20,23 2 Continuous monitoring, evaluation, & incremental improvements 3,4 3 Functional paratransit vehicles 16
4 Paratransit staffing 17,21,22
5 Address administrative cost 7,8,9
6 Approve Measure J funding for FY 2024-25 1,2,5,6,9
7 Resolve Measure J funding for previous fiscal years 5,6 8 Transfer paratransit program to Public Works 5
9 Increase patronage 15, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
10 Increase customer satisfaction 29
11 Reduce cost/trip – ambulatory and non-ambulatory 10,11 12 Assessment of service delivery options for FY 2025-26 13 Approved Measure J funding for FY 2025-26 2
996

1. ACCURATE PERFORMANCE AND

FINANCIAL DATA

INFORMATION FROM VIA

OPERATIONS CENTER

INFORMATION FROM LYFT

OTHER CITY SOURCES
(ON-LINE)
997

2. CONTINUOUS MONITORING,

EVALUATION, & I NCREMENTAL

IMPROVEMENTS
 Bi-weekly meetings with Via; and as needed with
TransMetro and Lyft
 Monthly reports to monitor performance and financials  Institute data driven continuous improvement process
with Paratransit Team
998
Draft Sample of a Monthly Report - July 2024 Report
Activity Description Program/Provider
City TransMetro Lyft
Registered Richmond residents Residents in the City of Richmond XXXX XXXX Registered unincorporated residents Residents in unincorporated service areas XXXX XXXX Total registered residents Total of incorporated and unincorporated residents XXXX XXXX Registered Richmond clients that use service Clients in the City of Richmond 25 13 Registered unincorporated clients that use service Clients in unincorporated service areas 1 2 Total registered clients that use service Sum of Richmond and unincorporated clients who used service 26 15 Registered client boardings Each time a client boards a vehicle 166 42 Attendee and guest boardings Each time a client's attendee or guest boards a vehicle 0 2 Passenger boardings Sum of client and attendee and guest boardings 166 44 Revenue service hours Total hours that Paratransit vehicles are in revenue service 107.2 XXXX Passenger boardings/revenue service hours Total passenger boardings divided by revenue service hours 1.55 XXXX Revenue service miles Total miles that all vehicles operated while in revenue service 578 XXXX Average passenger trip distance Total revenue service miles divided by the total pass. boardings 3.5 XXXX Wheelchair passenger boardings Total number of passenger boardings using a wheelchair 34 21 No-shows Total number of times a passenger did not show up 2 0 Cancellations Total number of times a passenger cancels a reservation 59 4 Trips denied Reservations that are denied for both in-house and outsource providers 0 0 Reservation denied outside service area Reservations not made because outside service area 0 0 Multi-agency trips Trips that require transfer to another service provided 0 0 Vehicle accidents Total number of crashes involving a paratransit vehicle 0 0 On-time performance % of passenger pick-ups made within defined service window 99% XXXX All registered clients Total of all registered clients XXXX All registered clients that used service Each client who used service to complete a one-way trip XXXX # passenger boardings Each time a Lyft vehicle picks up an eligible client XXXX Average passenger trip distance Total revenue service miles divided by the total boardings XXXX Extended days or hours passenger boardings Each time a Lyft vehicle trip is provided outside service hours 0 Extended areas passenger boardings Each time a Lyft vehicle trip is provided outside service area 0 Cost of service Lyft's total gross revenues from service XXXX City subsidy of service City's total subsidy for Lyft service XXXX # tickets sold Total number of trip tickets sold (R-Trans and City Hall) XXXX XXXX $ amount of tickets sold Total income from sales of trip tickets sold $760+ XXXX Passenger boardings Each time a passenger boards a vehicle 166 44 XXXX On-time performance % of passenger pick-ups made within defined service window 99% XXXX XXXX Complaints/passenger boarding Total complaints divided by total number of boardings 0 1 XXXX Cost/passenger boarding Total cost of program divided by total number of boardings XXXX XXXX XXXX 999
LYFT DATA FROM FY 21 -22, 22 -23 & 23 -24
Note: This information does not cover the drop-off locations Note for 94806: Covers Richmond, San Pablo, including Tara Hills, Montalvin Manor, Bayview, and Rollingwood
Pick Up Zip Codes
FY 21-22
Total Rides Per Zip Code
FY 22-23
Total Rides Per Zip Code
FY 23-24
Total Rides Per Zip
(El Cerrito) 94530 935 1,561 2,547 (Martinez) 94553 26 25 17 (El Sobrante) 94564 594 919 1,239 (Albany) 94706 11 10 11 (Richmond) 94707 15 4 25 (North Richmond) 94801 1,046 1,991 2,112 (El Sobrante) 94803 1,277 1,716 2,336 (Richmond) 94804 1,906 3,127 4,383 (Richmond) 94805 427 684 1,117 (San Pablo) 94806 1,859 2,867 3,652 (Other) 1 1 3 TOTAL 8,097 12,905 17,442 TOTAL UNIQUE RIDERS 142 266 991
1000

3. FUNCTIONAL PARATRANSIT VEHICLES
 Existing paratransit vehicles – Commitment to
maintain as long as needed
 New paratransit vehicles – Ensure functionality
and provide for the charging of the electric
vehicles
1001

4. PARATRANSIT STAFFING
 Paratransit Coordinator – new position
 Paratransit drivers
 Transportation Division Management
1002

5. ADDRESS ADMINISTRATIVE COST
The following options will be considered by the Richmond City Council on September 24, 2024:

1. Limit Richmond’s overhead rate to 20% (Staff’s Current Recommendation) • Reduction is comparable to other Measure J Claimants
• This would reduce the cost of general administration from $490,000 to $139,000 • The difference of $351,000 would increase the net cost to the City’s General Fund

2. Full exemption from Cost Pool allocation
• The City’s General Fund would fully cover the full cost of the cost pool at $490,000

3. No change
• The Measure J funded paratransit program would not deviate from the City’s existing allocation of Cost Pool and allocate the full amount to Measure J 1003

NEXT STEPS
• Continue to work with consultant and city staff to implement the Performance Improvement Plan (i.e., development of rider's guide, standard operating procedures, outreach, increase in ridership, customer satisfaction methods, etc.)
• Work with Human Resources on staffing needs
• Revise the FY 24-25 Measure J Claim Form to include City Council decision on administrative cost; and use performance data that is based on the actual results through the 1st quarter of the year • Resolve Measure J funding for previous fiscal years
• Transfer Paratransit Program (and all of Transportation Division) from Community Services to Public Works
• Provide an update, in collaboration with CCTA staff, to the CCTA Board in November 2024
1004

PARATRANSIT OUTREACH MATERIALS
https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/3129/R-Transit-
Paratransit
1005

RECOMMENDED ACTION
• RECEIVE a presentation regarding the Richmond Paratransit Audit commissioned by the Contra Costa Transportation
Authority;
• APPROVE the City of Richmond’s responses to the Audit and the Performance Improvement Plan; and
• AUTHORIZE the reduction of the cost pool amount allocated to the Richmond Paratransit Program by $351,000 in Fiscal Year 2024-25 which would increase the General Fund’s obligation by $351,000
1006

THANK YOU & QUESTIONS
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager, City of
Richmond [email protected] or
510.620.6828
1007

Page 1 of 2 ends

September 24, 2024

City Council

DATE: September 24, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:

Councilmember Doria Robinson

Subject:

Rename Virginia Playlot to Floria Evans Park (Robinson) FINANCIAL IMPACT: $500 for materials and labor is included in Public Works Signs Division budget, General Fund account 01234531.

Public Works recommends that the cost recovery efforts
be waived for the applicant because the signage updates for the park are overdue.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:

None

STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:

The Recreation and Parks Commission approved a
request at the June 5, 2024, meeting to recommend
renaming the Virginia Playlot to Floria Evans Park to
commemorate Ms. Evans’ longstanding dedication to the
neighborhood.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

ADOPT a Resolution of Intention to rename Virginia
Playlot to Floria Evans Park and waive cost recovery
fees, and SET a Public Hearing for October 15, 2024 –
Councilmember Doria Robinson (510-620-6568)

AGENDA
REPORT
1008

Page 2 of 2 ends

September 24, 2024
DISCUSSION:

The family of Mrs. Evans submitted an application to the Recreation and Parks Commission on April 2, 2024, to change the name of the Virginia Playlot to Floria Evans Park.

Mrs. Evans is a neighborhood hero who helped to raise and care for dozens of children who have grown up in that neighborhood. She was a mentor and a neighborhood icon.

Her home is adjacent to the park, and she has resided there for 65 years.

The application inquires if the nominee has ever received recognition on a local, national or international level which would bring honor to the City of Richmond. The City Clerk’s Office does not have record of local recognition of Mrs. Evans. However, I believe she is more of a hometown hero who anchored the neighborhood for more than half of a century. My thought was that not every hero needs to do things on a national or state level to be important and transformative for the community.

Even though a petition in support of the name change was not submitted, the Coronado Neighborhood Council has provided a letter in support of the name change. There is one letter on file in opposition to the requested name change.

The park is located at South 18th Street at Virginia Avenue. A google map of the area is attached.

DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:

Attachment 1 – Resolution of Intention
Attachment 2 – Redacted Application for a Park Name Change Attachment 3 – Map of Park Location
Attachment 4 – Notice of Public Hearing
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016

RESOLUTION OF INTENTION NO. XX

A RESOLUTION OF INTENTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

RICHMOND TO RENAME VIRGINIA PLAYLOT TO FLORIA EVANS PARK

BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Richmond as follows:

SecƟon 1. It is the intenƟon of the City Council of the City of Richmond to change the name of Virginia Playlot to Floria Evans Park

SecƟon 2. That Tuesday, Octobe r 15, 2024, at 6:30pm, or as soon thereaŌer, in the City Council Chambers of the City of Richmond, 440 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, California, is hereby fixed as the Ɵme and place for hearing all persons interested in or objecƟng to the proposed park name change.

SecƟon 3. That the City Clerk is hereby instructed to (1) cause to be posted conspicuously along the secƟon of South 18
th Street at Virginia Avenue, a minimum of three (3) copies of this resoluƟon; and (2) cause to be printed and published in the West County Times, a copy of this ResoluƟon at least ten (10) days before said hearing.

**********************

I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held Insert Date, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSTENTIONS:

ABSENT:

P A M E L A C H R I S T I A N

CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
1017

Mayor

Approved as to form:

City Attorney

State of California }
County of Contra Costa : ss.

City of Richmond }

I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Resolution No. XX, finally passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting held on INSERT DATE ADOPTED.

P a m e l a C h r i s t i a n, Clerk of the City of Richmond

1018

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, the City Council of the City of Richmond will hold a public hearing to consider renaming Virginia Playlot to Floria Evans Park herein.

The google map showing South 18
th Street at Virginia Avenue can be accessed by clicking the hyperlink.

For more information regarding the proposed street renaming, please contact the City Council’s Office at (510) 620-6861.

The hearing will commence at 6:30 p. m. or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard and will be held via Zoom video conference and by toll-free teleconference call. All persons interested in or objecting to the proposed renaming of said park may attend the public hearing online or by toll-free teleconference call, or, prior to the time of the hearing, submit written comments.

To participate in the Zoom video conference online meeting and obtain detailed information on how to provide public comment, please visit the City of Richmond, City Clerk’s Office website, Council Agenda Documents webpage at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/151/Council-Agenda-Documents and review the published agenda for the October 15, 2024 meeting.

Public comment may be submitted by mail, email and/or Zoom video conference in the manner that follows, provided that no member of the public may submit more than one verbal comment per agenda item.

1. Via mail received by 1:00 p.m. the day of the meeting, sent to 450 Civic Center Plaza, 3rd Floor, Office of the Clerk, Richmond, CA 94804.

2. Via email to [email protected] by 1:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.

Emails MUST contain in the subject line 1) public comments agenda item #__ [include the agenda item number]. All such email will be posted on-line and emailed to the City Council before the meeting is called to order. No individual email will be read into the record. Due to the high volume of emails received, emails that do not contain the correct identifying information in the subject line may be overlooked and may not become part of the record. Email received after 1:00 p.m. will be posted on-line following the meeting as part of the supplemental materials attached to the meeting minutes.

3. Via Zoom by video conference or by phone using the following link/call-in numbers – for City Council:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://zoom.us/j/99312205643?pwd=MDdqNnRmS2k4ZkRTOWhlUldQOUF1Zz09 Passcode: ccmeeting
Webinar ID: 993 1220 5643

Or iPhone one-tap:

US: +16699006833,,99312205643# or +13462487799,,99312205643# Or Telephone:

Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592

Pamela Christian
Clerk of the City of Richmond

Dated:

Published:

1019

Page 1 of 5 ends

October 1, 2024

Economic Development

DATE: October 1, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:

Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Samantha Carr, Environmental Manager
Tamara Walker, Deputy Community Services Director -
Employment & Training
Lizeht Zepeda, Senior Business Assistance Officer

Subject:

Presentation of the Richmond Green Blue New Deal
Opportunities Report
FINANCIAL IMPACT: No financial impact of receiving this report.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:

July 6, 2021, April 5, 2022, October 7, 2023

STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:

Provide the Green-Blue Opportunities Report and
appendices submitted by the consultant, Appraccel, LLC
and receive direction from City Council on next steps.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

RECEIVE presentation on the Richmond Green-Blue
New Deal Opportunities Report; and RECEIVE the draft
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Implementation Plan -
Economic Development Department (Samantha Carr
510-620-5407/Nannette Beacham 510-621-1306/Tamara
Walker 510-307-8006/Lizeht Zepeda 510-620-6653).

AGENDA
REPORT
1020

Page 2 of 5 ends

October 1, 2024
DISCUSSION:

Background

The Richmond City Council adopted Resolution 88-21 on July 6, 2021 (Attachment 2).

The purpose of this resolution was to research and compose a Richmond Green-Blue New Deal (RGBND) with inclusion of a Just Transition Framework inspired by the broader national Green New Deal frameworks aimed at addressing environmental challenges while promoting economic and social equity. This initiative builds upon the nexus between the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), Health in All Polices (HiAP), Richmond Workforce Development Local Plan, and Economic Development Action Plan (EDAP). Additionally, COVID-19 caused an unemployment surge in Richmond with a peak of 3,412 weekly unemployment claims in late March 2020. Additionally, the City of Richmond’s workforce was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 5, 2022, the City awarded a contract with the consultant, Appraccel, LLC, which included various subcontractors (Groundwork Richmond, Richmond Safe Return Project, MIG, HR&A Advisors, Medema Consulting, and Abbe & Associates). The contract with Appraccel, LLC expired on June 30, 2024.

Richmond Green Blue New Deal Opportunities Report and Draft Implementation Plan

A variety of community engagement and outreach presentations and workshops with various Richmond commissions, committees, councils, chambers, businesses, and residents were held to receive feedback and ensure the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report (Opportunities Report) is responsive and reflects the community’s interests and need. The Opportunities Report emphasizes sustainable development, renewable energy adoption, environmental justice, and community engagement. All analysis and reports completed to-date are included in the Opportunities Report (Attachment 3).

The Opportunities Report builds upon Richmond’s abundant valuable assets: a deep- water port, industrially-zoned land, freight lines, highways, a skilled and trained workforce, and a vibrant non-profit community. Eight areas of potential job creation identified by the Opportunities Report include: renewable energy, building electrification and energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, zero waste, green infrastructure and urban forestry, land use, water, and other. Twenty-four projects in these eight categories could collectively add thousands of new green-blue jobs for Richmond residents and expand efforts to build a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future.

Some projects are conceptual and will require a champion to scope and find seed funding. Other projects are already happening and with more funding will be able to hire more people. Some projects can begin within weeks while others will require a few years to plan and secure public and private funding.

The draft Richmond Green Blue New Deal (RGBND) Implementation Plan (Plan) takes the Opportunities Report projects and lists out possible next steps (Attachment 4). The draft Plan has not been released to the public and the community has not had an 1021

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October 1, 2024
opportunity to provide input. City staff plan to release the draft Plan for a 60-day comment period which will include presentations to the Economic Development Commission, Richmond Workforce Development Board, and Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council. City staff’s goal is to bring back the final Plan to City Council for adoption in Q1 of 2025.

Of the 24 projects listed in the RGBND Opportunity Report, numerous projects are currently in progress or in an exploratory phase (Attachment 5). Additional resources are required to start the exploratory process or expand projects due to limited staff capacity, the technical nature of some projects, limited funding, and some projects do not normally fall within the City’s direct purview. A few resources City staff have identified are additional staffing, contractors with technical expertise, funding, and time to build community, public, and private partnerships. Additionally, some of the proposed jobs and wages do not meet the Federal definition of “Good Job” which focuses on high growth and high wages. Lastly, some of the projects will require a few years to scope, plan, build partnerships, and implement in alignment with City procurement policies.

NEXT STEPS:

 If directed by City Council, City staff will continue to research and identify a detailed list of additional resources necessary for a thoughtful and sustainable Richmond Green Blue New Deal.
 City staff plan to release the draft Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Implementation Plan for a 60-day comment period including presentations to the Economic Development Commission, Workforce Development Board, and Richmond Coordinating Council with a goal to bring back the final plan to City Council for adoption in Q1 of 2025.
 City staff will continue to apply for funding and implement City Council Goals and Priorities in alignment with green and blue economies and workforce including but not limited to:
o 2.1 Create new opportunities for workforce development in Richmond o 2.2 Revitalize, attract, and maintain existing small and new businesses o 2.3 Create and or re-envision infrastructure to attract new business and retail, manufacturing infill developments, and new customers for existing Richmond businesses
o 2.5 Revitalization of Port
o 3.1 Improve maintenance of built environment, parks, and new recreation infrastructure
o 3.2 Create new infrastructure
o 3.3 Implement Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Grant o 4.4 Add and improve emergency preparedness
o 6.1 Develop a shoreline resiliency plan with inventory of contaminated sites to plan and prepare for sea level rise
o 6.2 Reduce local hazards

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POLICY SYNERGIES:

The Richmond Green-Blue New Deal resolution aligns with broader city-wide efforts to combat climate change at the local, state, and national levels, demonstrating Richmond's commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. City Council is continuously contributing to the Green-Blue effort with the passage of Resolutions and Ordinances. There is alignment with policies, actions, and goals specified in the Economic Development, Energy and Climate Change, Health and Wellness, and Land Use and Urban Design chapters of the General Plan 2030.

Several of the actions in the Health in All Policies Strategy chapters, Economic Development and Education, Residential and Built Environment, Environmental Health and Justice supports green-blue related efforts. The Climate Action Plan includes a robust list of strategies in each chapter to advance renewable energy adoption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase sustainability, and promote green businesses. The Richmond Workforce Development Board Local Plan 2021-2024 includes multiple pillars and actions that support and need to be included in implementation. Other aligned City Plans include the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, First Mile/Last Mile Transportation Strategic Plan, and Urban Greening Master Plan. Recently City Council developed a list of priority actions for the next three years that further their vision of creating a thriving, inclusive community through transparency and targeted actions that address immediate and long-term needs.

City Council is continuously contributing to the Green-Blue effort with the passage of Resolutions and Ordinances:
 Resolution 133-23
 Resolution 67-22
 Ordinance No 15-21 N.S. Prohibition of natural gas infrastructure in newly constructed buildings

State Law Policy Synergies:
 Per SB 1383 requirements, surplus edible food is being recovered through support from RecycleMore and non-profit organizations.
 City compliance with SB 350 Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act with completing EV charger installations on city property.

Additionally, there is alignment with the Contra Costa County Green New Deal which aims to encourage 100% renewable energy by 2040 and achieve the five zeros (zero carbon grid, zero carbon transportation, zero carbon buildings, zero waste and zero wasted water).

DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:

Attachment 1 – Richmond Green Blue New Deal Opportunities Report PowerPoint Attachment 2 – Resolution 88-21
Attachment 3 – Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report with Appendices 1023

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Attachment 4 – Richmond Blue New Deal Implementation Plan 6.2024 Attachment 5 – City Green and Blue Project Statuses and Accomplishments

1024
Richmond Green-Blue New
Deal Opportunities Report
1 Medema
Consulting
Abbe & Associates
September 2024
1025
Goal
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 2 The Richmond Green-Blue New Deal will
catalyze at least 1,000 new green-blue jobs
for Richmond residents that build a just,
equitable, resilient and sustainable future.
1026
Vision
Just - Racial, economic, environmental, and intergenerational justice Equitable - Everyone should have the right to a healthy environment, regardless of their race, class, or other status
Resilient - The ability to recover quickly from a shock or challenge Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 3 Sustainable - Meeting the needs of the
present population without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet
their needs
Just Transition – Moving toward a clean
energy economy with high-road jobs
1027
What Are Green-Blue Project Areas?

1. Renewable Energy

2. Building Electrification
and Energy Efficiency

3. Sustainable
Transportation

4. Zero Waste

5. Land Use

6. Green Infrastructure and
Urban Forestry

7. Water

8. Other
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 4 1028
Green-Blue Jobs Projects Already in
Place
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 5 • Solar photovoltaics
• Building electrification
and energy efficiency
• Electric vehicle charging
• Electric bike lending
library
• Tiny homes
• Food rescue
• Tree planting
• Living Levee
• Community gardens
• Port electrification
Watershed Nursery, Richmond Groundwork Richmond
Rebuilding Together East Bay Network,
Richmond
1029
Large Projects (100-1,000 jobs)
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 6 Port upgrade, New Bedford, MA
Offshore wind construction vessel, Brownsville, TX
$5.5 billion new Li-Ion battery factory, Queen Creek, AZ Offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing, France
1030
Other
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 7 Develop green
hydrogen* (fossil
fuel-free)
manufacturing for:
1) aviation fuel
2) long-haul trucking
fuel
3) green steel
manufacturing
4) fertilizer
manufacturing
* with caveats
Green hydrogen, Bremerhaven, Germany
1031
Medium-Sized Projects (10-100 jobs)
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 8 Solar emergency microgrid at Fire
Station #6, Fremont, CA
Community of accessory dwelling
units, Austin, TX
Destination downtown, Richmond
Building deconstruction Urban Ore, Berkeley, CA Refoundry, South Los Angeles and Brooklyn, NY 1032
Medium-Sized Projects
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 9 startBlue accelerator, San Diego, CA Training center for boat maintenance and repair, San Diego, CA Berthing vessels, Portland, OR Brownfields Research and Innovation Hub 1033
Small Projects (with potential to grow)
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 10 Oyster ball monitoring, Watershed Project, Richmond
Transportation management association,
Palo Alto, CA Shoreline ecotourism
Surplus food rescue, San
Francisco, CA
Community land trust
1034
Small Projects (with potential to grow)
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 11 Remakery, Paris
Urban Machine
1035
Financial Tools
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 12 1036
Capacity Building
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 13 Four full-time people for two years
• Champions
• Scope
• Business plans
• Line up funding (public and private)
• Project managers
• Grow projects to next level
1037
Project Contact Information
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal | City of Richmond Slide 14 City Staff Contact:

Samantha Carr, Environmental Manager
[email protected]
Consultant Contact:

Justine Burt, Project Manager
[email protected]
1038
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Richmond Green-Blue
New Deal

OPPORTUNITIES REPORT
JULY 2024
1043
Acknowledgements
Prepared by: Apparaccel
as part of the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal
City Council
Eduardo Martinez, Mayor
Claudia Jimenez, Vice Mayor
Soheila Bana
Gayle McLaughlin
Doria Robinson
Melvin Willis
Cesar Zepeda
City’s Consultant Team
Appraccel
Abbe & Associates
Groundwork Richmond
HR&A
Medema Consulting
MIG
Safe Return Project
City Staff
Nannette Beacham
Samantha Carr
Shasa Curl
Patrick Phelan
Hector Rojas
Tamara Walker
Diana Wear,
Economic Development Commissioner
B.K. White
Orrian Willis,
Economic Development Commissioner
Lizeht Zepeda
1044
Community Partners
1Hundred Years
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
Blue Frontier
Boilermakers Union
Center for Creative Land Recycling
Chevron
CoBIz Richmond
Collaborising
Contra Costa Building Trades
Contra Costa Community College
Cooperation Richmond
Council of Industries
CSU Maritime
Construction Trades Workforce Initiative
East Bay Economic Development
Alliance
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
County
Groundwork Richmond
International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers
Laborers’ International Union
Marin Clean Energy
Othering & Belonging Institute, UC
Berkeley
Pacific Environment
Plant to Plate
RCF Connects
Rebuilding Together East Bay Network
RecycleMore
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
Replate
Republic Services
Rich City Rides
Richmond LAND
Richmond Listening Project
Richmond Main St. Initiative
Richmond Neighborhood Housing
Services
Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
Rubicon
RYSE Center
SFMade
Sims Metal
SMART Sheet Metal Worker Local Union
The Watershed Project
Urban Ore
Urban Tilth
Water Emergency Transportation
Authority
West County Wastewater
Working Waterfront
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report1045
1 4
6 7
7 8
10 22
27 29
34 43
47 57
61 64
72 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................

Introduction..................................................................................................................................

Richmond’s Manufacturing History...........................................................................

Vulnerabilities to Climate Change.............................................................................

Just Transition: A Path Forward.................................................................................

SECTION I: Study Methodology...............................................................................................

SECTION II: Community Aspirations......................................................................................

SECTION III: Community Profile..............................................................................................

SECTION IV: Green-Blue Project Recommendations ........................................................

Renewable Energy........................................................................................................

Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency .......................................................

Sustainable Transportation.......................................................................................

Zero Waste....................................................................................................................

Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry.............................................................

Land Use........................................................................................................................

Water..............................................................................................................................

Other.............................................................................................................................. 1046
SECTION V: Workforce Development and Training..........................................................

What is Workforce Development?..........................................................................

Skill Development.......................................................................................................

Overcoming Barriers.................................................................................................

Existing Training.........................................................................................................

High Road Training Partnerships...........................................................................

Funding for Training..................................................................................................

K-12 Environmental Education and Green Career Awareness......................

SECTION VI: Funding...............................................................................................................

For Projects That Need Subsidies.........................................................................

For Projects Offering Returns on Investment.....................................................

Number of Jobs Created..........................................................................................

Next Steps for the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal .....................................................

Conclusion................................................................................................................................

APPENDICES.............................................................................................................................

Appendix I: Jobs per $1 Million Invested
Appendix II: Eight Municipal Green New Deals
Appendix III: K-12 Environmental Education and Green Careers Awareness Appendix IV: Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State Appendix V: Community Outreach and Findings Report
Appendix VI: Insights About the Future Green-Blue Economy from Justice- Involved Richmond Residents
Appendix VII: Community Profile & Economic Development Insights 74 75
78 80
82 86
87 87
89 90
98 98
101
102
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Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report1047
Table of Figures
Figure 1: Community Concerns About Environmental and Health Issues....................

Figure 2: Environmental Project Priorities...........................................................................

Figure 3: Safe Return Project Workshop #1........................................................................

Figure 4: Richmond’s Key Industries Critical to the Green Economy.............................

Figure 5: Jobs by Occupation in Richmond (2021) and Jobs Growth (2010-2021).....

Figure 6: Extractive Industry Jobs in Richmond (2021) and Change in Jobs (2010-2021).............................................................................................................................

Figure 7: Building, Construction, and Service Jobs in Richmond (2021) with Change in Jobs (2010-2021)................................................................................................................

Figure 8: Water Transportation Jobs in Richmond (2021) with Change in Jobs (2010-2021)..............................................................................................................................

Figure 9: Green Jobs in Top 20 Occupations for Green Skill Jobs in Richmond (2021)........................................................................................................................................

Figure 10: Recommended Projects for Green-Blue Job Creation in Richmond..........

Figure 11: Parts of an Offshore Wind Turbine......................................................................

Figure 12: Number of Manufacturing Jobs and Investment per Facility to Support 25 Gigawatts Offshore Wind Deployment on the West Coast......................................

Figure 13: Estimated Number of Jobs to Upgrade Richmond’s Existing Residential Building Stock..........................................................................................................................

Figure 14: An ADU Design Available From the City of Stockton, CA...............................

Figure 15: Housing Units by Year Structure Built, City of Richmond.............................

Figure 16: Urban Ore Sales by Category, 2020-2022.......................................................

Figure 17: Dowel-Laminated Timber.....................................................................................

Figure 18: Soil Clean-Up Level Based on End Uses............................................................ 13 14
15 23
24 24

25 25

26 28
31 32

35 38
48 49
53 61
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report1048
Figure 19: Offshore Wind Boat Types and Specifications..................................................

Figure 20: Simplified Career Pathways for Six Green Job Sectors...................................

Figure 21: Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC).................................................

Figure 22: Distinctive Skills Needed for Recommended Green-Blue Projects.............

Figure 23: Skill Development by Type of Employment......................................................

Figure 24: Examples of Training Currently Available..........................................................

Figure 25: Median Salaries by Green Sector (San Francisco Bay Area)........................

Figure 26: Salary Ranges in Advanced Manufacturing (national)...................................

Figure 27: Salary Ranges in Green Building (national).......................................................

Figure 28: Spectrum of Financial Tools for Green Job Projects......................................

Figure 29: RGBND Projects Organized by Potential Number of Jobs Created...........

Figure 30: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency Projects................................................

Figure 31: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Sustainable Transportation Projects................................................................................

Figure 32: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Zero Waste Projects..............................................................................................................

Figure 33: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry Projects........................................................

Figure 34: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Water Projects........................................................................................................................ 68 76
77 78
81 82
84 85
86 89
99 103

103

104

105

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Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report1049
Glossary
Term Definition
BIPOC Black Indigenous People of Color
Beneficial electrification
electrification strategies or approaches that benefit both the environment (through reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and the end-users of energy (by saving money and improving health in a way that is equitable) Building envelope the physical separation between the conditioned and unconditioned space in a building
Decarbonize to stop or reduce carbon gases, especially carbon dioxide, being released into the atmosphere
Direct jobs jobs directly supported by an industry (e.g., electricians installing electric water heaters)
Disadvantaged community
(DAC)
the areas throughout California which suffer most from a combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens (California Public Utility Commission)
Electrification a switch to technologies powered by electricity in place of natural gas or other fossil fuels
Environmental justice
the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies (State of California) Equity fair outcomes, treatment, and opportunities for all Greenhouse gases gases that trap heat in the atmosphere High-road jobs jobs offering family-sustaining wages, benefits, and opportunities for career advancement
Indirect jobs includes materials and capital services supplier jobs (e.g., jobs manufacturing electric water heaters)
Induced jobs
includes jobs supported by re-spending of income from direct jobs and supplier jobs, as well as public-sector jobs supported by tax revenue (e.g., jobs at restaurant where electrician dines)
Job-year one job for one year
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report1050
Just Transition
a period of transition toward a clean-energy economy with high-road jobs offering family-sustaining wages, benefits, and opportunities for career advancement
Justice-involved people who are now, or have spent time in jails, youth correctional facilities, or prisons
Mercantile building any building or part of a building used as shops, stores, market, malls, for display and sale of merchandise either wholesale or retail Recidivism the act of committing another crime or coming into conflict with the criminal justice system
Remakery a co-working maker space that is supported by memberships, grants, and fee-for-service classes
Shared
micro-manufacturing
shared space with manufacturing of products in small quantities using small manufacturing facilities
Shared micro-retail a retail model including things like small-scale pop-up shops and boutique storefronts
Solar photovoltaics convert sunlight directly into electricity Upskill to learn new skills or teach workers new skills Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report1051
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
1 Executive Summary
In 2021, the City Council in Richmond, California, passed Resolution 88-21, launching the development of a Richmond Green-Blue New Deal. Their bold vision describes a “five zero” future: 1) a zero-carbon grid 2) zero-carbon transportation 3) zero-carbon buildings 4) zero waste and 5) zero wasted water.

The subsequent Richmond Green-Blue New Deal (RGBND) Opportunities Report provides a blueprint for the creation of 1,000 new green-blue jobs to help the City Council realize this future it envisions. The intent of the report is to speed up the transition to a clean-energy and zero-waste economy, with restored environmental and human health and without leaving fossil fuel industry workers and its community behind. Such a period of equitable change is called a Just Transition.

The RGBND project team spent nine months in dialogue with the Richmond community through surveys, interviews, stakeholder meetings, and workshops to understand the challenges community members face, as well as their preferences and aspirations. The Richmond community has a profound understanding of existing problems but also a deep commitment to building a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future by utilizing the city’s assets and activating its talents.

Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 11052 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
2 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 2
Union labor and others advocate strongly for high-road jobs that pay enough to support a family and offer benefits and career advancement opportunities.

Many community members are eager to speed up the Just Transition process and wonder what kinds of green and blue jobs are the best fit for Richmond. Once the community decides which projects to pursue, workforce development will provide training for workers to upskill for their next careers.

People who face barriers to employment, including members of the justice- involved community, are eager for training opportunities and green jobs.

Community members advocating for the next generation urged the project team to also include green career awareness and training for elementary, middle school, and high school students. It’s vital that interest in green careers is sparked among youth now to fill the meaningful green-blue careers of tomorrow.

The 24 project recommendations for green-blue jobs are based partly on economic forecasts about the jobs of the future and partly on governmental environmental policy goals. For example, the primary driver of growth in local renewable energy jobs is California’s goal with Senate Bill 100 to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2045.

The RGBND Opportunities Report methodology comprises six elements that determine when a project can proceed to the starting line and start hiring workers. They are: 1) What is the scope of the project? 2) Where will funding come from? 3) Who is the champion? 4) Does demand for the green good or service exist? 5) Who are the workers? and 6) What training do they need to upskill?
Deciding which projects to pursue will allow RichmondWORKS to develop training to help workers upskill, depending on their entry point into the job market.

The eight project sectors include:
• Renewable energy
• Building electrification and energy efficiency
• Sustainable transportation
• Zero waste
• Green infrastructure and urban forestry
• Land use
• Water
• Other
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3 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 3
Within these eight sectors are organized 24 recommended projects for green- blue job creation in Richmond:

1. Solar emergency microgrids at critical community facilities (police, fire, wastewater treatment plants, K-12 schools, healthcare facilities)

2. Battery manufacturing

3. Offshore wind manufacturing and assembly hub

4. Building electrification retrofits

5. Green accessory dwelling units and tiny homes

6. Community land trust

7. Destination downtown

8. Transportation management association

9. Transition to zero-emission vehicles

10. Building deconstruction firms

11. Building salvage warehouse

12. Richmond remakery and fixery

13. Re-entry entrepreneurs

14. Surplus food rescue

15. Expanding the tree canopy

16. Living levee

17. Brownfields research & innovation hub

18. Blue tech incubator and accelerator

19. Port upgrades, including electrification

20. Berthing vessels at the port

21. Boat building

22. Training center for boat maintenance and repair

23. Shoreline ecotourism

24. Green hydrogen
A separate RGBND Implementation Plan provides case studies about other cities where these types of projects have already been successfully implemented. Depending on whether a project needs to be fully subsidized or offers a return on investment, a variety of potential funding sources are available, including: grants, rebates, bonds, tax credits, loans, loan guarantees, and private financing.

Once grants or financing is lined up, local champions who have expressed interest in specific projects will either be selected or will step up to lead. 1054
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4 Introduction
Richmond faces challenges from historic industrial pollution, underinvestment, and systemic inequalities—and yet it has great potential to utilize current assets and activate talent to build a 21st century, clean-energy, zero-waste economy.

What makes Richmond prime for major public and private investment is that it is a disadvantaged community located at the intersection of important social, environmental, and economic issues; while at the same time striving to become a role model for economic growth while addressing climate change and environmental justice issues.1
The main goal of the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal (RGBND) project is to catalyze at least 1,000 new green-blue jobs for Richmond residents. This goal is informed 1055
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
5 by the project’s vision to employ the Just Transition model while planning for a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future. The project’s mission involves identifying opportunities for high-road jobs that unlock local assets and talents while incorporating community preferences.

For the purpose of this report, the definitions of these key terms are:
• Just Transition – Building a bridge to a clean-energy economy without leaving fossil fuel workers and the community behind
• High-road jobs – Offer family-sustaining wages, benefits, and opportunities for career advancement
• Just – Racial, economic, environmental, and intergenerational justice • Equitable – Everyone should have the right to a healthy environment, regardless of race, class, or other status; equitable also describes a level playing field on which all have equal opportunity for economic mobility • Resilient – The ability of natural systems and human infrastructure to recover quickly from a shock or challenge
• Sustainable – Meeting the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs Many disadvantaged communities are trying to figure out how to craft a Just Transition so that workers in historically polluting industries are not left behind as society builds a clean-energy economy. This bridge to a green future involves training and opportunities for workers that build on existing skillsets and allow them to upskill for new projects. Richmond’s work in this area will inspire other communities struggling with similar social, environmental, and economic challenges to develop a similar plan.

Richmond is a community of 114,106 residents on 33.7 square miles of land, with 32 miles of shoreline located along the San Francisco Bay.2 The city contains valuable physical assets, including a deep-water port, two highways, freight train lines, and industrially-zoned land. These, along with various valuable skillsets among Richmond residents, could be put to use to build a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future. The path to such a future is through green-blue jobs.

This project’s working definition of green jobs is “work that protects and enhances the environment for current and future generations.” In order to tee up not only green jobs but also 1,000 new green-blue careers lasting three or four decades, the RGBND builds builds on the community’s strengths while unlocking opportunities for residents.
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6 Investments in green-blue jobs multiply throughout the economy. Thus, this report lays out conditions that will enable the creation of direct green-blue jobs, which in turn will multiply to catalyze indirect jobs along the supply chain, as well as induced jobs that result when workers spend money in their local economy.

Government policies support green economic growth in key ways. The City of Richmond has a framework of policies and plans designed to improve environmental health and public health outcomes. State policies, programs, and grant-funding opportunities complement the City’s policies and plans. For example, the California Workforce Development Board has 70 High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) industry workgroups that have developed policies and principles for high-road jobs in various industries. The initiative was designed as a campaign to “support businesses that compete on the basis of the quality of their products and services by investing in their workforces; these businesses pay the wages and benefits necessary to attract and retain skilled workers, who in turn perform high- quality work.”3
When planning for high-road jobs for the 21st century economy, it is important to consider the infrastructure built during Richmond’s industrial past and the resultant pollution that remains.

Richmond’s Manufacturing History
Richmond has a long industrial history of hosting large companies that manufacture explosives, chemicals, petroleum products, railcars, automobiles, and ships. In 1895, Giant Powder Company established an explosives manufacturing facility at Point Pinole in Richmond. In 1897, the Stauffer Chemical Company bought land and made a business trucking pyrite (fool’s gold) from its Sierra mine to Richmond to roast it down into sulfuric acid. In the 1950s, the company started making chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

In 1902, the Chevron Richmond Refinery opened and over the next century grew its petroleum refining business to the point that it now occupies 2,900 acres and employs thousands of workers. In 1910, the Pullman Company established a facility to manufacture and repair Pullman railroad sleeping cars. The Ford Motor Company erected an automobile assembly plant in 1930, which converted to wartime production during World War II and then moved to Milpitas in 1956.

Also during World War II, four Richmond shipyards were built along the waterfront, employing thousands of workers. With this effort, Richmond’s population increased 1057
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7 dramatically, rising from 23,000 in 1940 to 114,899 in 1942 and peaking at around 120,000 by 1945. Kaiser’s Richmond shipyards built 747 Victory and Liberty ships for the war effort, with a record of one ship being built in just five days.

This industrial legacy brought jobs and infrastructure to the city but also left enduring pollution. Volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, petroleum substances, and other hazardous chemicals contaminate soil at 442 brownfields and Superfund sites. The burden of soil pollution is compounded by air pollution from stationary and mobile sources that contribute to higher levels of asthma than surrounding communities, another compelling reason to speed the Just Transition to a clean-energy, zero-waste future.

Vulnerabilities to Climate Change
Part of the urgency around a Just Transition involves Richmond’s 32 miles of shoreline. The city’s proximity to the Bay leaves the community vulnerable to storm surges and sea level rise brought on by climate change. Local assets that could be affected by climate change include community services and public facilities, public health, housing and schools, water supply, wastewater management, stormwater management, transportation infrastructure, flood management, energy infrastructure, solid waste and hazardous waste management, parks, natural areas and ecosystems, and commercial and industrial assets. Specific examples of community vulnerabilities to climate change include the fact that wildfire could affect communication towers in the East Bay Hills and flooding could compromise emergency response personnel’s ability to respond to community needs. The forthcoming Richmond Sea Level Adaptation and Resilience Plan seeks to address some of these concerns.

Just Transition: A Path Forward
While Richmond has a history of industrial development and pollution, the Just Transition will incorporate valuable assets built in the past century and activate them to create a clean-energy and zero-waste future: a deep water port, freight lines, highways, industrially-zoned land, and a skilled union workforce that could put their talents to use in high-road jobs. Capital investments and operational expenditures in high-road green-blue jobs in Richmond will not only allow workers to support themselves and build wealth but will also increase tax revenues. Tax revenues flowing to the city and county will then be reinvested in the community in ways that benefit residents and local businesses.
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8 How does green-blue job creation happen? To advance projects recommended in this report to the starting line and to be able to hire people involves the following six considerations:

1. Scope – Does the green or blue project have a clear definition?

2. Demand – Is there a true demand for green goods or services?

3. Funding – Is there funding available from the federal or state government, the private sector, or a mix of public and private?

4. Champion – Who is the project’s champion, the person who either helps advocate for the project and finds funding, or, if funding is already available, can serve as project manager?

5. Workers – What types of workers possess the skillsets needed for this work, and how can they be identified?

6. Training – What training is needed to upskill workers in the latest technologies?
All six elements come into play when developing a project like residential electrification retrofits, for example.

SECTION 1
Study Methodology
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9 Consider a pilot project with a scope to retrofit 50 pre-1970 single-family homes with all-electric equipment in a disadvantaged area with zero upfront cost for residents. To confirm there is demand for this project, it would be helpful to partner with community-based organizations to administer a survey that gauges interest in such retrofits. Funding could come from federal and state grants for electrification retrofits in disadvantaged communities. If funding were secured, the utility or City could assign or hire a project manager (champion) to manage the project with electrical contractors. Since natural gas water heaters will be banned in the Bay Area starting January 1, 2027, electrical workers must undergo training in installation of electric heat pump water heaters before that date. The Bay Area ban on natural gas space heating will go into effect on January 1, 2029, before which training on electric heat pumps for heating and cooling should be available for contractors. This is just one application of the RGBND methodology.

Altogether, the above six elements allow a project to proceed to the starting line.

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10 The Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report builds upon existing City plans with input from City leadership and community feedback to elevate and strengthen this report and future comprehensive economic, climate, and workforce development efforts. This section contains highlights of such input, which was gathered from City planning reports, community surveys, dozens of interviews, stakeholder workshops, and community meetings.

Foundational Vision
Inspired by the federal Green New Deal unveiled in February 2019, the Richmond City Council on July 6, 2021 passed Resolution 88-21, a local Green-Blue New Deal.4 This resolution describes a vision of what could be accomplished with economic investments in green and blue jobs. Highlights of the equitable, economic, and environmental aspects of the resolution include the following text:

SECTION II
Community
Aspirations
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11 • WHEREAS, a “Green New Deal” is a program of investments in equitable clean-energy jobs and infrastructure, transforming and transitioning not just the energy sector, but the entire economy. The general goals include:
• Energy Goals: A complete conversion to a 100% renewable energy system for both electricity and transport by 2030, partnered with the full-decarbonization of the economy by 2040.
• Five Zeros: A zero carbon grid, zero carbon transportation, zero carbon buildings, zero waste and zero wasted water, as well as a just transition for fossil fuel workers, equitable housing and environmental justice for all.
• WHEREAS, the World Bank definition of “Blue Economy” defines it as the “sustainable use of the ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.” • WHEREAS, the Blue Economy is not synonymous with all economic activity that occurs on coastlines and shorelines or any use of water resources, nor simply technological innovation involving water-based industries. The Blue Economy represents a narrower band of economic activity that is restorative to ocean and shoreline ecosystems and promotes broad-based economic opportunity including “blue jobs.”
The RGBND builds on the Richmond City Council’s foundational resolution to transform the economy and create green-blue jobs for Richmond residents.

Context
Other documents and plans the City of Richmond has developed that inspire recommendations in the RGBND Opportunities Report include:
• General Plan 2030
• Climate Action Plan
• Health in All Policies (HiAP) Strategy5
• Transparent Richmond
• Economic Development Action Plan Parts 1 and 2
• Grants that the City has applied for
• Workforce Development Board Workforce Plan 2021–2024
• RichmondWORKS/YouthWORKS
• RichmondBUILD/YouthBUILD
• First Mile/Last Mile – Transportation Strategic Plan
• Bicycle Master Plan
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12 • Pedestrian Plan
• Master Greening Plan
• Shoreline Master Plan
• Community Benefits Policy
• ARPA Community Needs Assessment
• Biannual Community Survey
These documents underscore the important on-the-ground work being done by community-based organizations and City departments in Richmond.

Input from Community Engagement
During the nine-month community engagement process for the Richmond Green- Blue New Deal, the following input was gathered for the Community Outreach and Findings Report6 and the Insights About the Future Green-Blue Economy from Justice- Involved Richmond Residents7 report. Information was collected from Community Champion workshops, stakeholder workshops, interviews with community-based organizations, online and paper surveys, and reviews of local articles and reports. It was then incorporated into report recommendations.

Community Outreach and Findings Report
Across outreach activities, common themes and priorities emerged. Participants shared that the Green-Blue New Deal should:
• Benefit Richmond residents who most need support, including historically underserved and underinvested communities, BIPOC communities, the justice-involved community, and the unhoused.
• Ensure sustainable, long-term benefits for Richmond residents, including the health, employment, and housing stability benefits that have measurable outcomes and metrics to track progress.
• Leverage and rely on the local expertise of community leaders and organizations when moving projects forward.
• Include and clearly detail high-quality labor standards, equitable hiring policies, and local hiring preferences for Richmond residents and justice- involved candidates.
• Carefully consider and monitor how sustainable improvements can have unintended consequences, such as increases to household expenses for low-income households, production of unintended waste, and gentrification. 1063
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13 • Clearly outline report implementation and evaluation logistics, such as: who will implement and who has decision-making power; potential sources for funding projects; how decisions will be data-driven and evidence-based; outcomes and metrics for measuring the impact on the environment, workers, and Richmond community members.

Findings of Support for Green-Blue Projects
Berkeley-based consulting firm, MIG, led a community survey that included findings from 431 people who live or work in Richmond. Figures 1 and 2 reveal the following concerns and priorities.

Figure 1: Community Concerns about Environmental and Health Issues
Survey responses reinforce what the team heard in community workshops that the community has concerns about visible, immediate problems, such as blight, lack of trees, food insecurity, access to healthcare and mental health services, housing affordability, air and water quality, and soil contamination. 1064
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14 Figure 2 shows the community’s priorities for future green projects.

Figure 2: Environmental Project Priorities
See Appendix V for MIG’s June 2023 Community Outreach and Findings report with details about community insights, concerns, and preferences.

Input from the Justice-Involved Community
In October and November 2022, three evening workshops with 30 justice-involved community members were held at the office of Richmond-based non-profit Safe Return Project. Workshop organizers sought to understand the skills the justice- involved community offers and the challenges they face, as well as to gather their insights about the future green-blue economy. Discussions yielded helpful insights about interest in and openness to new green-blue jobs in the community.

Each 2.5-hour workshop introduced the federal Green New Deal, shared several case studies, and polled the level of interest in 15 green-blue job projects. Then discussion was held about economic opportunities, upward mobility, skills, needs, and challenges.
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15 Facilitators heard about participants’ skills in management, entrepreneurship, electrical work, carpentry, painting, hospitality, research, customer service, the arts, and healing. Of the 15 green jobs projects presented for which participants were asked to vote for their top three areas of interest, the following five projects received ten or more votes:
• All-electric building retrofits (21)
• Rescuing surplus prepared food (19)
• Solar panel manufacturing (13)
• Battery manufacturing (10)
• Upcycling thrift store donations (10)
Figure 3: Safe Return Project Workshop #1
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16 Recommendations to Support the
Justice-Involved Community
As a result of information collected at the Safe
Return Project workshops, organizers offer a set of
recommendations for integrating justice-involved
people into the green-blue economy:
• Job training – pre-release
• Paid job training – post-release
• Work readiness support
• Trauma-informed services
• Creation of job centers
• Post-incarceration job placement assistance
• Employment education fairs
• Green-blue jobs notification system
• Re-entry retention services
For aspiring entrepreneurs:
• Cohorts of entrepreneurs to support each
other while developing business plans,
identifying funding, and working on other
aspects of launching a business
For employers:
• Training that guides recruitment and screening
conversations with formerly incarcerated
individuals who have hard and soft skills that
match employers’ hiring needs (See the Fair
Chance Corporate Cohort case study in the
sidebar)
• Education about Richmond’s Ban the Box
ordinance
For government:
• Create a Fair Chance Advisory Committee
In a tight labor market, society cannot afford to
exclude people who are willing and able to work.

Fair Chance Corporate
Cohort Training
Jobs for the Future hosts
the Fair Chance Corporate
Cohort which was designed
for Human Resource and
Operations professionals
within companies looking to
build inclusive, competitive,
and thriving workplaces. The
cohort model guides a small
group of companies through
a several week training
and coaching process that
prepares participants to actively
embrace and adopt a Fair
Chance Employment program.

Participants learn how to assess
their company’s current state of
employment practices, debunk
common myths about fair
chance employment and create
a customized implementation
plan for their companies.

The group gathers virtually
to participate in lessons with
experts in employment law,
human resources, change
management, those with lived
experience and more.
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17 Many formerly incarcerated individuals who have served their debt to society would like to work to support themselves and their families. At the same time, the work of designing and building a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future needs people with a variety of skills, talents, and interests.

See Appendix VI for the full report from Safe Return Project.

Community Concerns and Preferences
During dozens of one-on-one interviews and community workshops over nine months of community engagement, people who live or work in Richmond generously shared their concerns and preferences about the future of green-blue jobs. Project organizers gathered the following insights.

Human Health and Environmental Health Improvements
Residents in Richmond have a deep understanding about immediate and visible problems in the city. Community-based organizations (CBOs) with deep roots in Richmond work day-to-day to improve life in their city and have, in part, conducted listening projects, interviews, and surveys, and residents have shared their own lived experiences. These efforts have resulted in an understanding that the Richmond community is concerned about:
• Illegal dumping
• Soil contamination
• Poor air quality
• Health issues
Richmond residents may experience higher rates of certain asthma and cardiovascular-related health issues, compared to neighboring communities. Some census tracts located in Richmond are in the top 10% in the state for the highest rates of emergency room visits for asthma-related issues and in the top 20% for emergency room visits for cardiovascular issues (e.g., heart attacks). The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) provides detailed CalEnviroScreen 4.0 maps of the extent to which Richmond residents and workers are relatively burdened by pollution and suffer worse health outcomes compared to other communities in California.8
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18 Other issues the Richmond community expressed concern about include:
• Power blackouts
• Growing unhoused population
• Food insecurity
• Limited access to parks
• Less dense tree canopy than other nearby communities
• Difficulty accessing healthcare and mental health services These problems were compounded when the pandemic hit communities like Richmond, which has a high number of essential workers—people who have to be physically present to do their jobs. From a longer-term environmental perspective, Richmond’s 32 miles of shoreline makes it a frontline community vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Green-blue jobs and the associated projects in renewable energy, building electrification, sustainable transportation, zero waste, green infrastructure, land use, and water will lead to improvements in many of these human and environmental health concerns.

Equity and Environmental Justice
Community members have a strong sense of the challenges facing Richmond and the specific issues that create a drag on economic development. For historically disadvantaged and marginalized communities like Richmond—which have been affected by generations of racist exclusionary policies and that shoulder a burden of excessive pollution—there are forces trying to right these wrongs. Public investment allocated by federal, state, and regional governments seeks to shape a pathway upward and in the process create green jobs so people can support themselves and their families.

In this spirit of aspiration and renewal, the RGBND offers a blueprint for a more just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future for the residents of Richmond. 1069
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19 Investments Benefit a Diverse Cross-Section of the
Community
During meetings with Richmond residents, the RGBND team heard concerns that an increase in the number of green-blue jobs could accelerate gentrification in Richmond. The city has a rich history dating back to World War II, when about 90,000 people worked as boatbuilders for the war effort. Fourth-generation descendants of these workers still reside in Richmond and hold deep ties to the community. As the City plans for new green-blue industries and jobs, efforts should be made to ensure that the capital investments driving such job creation will benefit a diverse cross-section of the Richmond community.

Wealth-building
Historically, forces in Richmond have constrained wealth-building. One harmful policy from the Federal Housing Administration in the 20th century restricted mortgage insurance for black families, which curtailed their ability to purchase a home, the main way Americans build wealth. The effect of this policy has been felt across generations.

The median household income in Richmond is $79,478, lower than many other communities in the Bay Area.9 Expanding the number of available high-road jobs, facilitating housing construction, and reducing the pollution burden on the community will allow for local wealth-building.

Union Labor
In workshops with the Contra Costa Building Trades and other local unions, the leadership made a strong case for how union labor offers multiple benefits in projects: unions provide state-recognized accredited training for their members on the latest technologies, offer family-sustaining wages and benefits, and provide structured career pathways. A major element of training involves safety issues and, as such, work sites with union labor will be safer for workers.

Unions provide opportunities for communities currently underrepresented in the trades (such as women, people of color, recent high school graduates, and the formerly incarcerated) to enter and succeed in union-led industries.

Finally, unions provide apprenticeships and vocational and on-the-job training to ensure a well-trained, qualified, and safe labor pool.
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20 Just Transition
To address climate change, a rigorous framework of federal and state environmental policies are planning a transition away from fossil fuels and toward a clean-energy economy. To ease this transition, many stakeholders are pushing for justice on multiple levels: for fossil fuel industry workers, for communities in which fossil fuel industries operate, and for environmental justice at a larger level.

In the absence of one universally agreed-upon definition of Just Transition, the following definitions explore different but complementary elements to consider:
• The California Workforce Development Board report Putting California on the High Road: A Jobs and Climate Action Plan for 2030 defines Just Transition as protection, support, and compensation for displaced workers and communities when a society makes significant policy decisions that result in job loss in affected industries.10
• The International Labor Organization provides guidelines highlighting the anticipated impact on employment, the importance of skills development and decent work during the transition to clean energy, and adaptation needed by companies and communities to avoid loss of assets and livelihoods or involuntary migration.
• The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that the primary goal of the Just Transition is to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy does not disproportionately harm workers and communities dependent on carbon-intensive industries.
• Local non-profit Climate Justice Alliance developed the Just Transition Principles asserting that a Just Transition should:
• Move us toward Buen Vivir – meaning to live well without living at the expense of others
• Create meaningful work – centers on the development of human potential, creating opportunities for people to learn, grow, and develop to their full capacities and interests
• Uphold self determination – all people have the right to participate in decisions that impact their lives
• Equitably redistribute resources and power – to build new systems that are good for all people and not just a few
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21 • Require regenerative ecological economics – advance ecological resilience, reduce resource consumption, restore biodiversity and traditional ways of life, and undermine extractive economies that erode the ecological basis of our collective well-being • Retain culture and tradition – create inclusionary spaces for all cultures and traditions, recognizing them as integral to a healthy and vibrant economy
• Embody local, regional, national, and international solidarity – to be liberatory and transformative, we recognize the interconnectedness of our communities and our issues
• Build what we need now – beginning at a small scale, we must build and flex our muscles to meet our communities’ needs
As society builds a clean-energy future and moves away from fossil fuels, we want to provide a bridge to the high-road jobs of the future. Union labor in the fossil fuel industry provide strong skillsets that, with additional training, can serve as a bridge to clean-energy jobs.

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22 Workers in Richmond-based businesses and community-based organizations, as well as labor union members and residents living in Richmond, have talents and skills that will be valuable in future green jobs. To grow green jobs in Richmond, the community should first look to existing businesses in Richmond that could expand their offerings to include projects outlined in this report. During the course of RGBND community engagement and developing this report, a number of businesses expressed interest in pivoting to green offerings in the future.

For the RGBND, economic development consulting firm HR&A researched and authored a report titled Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Workforce Development Plan: Community Profile and Economic Development Insights.11 It identifies five key industries in the local economy with specific skills that will be useful in the future green economy, as highlighted in Figure 4.

SECTION III
Community Profile
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23 Figure 4: Richmond’s Key Industries Critical to the Green Economy Industry
Key Stats
(2010-2021)
Implications for Green Jobs
Utilities
(2-digit NAICS)
2021 Jobs: 1,178
Growth: 117%
LQ: 8.72
Comp: 100%
Richmond’s current strength in the oil and natural
gas industries will become a liability as fossil fuels
are phased out. Richmond workers’ skills can be
redirected and supplemented to support clean
energy development and operation.

Water Transportation
(3-digit NAICS)
2021 Jobs: 374
Growth: 45%
LO: 24.39
Comp: 112%
Water transportation tends to have a relatively
low carbon footprint, so climate action may entail
growth in this sector. The electrification of freight
and passenger vessels and drayage trucks, and the
development of infrastructure to support electric
vessels, are still emerging fields.

Commercial/Industrial
Machinery Manufacturing &
Repair (4-digit NACIS)
2021 Jobs: 674
Growth: 27%
LQ: 6.90
Comp: 73%
Extending the life of existing equipment through
maintenance, repair, and refurbishment is critical
for minimizing waste. Decarbonization will also en-
tail the creation of new commercial and industrial
machinery.

Building Construction &
Services (3-digit NAICS)
2021 Jobs: 1,843
Growth: 45%
LQ: 3.34
Comp: 37%
Electrification and energy efficiency retrofits are
labor-intensive investments that will require skilled
workers throughout the region to construct and
service. This is a major employment industry in
Richmond that can be leveraged.

Research & Development
(4-digit NACIS)
2021 Jobs: 1, 155
Growth: -24%
LO: 5.58
Comp: -231%
Greening the economy requires innovation;
although Richmond currently has a relatively high
concentration of R&D jobs, its growth in this area
has lagged behind the national average.

Given that some of the main skills needed in the 24 green-blue projects involve electrical work, construction, manufacturing, research, and water transportation, these key industries are poised to provide talent for the future green economy.

HR&A analyzed the types of industries and jobs currently in Richmond. As of 2021, Richmond had 51,400 jobs, with one-half of these in professional services, industrial trades, and retail. Figure 5 lists the number of jobs by occupation and their growth between 2010 and 2021.

Source: HR&A’s analysis of Lightcast data
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24 Figure 5: Jobs in Occupation in Richmond (2021) and Jobs Growth (2010-2021) Many of the skills in these jobs could be applied to green and blue jobs.

As the City plans for a Just Transition to a clean-energy future, it’s helpful to look at the number and type of fossil fuel jobs based in Richmond. Figure 6 shows the growth or contraction of each type over the past decade.

Figure 6: Extractive Industry Jobs in Richmond (2021) and Change in Jobs (2010-2021) 1075
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25 Another industry that employs many workers in Richmond is building and construction.

Workers with these skills are in high demand. Figure 7 shows changes in the number of building, construction, and service jobs in Richmond over the past decade.

Figure 7: Building, Construction, and Service Jobs in Richmond (2021) with Change in Jobs (2010-2021)
A sector that has been growing and also has high demand for workers is water transportation. Figure 8 shows the level of growth over the past decade.

Figure 8: Water Transportation Jobs in Richmond (2021) with Change in Jobs (2010-2021)
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26 Finally, as we seek to catalyze growth of high-road jobs with family-sustaining wages, it’s helpful to look at the spectrum of hourly rates for existing green jobs. Figure 9 shows the median hourly wage for green jobs in the top 20 occupations for green skill jobs on a spectrum from $16/hour janitorial and cleaning jobs to $56/hour electrical engineering jobs.

Figure 9: Green Jobs in Top 20 Occupations for Green Skill Jobs in Richmond (2021)
As the City leads economic development efforts to catalyze the green-blue jobs of the future, it’s helpful to understand the talent pool that already exists in Richmond. 1077
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27 Considering the assets and talents Richmond has to offer, the community’s preferences, governmental policy goals, and investment funding available, the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal team recommends the following 24 green-blue projects for consideration. The projects to support green-blue job creation fall into one of eight categories: 1) renewable energy 2) building electrification and energy efficiency 3) sustainable transportation 4) zero waste 5) green infrastructure and urban forestry 6) land use, 7) water, and 8) other.

SECTION IV
Green-Blue Project
Recommendations
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28 Figure 10: Recommended Projects for Green-Blue Job Creation in Richmond
Sector Recommended Projects
Renewable Energy
• Solar emergency microgrids (SEMs) at critical community facilities (police, fire, wastewater treatment plants, K-12 schools, healthcare facilities)
• Battery manufacturing
• Offshore wind turbine manufacturing
Building Electrification and
Energy Efficiency
• Building electrification retrofits
• Green accessory dwelling units and tiny homes
• Community land trust
Sustainable Transportation
• Destination downtown
• Transportation management association
• Transition to zero-emission vehicles
Zero Waste
• Building deconstruction firms
• Building salvage warehouse
• Richmond remakery and fixery
• Re-entry entrepreneurs
• Surplus food rescue
Green Infrastructure and
Urban Forestry
• Expanding the tree canopy
• Living levee
Land Use • Brownfields research & innovation hub
Water
• Blue tech incubator and accelerator
• Port upgrades including electrification
• Berthing vessels at the port
• Boat building
• Training center for boat maintenance and repair
• Shoreline ecotourism
Other • Green hydrogen
The following provides details about the scope, demand, workers, training, career pathways, and local, regional, or national expertise available for each project. 1079
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29 Renewable Energy
Policies from the State of California such as Senate Bill 100 are driving the push toward 100% renewable energy by 2045. Three green-blue projects in renewable energy are included in this section.

1. Solar Emergency Microgrids (SEMs) at Critical
Community Facilities (Police, Fire, Wastewater
Treatment Plants, K-12 Schools, Healthcare Facilities)
Scope: When the electricity grid goes down, microgrids, or uninterruptible back-up power systems, enable critical facilities to continue to function during natural disasters and grid instability. Microgrids also provide the ability to generate power on a regular basis. They store electricity when the price is low and sell it to the grid during peak demand. Development work for microgrids involves project management, writing requests for proposals, designing and permitting microgrid systems, and installing systems.

Demand: for community resilience and emergency response purposes Workers: occupations in solar power
• Solar engineer
• Solar photovoltaic installers
Training: electrical microgrid systems and installation Career pathways: career advancement map for the solar industry12 Expertise:
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) #302 • Marin Clean Energy
• ZNE Alliance
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30 2. Battery Manufacturing
Scope: Advanced manufacturing at factories that will be automated, digitally connected, intelligent, flexible, and sustainable, is a growth area forecasted for the San Francisco Bay Area. Battery manufacturing is a type of advanced manufacturing that will serve a key role building the clean-energy and clean- transportation systems of the future.

In complement to existing battery manufacturing operations in Richmond, the City can draw on local and state marketing resources to attract both startups and established battery manufacturers to set up shop in Richmond.

Demand: The need for energy storage, both large stationary batteries and smaller mobile batteries, will increase. Two factors are driving this demand in California: 1) the goal that 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks be zero-emission by 2035 and 2) that 100% of electricity come from renewable sources by 2045.

Workers: occupations in battery manufacturing
• Engineering - hardware, software, advanced manufacturing • Manufacturing
• Quality control
• Business operations
Career pathways: career advancement map for advanced manufacturing13 Expertise:
• Association of Manufacturers Bay Area
• Bay Area California Community College Consortium
• California Manufacturers & Technology Association
• East Bay Economic Development Alliance
• GO-Biz Office of Business & Economic Development
• University of California, Berkeley, Laboratory for Manufacturing and Sustainability
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31 3. Offshore Wind Turbine Manufacturing
Scope: Following the December 2022 federal lease auction for the rights to develop five wind energy areas 15–20 miles off the coasts of Humboldt Bay and Morro Bay, five offshore wind developers started planning for and building capacity to manufacture and install 1,200 wind turbines by year 2030 and provide five gigawatts of clean power to California’s electricity grid. Beyond that, the State is planning for 25 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2045.

Wind developers are searching for a few manufacturing/fabrication (MF) sites. These will be port sites located on a navigable waterway that receives raw materials via road, rail, or waterborne transport and creates larger components in the offshore wind supply chain. This site typically includes factory and/or warehouse buildings and space for storage of completed components.

For offshore wind turbine part or vessel manufacturing, Richmond’s valuable talents and assets could be put into service: trained union labor with expertise in metal fabrication, a deep-water port, freight lines, highways, and industrially-zoned land. Several different component parts involving metal fabrication are needed for the 15-megawatt, thousand-foot-tall wind turbines, including: towers, nacelles, turbine blades, foundations, subsea cables, mooring chains, and anchors.

Figure 11: Parts of an Offshore Wind Turbine
Source: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
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32 In order to realize the State of California’s 25 gigawatts of offshore wind development by 2045, the following number of manufacturing facilities will be needed on the West Coast (note the number of green-blue jobs that will be created in doing so):

Figure 12: Number of Manufacturing Jobs and Investment per Facility to Support 25 Gigawatts Offshore Wind Deployment on the West Coast
Component # of Facilities Total Jobs Facility Invest-
ment ($ millions)
Blades 2 1,000 $600
Towers 2 580 $500
Nacelle Assembly 2 460 $500
Floating Platform 3 720 $300
Floating Platform
Subcomponents 2 Not applicable (N/A) N/A
Substation 2 N/A N/A
Mooring Rope 1 110 $50
Mooring Chain 1 110 $500
Anchor N/A N/A N/A
Array Cables 1 230 $350
Export Cables 1 230 $350
Total 16 3,440 $3,150
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory14
Demand: California aims to provide consumers with 100% renewable zero-carbon energy by 2045, and offshore wind is key to attaining this goal. The California Energy Commission, as directed by Assembly Bill 525, is leading offshore wind development analysis and economic development to help the state realize five gigawatts by 2030 and 25 gigawatts by 2045. Currently, 36 ports are in development nationwide and 64–84 more are needed for a clean-energy transition.
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33 Workers: Port upgrades will require planning, hazardous materials remediation and construction. Occupations in offshore wind turbine parts manufacturing include:
• Engineering - hardware, software, advanced manufacturing • Manufacturing
• Quality control
• Business operations
Training: developed by local unions15
Career pathways: U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Career Map16 Expertise:
• Association of Manufacturers Bay Area
• Bay Area Community College Consortium
• California Manufacturers & Technology Association
• East Bay Economic Development Alliance
• GO-Biz Office of Business & Economic Development
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (Boilermakers) • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) • International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters)
• Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) • International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)
• Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA)
• University of California, Berkeley, Laboratory for Manufacturing and Sustainability
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34 Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency
The next four projects involve adding value to existing buildings and building new housing units. Doing so will build wealth in the community as well as expand the supply of available housing in equitable ways.

4. Building Electrification Retrofits
Scope: Richmond has an opportunity to upgrade the existing residential and commercial building stock. The 2023 National Renewable Energy Lab’s report Equitable Electrification Analysis for Existing Buildings in Richmond, CA analyzes data about Richmond’s buildings and presents questions to the City’s leadership about how they could potentially focus the project.

Determining the scope of a project for residential and commercial building electrification will depend on which of the following five variables are most important to the City of Richmond:

1. Energy consumption – of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and certain appliances and equipment used in buildings

2. Greenhouse gas emissions – associated with energy consumption

3. Utility bill charges – and cost-effectiveness associated with energy consumption patterns

4. Employment indicators – including estimated number, type, and quality of jobs associated with building electrification and other energy improvements

5. Health and safety indicators – for Richmond residents and workers related to building electrification and other energy improvements Ideally, building electrification and energy efficiency projects in Richmond would incorporate all five variables to help low-income households reduce energy use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce energy bills, create green jobs, and improve indoor air quality. A pilot program would provide real-world data to see where trade-offs may happen and inform the scope of future projects.
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35 Residential buildings
Many of Richmond’s homes were built during World War II, and opportunities to insulate and upgrade to energy-efficient electric abound. In fact, 11% of homes in Richmond were built in 1939 or earlier. Seventy percent of homes were built in 1979 or earlier, before California’s energy efficiency standards went into effect.17 Opportunities to electrify residences and reduce greenhouse gases center around interior heating and water heating, which are dominated by natural gas use and consume more than half of a home’s energy.

The National Renewable Energy Lab’s 2023 report estimates that 4,771 direct jobs (job years) would be created if Richmond upgraded residential buildings to all-electric and insulated the building envelopes. Overall, this project could support 7,500 direct and indirect full-time jobs, with two-thirds of the jobs being local.

Figure 13: Estimated Number of Jobs to Upgrade Richmond’s Existing Residential Building Stock
Upgrade Scenario
Direct Jobs Only Direct + Indirect Jobs
Total Jobs Net/New Jobs Total Jobs Net/New Jobs
Envelope 1,358 1,358 2,148 2,148
Electrification
(lower/ higher average) 3,413 853 5,396 1,349
Envelope + Electrification 4,771 2,212 7,544 3,497
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory18
Note that number of jobs estimates do not include any “readiness” work that may be needed prior to envelope or electrification upgrades, other than service panel upgrades. For example, in NREL’s report, job estimates do not address issues such as structural weaknesses in the home, roof leaks, mold, or pest infestations. They also do not include jobs associated with the installation of solar photovoltaics.
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36 Commercial buildings
Among commercial buildings in Richmond, food-service establishments represent 1% of commercial floor area in Richmond but have the highest energy consumption per square foot. According to NREL’s 2023 report Equitable Electrification Analysis for Existing Buildings in Richmond, CA, food service businesses:
“consume an estimated five times more energy per square foot than the second largest consumer, mercantile buildings, and 11 times more than the average for all other building types. Even more striking is the per-square-foot emissions, which is seven times higher than mercantile buildings, and 19 times more than the average for all other building types. The lowest-energy consumers and emitters per square foot are lodging and healthcare uses.” Equipment and refrigeration consume the most energy in Richmond’s commercial buildings (44%), of which one-third (about 15% of the city-wide total) is natural gas. Space heating is most reliant on natural gas (making up 70% of energy used for indoor heating).

Demand: New policies from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the State of California are driving the electrical swap-outs of natural gas and other fossil fuel technology. Doing so benefits both the environment (through reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and the end-users (by saving money and improving health).

Workers: occupations in building electrification and energy efficiency include:
• heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians • plumbers
• lighting/wiring
• envelope/insulation
• general residential construction and remodeling
• project managers
• engineers/analysts
• permit technicians
New jobs would be insulators and electricians, while current HVAC technicians and plumbers would most likely install new technologies. 1087
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37 Training: provided by RichmondBUILD, and local union chapters of IBEW, SMART Sheet Metal Workers, and UA Laborers
Career pathways: advancement routes for climate control technology careers19
Expertise:
• RichmondBUILD
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) • Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 37
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38 5. Construction of Green Accessory Dwelling Units
and Tiny Homes
Green accessory dwelling units
Scope: An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a secondary house or apartment that shares the building lot of a larger primary home. The units cannot be bought or sold separately and are often used to provide additional income through rent or to house a family member. An ADU adds to the value of the property and helps the property owner build wealth.

The City of Richmond’s Planning Division allows ADUs to be up to 850 square feet for a studio or one-bedroom unit and up to 1,000 square feet for a two- bedroom unit. The units can be up to 16 feet tall. Figure 14 shows one pre- approved design the City of Stockton offers to make adding an ADU easier for homeowners.

Figure 14: An ADU Design Available from the City of
Stockton, CA
Source: City of Stockton20
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39 In a state where 2.5 million additional homes are needed, the City of Richmond with support from the Association of Bay Area Governments has determined its “fair share” of new housing is 3,416 new housing units, to be built by 2031. This goal is set in the City’s sixth eight-year Housing Element plan, of which 555 new units will be ADUs.

Demand: adding another dwelling to a residential parcel of land builds wealth for the homeowner
Workers: occupations in green construction
• Design – architects, engineers, planners
• Construction – managers, laborers, heavy equipment operators • Technical specialists – electricians, HVAC installers, plumbers, installation installers, painters, glaziers, roofers
Training: construction
Career pathways: advancement routes for green building careers21 Expertise:
• Habitat for Humanity
• International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) • Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) • Neighborhood Housing Services Group
• North America Building Trades Union (NABTU)
• Rebuilding Together East Bay Network
• RichmondBUILD
• Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
• UA Laborers union
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40 Tiny Homes
Scope: Tiny homes are residential structures smaller than 400 square feet of floor space. They can be built from scratch or prefabricated in a factory and delivered to the site. Sometimes they are constructed on trailers that allow them to be moved. A community of tiny homes arranged around shared kitchens and bathrooms that provides jobs can expand affordable housing options and services for people who are chronically homeless.

Demand: According to the 2022 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, there were an estimated 632 persons experiencing homelessness in Richmond.22 This is up from the 2020 Contra Costa County Point In Time Count of 280 individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness on any given night in Richmond:
sleeping outside, in vehicles, in tents, or in other places not meant for human habitation.

Workers: occupations in green construction
• Design – architects, engineers, planners
• Construction – managers, laborers, heavy equipment operators • Technical specialists – electricians, HVAC installers, plumbers, insulation installers, painters, glaziers, roofers
Training:
• Rebuilding Together East Bay Network
• RichmondBUILD
Career pathways: Note that construction experience building tiny homes may serve as the first rung on a career ladder into the construction trades.

Expertise:
• Rebuilding Together East Bay Network
• RichmondBUILD
• Tiny Homes in My Backyard (THIMBY)
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41 6. Community Land Trust
Scope: Home ownership is one means for building wealth. With sky- high housing prices in the Bay Area, many people are locked out of home ownership, especially young adults starting their careers or households with incomes below the area median income (AMI).

One way to address this issue is to purchase a house without the land, and a community land trust is one mechanism that allows this arrangement. A community land trust is a non-profit corporation that holds land on behalf of a place-based community while serving as the long-term steward for the building or community asset.

With these shared equity programs, individuals or families purchase a share of the collectively-owned property at a level that makes sense for them. Doing so helps eliminate racial wealth gaps by assisting traditionally underserved minority communities to build a degree of home equity. This legal structure can be applied to affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial spaces, and other community assets.

For example: picture a 16-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Richmond collectively owned by 16 people in their twenties or thirties. Before moving in, the home was upgraded to energy-efficient electrical appliances and water- conserving fixtures, and insulation was installed in the walls, ceiling, floors, and air ducts. These retrofits add value to the house by lowering utility costs and increasing comfort.

Demand: Richmond has 18,606 renter occupied housing units23 Workers: attorneys, property managers, energy efficiency and water conservation technicians
Training: legal contracts (Sustainable Economies Law Center has a legal internship program as an alternative to law school), worker-owned cooperatives, property management, energy efficiency upgrades
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42 Expertise:
• Cooperation Richmond
• East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative
• RichmondBUILD
• RichmondLAND
• Sustainable Economies Law Center
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 421093 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
43 Sustainable Transportation
Housing and transportation are the two largest expenses for households in the Bay Area. Reducing personal transportation costs while still being able to access jobs, school, healthcare, and goods and services would benefit many households.

The State has set goals to transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2035, reduce fossil fuel burning, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This section explores a few projects that will help the State realize these goals while improving residents’ and workers’ quality of life and ability to move around town seamlessly.

7. Destination Downtown
Scope: Richmond contains a vibrant community of small local businesses.

Building on this success, a local champion could recruit aspiring entrepreneurs and attract regional entrepreneurs to work together to develop a cluster of businesses in one of Richmond’s commercial areas.

Residents have expressed their interest to the Richmond Main Street Initiative in having more restaurants and cafes in town. Cooperation Richmond has already been working on a business plan for a worker-owned cooperative grocery store in North Richmond. Complementing these two types of businesses could be spaces with shared micro-manufacturing and shared micro-retail spaces.

Local artisans of jewelry, clothing, housewares, soaps, cosmetics, and art would find shared rent more affordable while establishing an attractive destination for residents and visitors to bike and walk to. The area would generate income and additional tax revenues as well.

Additional amenities such as restaurants, retail establishments, and cultural activities in existing commercial areas will attract even more new businesses, and the workers from those new ventures will want to eat out and attend activities in their free time, bringing new life to the economy.

Demand: residents are interested in having more restaurants and cafes in town 1094
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44 Workers: entrepreneurs and artisans
Training: business plans and business finance
Expertise:
• Richmond Main Street Initiative
• Cooperation Richmond
• Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
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45 8. Transportation Management Association
Scope: A transportation management association (TMA) is a membership organization formed to provide a forum for employers, developers, building owners, local government representatives, and others. Its constituents collectively establish policies, programs, and services to address local transportation needs and air quality issues. The funding mechanism, geographic area, membership, mission, and services are tailored to meet the specific needs of the geographic area.

Richmond is served by several different public transit agencies and electric on-demand public shuttles, has a strong bicycling community, and enjoys mild, sunny weather most of the year.

Many TMAs are non-profits that work to encourage drivers of single-occupancy vehicles to switch to trains, buses, carpooling, electric shuttles, and active mobility options (bicycling, scootering, walking). Doing so reduces traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, and addresses social equity issues.

Demand: Owning a personal vehicle is expensive. The American Automobile Association announced that in 2023 the average person spent $12,128 on car payments and variable costs associated with car ownership. Having more well- connected transportation alternatives to a personal vehicle will save households money.

Workers: non-profit community outreach and education
Training: community-based social marketing, marketing, education, and outreach
Expertise:
• Commute.org in San Mateo County
• Contra Costa Centre Transit Village
• Contra Costa Transportation Authority
• Rich City Rides
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46 9. Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles
Scope: Planning, training workers, and installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support an integrated, zero-emission transportation system of the future has already begun. While continued installation of a growing network of public and private electric vehicle charging options is important, so too is a plan to ensure this infrastructure is maintained and operational.

Demand: California environmental policies lay out a pathway toward zero- emission vehicles, and by 2035, 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero-emission vehicles (Executive Order N-79-20). The California Air Resources Board announced that by 2035, 55% of delivery vans and large pickups, 75% of commercial trucks (such as garbage trucks), and 40% of the big rigs sold in California must be emissions-free. By 2040, all public transit agencies must transition to a 100% zero-emission bus fleet.

Workers: occupations related to the transition to zero-emission vehicles:
• Urban and regional planners
• Electrical power line installers and repairers
• Electrical vehicle maintenance and repair technicians Training:
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) • Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) Expertise:
• AC Transit
• Community colleges
• Contra Costa Transportation Authority – Charge Up Contra Costa • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 1097
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47 Zero Waste
Expanding the zero-waste economy, wherein fewer materials go to landfill and more materials are diverted for reuse, will create jobs and build wealth in the community.

According to Tellus Institute’s analysis for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, landfilling creates 0.1 jobs per 1,000 tons, whereas waste diversion away from landfill creates 2 jobs per 1,000 tons. Richmond currently diverts 40% of materials from landfill, while the state’s recycling goal is 75%.

Increasing the number of jobs in recycling, reuse, composting, and waste prevention will boost Richmond’s waste diversion and recycling rates as well as create more green jobs locally. Potential green jobs in the zero-waste sector described in this section involve building deconstruction, zero waste skill-building, entrepreneurship, and rescuing of surplus food.

10. Building Deconstruction Firms
Scope: Deconstructing buildings instead of demolishing them, separating and organizing the materials in a sorting yard, and funneling the materials toward resale and reuse creates jobs and benefits the environment.

Older buildings often contain valuable solid-wood materials made from old- growth timber, such as wood framing, flooring, doors, and cabinets. Other items that can be salvaged include hardware, sinks, and bathtubs. Salvaging materials so they can be sold or donated to a non-profit for a tax write-off will prevent them from ending up in a landfill.

Of the 40,015 housing units in Richmond, 18,208 were built in 1959 or earlier.

See Figure 15 for the age of Richmond’s housing units.
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48 Figure 15: Housing Units by Year Structure Built, City of RIchmond
Source: City of Richmond24
Renovation of older housing stock and salvaging of building materials would add value to the aging building stock and build wealth in the community while creating jobs and boosting the City’s recycling rate.

Demand: The justice-involved community requested opportunities for training and green jobs during three community engagement workshops.

Workers: building deconstruction specialists and apprentices Training: Build Reuse is the recognized curriculum, training, and certifier of building deconstruction contractors. Certification requirements include a written exam (online), skills assessment (in the field with a Build Reuse proctor), documented 2,000 hours of experience, and 3-day training. Other deconstruction training includes County of San Mateo Deconstruction Training and The Reuse People.

Career pathways: advancement routes for green building careers keeping in mind that deconstruction trainees can move up to work in the construction trades25
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49 Expertise:
• Green Lynx, Santa Rosa
• Re-Use Consulting, Western Washington
• Reuse People, Oakland
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Low-Carbon Building Materials Advisor, Washington, D.C.

11. Building Salvage Warehouse
Scope: Having a warehouse in Richmond that accepts salvaged building materials could help jumpstart building renovations in Richmond. Such a warehouse might find that its most valuable donated items would mirror Berkeley- based salvage warehouse Urban Ore’s top revenue streams, as shown in Figure 16.

Figure 16: Urban Ore Sales by Category, 2020-2022
Source: Urban Ore
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50 Given the large portion of the waste stream that is construction and demolition waste, having a warehouse to accept these types of materials would boost the city’s waste diversion rate.

Demand: The age of Richmond’s housing stock and the number of blighted houses points to opportunities to salvage building materials and upgrade homes.

Workers: the types of workers needed for a building salvage warehouse include:
• Laborers and freight, stock and material movers
• Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks
• Stock clerks and order fillers
• Transportation, storage and distribution managers
Training: Build Reuse is the recognized curriculum, training, and certifier of building deconstruction contractors. Training from this organization would teach warehouse workers to identify valuable materials.

Expertise:
• This ‘N That (San Pablo)
• Urban Ore (Berkeley)
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51 12. Richmond Remakery and Fixery
Scope: A remakery is a co-working maker space that is supported by memberships, grants, and fee-for-service classes. A remakery can include any number of activities that interest the community, such as a tool-lending library, a café, repair clinics, classes, a maker space, and STEM programs for schools.

To move toward a zero-waste future, people need access to tools and to learn how to fix things. These skills, for the most part, have been lost in a society where we are frequently encouraged to discard broken things and buy new ones.

Fortunately, Richmond already has vibrant creative spaces for artists, woodworking workshops, and a tool lending library. Building on this foundation, local agency RecycleMore is interested in supporting development of a repair clinic, at which people interested in fixing household items could learn from people who have these skills.

Richmond residents have been asking the staff of the Richmond Main Street Initiative for more cafés in town, and there is an opportunity to combine efforts. By creating a new, larger space downtown with its own café, extending the hours for an expanded tool-lending library, and including a creative maker space with a woodworking workshop, as well as hosting a fixit clinic for children and adults, the Richmond remakery and fixery could become an exciting new destination for residents and people from nearby cities.

Demand: each of the pieces of a remakery are thriving separately within Richmond or nearby
Workers: people with experience as teachers, artists, in culinary arts, retail, event management, and bike, electronics, or small appliance repair Training: Training in reuse and repair comes from learning-by-doing. Volunteer “fixers” coach others to learn skills in sewing, electronics, and small appliance repair. Maker spaces may include classes in welding, weaving, 3D printing, or other skills (depending on the projects).
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52 Expertise:
• Berkeley Tool Lending Library
• Bridge Storage, Arts and Events
• City of Richmond Tool Lending Library, Neighborhood and Volunteer Services
• Fab Lab, Kennedy High School, Richmond
• Filma Collective Maker Space
• Fixit Clinic, Berkeley

13. Re-entry Entrepreneurs
Scope: Formerly incarcerated people need stable jobs to support themselves and their families, but many have difficulty finding work. Given structural barriers to employment, the unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is five times that of the general population.

A program to encourage entrepreneur-minded members of the justice- involved community to develop skills and opportunities could help some to become leaders and job creators in their community and achieve financial independence.

In combination with projects to deconstruct and salvage building materials, justice-involved entrepreneurs could develop complementary businesses. For example, older buildings contain valuable old-growth timber. Entrepreneurs could remove nails and staples from valuable salvaged lumber and sell it for new structural uses as shown in Figure 17, or use it to build furniture.

As entrepreneurs grow their businesses, they could hire other members of the community.
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53 Figure 17: Dowel-Laminated Timber
Demand: The justice-involved community requested opportunities for training and green jobs during community engagement workshops.

Workers: occupations include:
• woodworkers
• entrepreneurs
Training:
• Woodwork Career Alliance of North America offers five credentials within their national woodworking certificate
• Entrepreneurship
Expertise:
• Peroba Reclaimed Wood
• Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
• RichmondBUILD
• Rubicon
• Urban Machine
Source: Urban Machine
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54 14. Surplus Food Rescue
Scope: Driven by Senate Bill 1383, which requires that 20% of edible food in California be diverted to feed people by 2025, efforts are underway to figure out how to salvage a larger portion of the 81,000 tons of food discarded by the business sector in Contra Costa County each year.26,27
Through SB 1383, CalRecycle requires large food waste generators to develop contracts with food recovery organizations to channel surplus food to those who are food insecure. Food waste generators include:
• Tier 1 generators – supermarkets, grocery stores, food service providers (institutional, governmental, commercial, or industrial), food distributors, and wholesale food vendors
• Tier 2 generators – restaurants with >250 seats, hotels, health facilities, large venues, large events, and schools
Many non-profits involved with food recovery operate on a volunteer model. In Contra Costa County, White Pony Express (a 501(c)(3) organization located in Pleasant Hill) provides collection services to food generators at no cost using a team of volunteers. White Pony is funded through grants and government contracts.

In Richmond, food pantries and soup kitchens receive food donations from individual generators and through the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.

The recipients include shelters primarily serving unhoused residents, such as the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program and the Bay Area Rescue Mission.

Demand: CalRecycle’s SB 1383 requirement to divert 20% of edible food to feed people by 2025
Workers: people with expertise in logistics and food safety issues Training: eight-hour food safety training from the County Health Department 1105
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55 Expertise:
• RecycleMore
• White Pony
• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
• Greater Richmond Interfaith Program
• Bay Area Rescue Mission
• Richmond Emergency Food Pantry
• Brothers of International Faith
• Catholic Charities East Bay Richmond Pantry
• Maen Mahfoud, RePlate – a non-profit fee-for-service model • David Hott, Loaves & Fishes – may be able to expand the A La Carte food truck model to West Contra Costa County
• Yuka Nagashima, Executive Director of Food Shift – provides consulting services on food recovery and job training
• Plant to Plate
Organizations in the Community Produce and Mobile Pantry Program:
• Living Hope Neighborhood Church, 2800 Rheem Ave
• Nevin Community Center, 598 Nevin Ave
• Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church, 2621 Shane Dr
• Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 968 23rd St
• West County Courthouse, 39th St & Bissell Ave
• Booker T. Anderson Center, 960 S 47th St
• Kennedy High School, 4300 Cutting Blvd
• North Richmond Missionary Baptist Church, 1427 Fred Jackson Way • Richmond Civic Center (Drive-Thru), 24 Barrett Ave & 25th St • Southside Church of Christ, 1501 Florida Ave
• West Contra Costa Adult Education, 5625 Sutter Ave
• Able Community Development Foundation, 1963 Carlson Blvd • Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist Food Pantry, 607 S 19th St • Corrine Sain Senior & Family Community Center, 515 Silver Ave • Ephesians Community Development Center (Drive-Thru), 2887 Foothill Ave • LifeLong William Jenkins Health Center, 150 Harbour Way • Living Hope Neighborhood Church, 2800 Rheem Ave
• Men and Women of Valor, 1350 Kelsey St
• Multicultural Institute, 3600 MacDonald Ave
• New Gethsemane COGIC, 2100 Roosevelt St
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56 • North Richmond Missionary Baptist Church Pantry, 1427 Fred Jackson Way • Providence Baptist Church, 314 S 12th St
• Richmond Emergency Food Pantry, 2369 Barrett Ave
• Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church (Drive-Thru), 2621 Shane Dr • St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 662 S 52nd St
• Support Life Foundation: Richmond, 1110 36th S.
• True Fellowship Baptist Church, 1213 Fred Jackson Way Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 561107 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
57 Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry
Restoring the health of natural systems such as forests and shoreline is important so that when a shock or natural disasters strikes these systems can more easily bounce back. When these natural systems are healthy they improve residents’ health, and protect nearby buildings and other human infrastructure.

15. Expanding the Urban Tree Canopy
Scope: Trees and green spaces in urban areas provide multiple benefits to people who live nearby: they reduce air pollution that contributes to respiratory ailments, create a calming environment, enhance mental functioning, and reduce crime. A review of 45 research papers found that the presence of green spaces, including parks and trees, reduced crime in urban areas. One study determined that buildings surrounded by trees and other vegetation saw 52% fewer crimes reported, compared to those with low levels of vegetation.

A vast canopy of 22,000 trees spreads across Richmond’s 33.7 square miles, but there is room for more: a field survey by Richmond’s Urban Greening Master Plan determined space is available for an additional 13,000 trees within the public right of way.

Groundwork Richmond has expressed interest in locally growing tree seedlings into mature street trees, which they and other non-profits would plant throughout the city.

Demand: During the community survey, residents specifically requested more trees, as did workers within the 23rd Street commercial district and other parts of Richmond.

Workers: occupations include:
• Arborists
• Crew leaders
• Groundworkers
• Plant nursery workers
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58 Training: urban forestry (care and management of trees) Career pathways: https://www.vibrantcitieslab.com/guides/career-pathways- exploration-guide/
Expertise:
• Groundwork Richmond
• Pogo Park
• Richmond Trees
• Trust for Public Land
• YES Nature to Neighborhoods
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59 16. Living Levee
Scope: Infrastructure and operations on the Bay side of Richmond are vulnerable to rising sea levels and storm surges. Infrastructure under threat include the West County Wastewater District wastewater treatment plant, Republic Service’s solid waste transfer station and sanitary landfill, Chevron’s oil refinery, the Richmond Parkway, and the railroad, as well as nearby residential communities.

Planning is underway for the North Richmond Shoreline Living Levee project, which will protect the city by slowing storm-surge waters and absorbing floodwaters. A design with an engineered core and vegetated soil sloping down to the Bay will also provide migration space for plants and animals as the ocean level rises over time.

With a $644,709 grant from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, the Watershed Project and the West County Wastewater District are implementing the North Richmond Shoreline Living Levee Planning and Preliminary Design Project in western Contra Costa County. The design project consists of:
• conducting technical studies and data collection
• developing a conceptual design and estimating associated costs • determining appropriate offshore habitat restoration activities, such as oyster reefs and eelgrass beds to absorb wave energy
• engaging the public, key stakeholders, and the regulatory community in the initial phases to determine feasibility and alignment
Once design is completed, the next phases will involve permitting and construction. Part of the construction includes growing the estimated 50,000 native plants (which could be done in Richmond) needed for the levee’s slope.

Demand: Industries and agencies along the shoreline seek infrastructure improvements for protection from storm surges and rising sea levels. 1110
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60 Workers: occupations include:
• Planners
• Community engagement specialists
• Plant nursery workers
• Construction workers
Training: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - levee safety and levee design training Expertise:
• Friends of Five Creeks
• Groundwork Richmond
• The Watershed Project
• West County Wastewater District
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 601111 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
61 Land Use
Richmond has 442 brownfield sites with soil contaminated from historic industrial and military pollution, as well as two Superfund sites. This soil contamination is a drag on economic development. While the federal and state government offer financial and technical resources to clean up such sites, the City of Richmond’s capacity to oversee these labor-intensive projects, from proposals to contracts and report writing, is limited. In addition, Richmond residents have witnessed an unsuccessful cleanup effort that left many wondering if excavation of hazardous materials and hauling them offsite is the right approach for brownfields remediation.

17. Brownfields Research & Innovation Hub
Scope: Cleaning of sites to levels appropriate for future use of the property requires technical expertise, funding, and skilled cleanup teams. Risk-based cleanup levels shown in Figure 18 helps explain that clean up levels for sites that will host homes is higher than sites that will contain industrial activities.

Figure 18: Soil Clean-Up Level Based on End Uses
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency28
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62 While site cleanups are important for economic development, the process of cleaning them up is time-consuming, expensive, and may contaminate nearby areas. Technical brownfields revitalization experts have stated that it’s not always clear which remediation techniques are most effective.

Removal of hazardous soil and transfer to a different site runs the risk of contaminating the surrounding area and exposing others to the hazards. This is not a problem limited to Richmond. Many other low-income and disadvantaged communities suffer similar burdens of historic pollution, and questions remain about the best cleanup strategy.

Establishing a research and innovation center for brownfields cleanup would expand society’s knowledge about which remediation techniques are most effective. A list of U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency remediation technologies29 that could be studied and compared include:
• Activated carbon (AC)-based technology
• Air sparging
• Bioreactor landfills
• Bioremediation
• Combined remedies
• Electrokinetics
• Evapotranspiration covers
• Ex situ thermal treatment
• Fracturing for environmental site remediation
• Groundwater circulating wells
• Horizontal remediation wells
• In situ chemical oxidation
• In situ chemical reduction
• In situ flushing
• In situ thermal treatment
• Multi-phase extraction
• Nanoscale materials for environmental site remediation • Natural attenuation
• Remediation optimization
• Permeable reactive barriers
• Phytotechnologies
• Soil vapor extraction
• Soil washing
• Solidification and stabilization
• Solvent extraction
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63 If a local Brownfields Research and Innovation Hub were established, the center could showcase, collect data about, and analyze the effectiveness of various soil clean-up technologies for the most common soil contaminants: petroleum hydrocarbons, asbestos, arsenic, heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides such as dieldrin and DDT.

Having its own Hub to study the most effective remediation technologies could help shine a spotlight on Richmond, an environmental justice community with a long industrial history, and attract more resources for cleanup efforts.

Demand: Brownfield cleanups will help revitalize the community by putting sites back into productive use, which would attract new jobs and provide new revenue paths for the city.

Workers: environmental remediation occupations:
• Management and business specialist occupations
• Science occupations (biologists, hydrologists, chemists, conservation) • Engineering and mapping occupations
• Construction and material-moving occupations
Training: 40 hours of training on OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standards, soil remediation technologies Expertise:
• Center for Creative Land Recycling – technical and funding assistance for site cleanup • Department of Toxic Substances Control – technical and funding assistance for site cleanup
• Microvi – Hayward-based company with a computational platform to predict the complex, dynamic interactions between microbial ecosystems and hazardous organic components in groundwater
• OndoVia – Hayward-based company with test kits for fast, easy laboratory-grade water analysis
• Picoyune – Berkeley-based company of highly portable sensors that measure mercury levels in the water and air
• UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station Environmental
• UC Berkeley Superfund Research Program – studying in situ remediation without transporting valuable soil and destroying persistent chemicals that are resistant to remediation
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64 Water
As a city located on a peninsula, Richmond has a close connection to water. The “blue” in the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal represents several opportunities for water-related projects in technology development, port development, boats, and ecotourism.

18. Blue Tech Incubator and Accelerator
Scope: A startup is an organization formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model. A startup incubator nurtures early-stage entrepreneurs and helps them develop their business ideas. Next, an accelerator helps startups rapidly scale up to more established products and services.

Given Richmond’s 32 miles of shoreline, it makes sense to host an incubator and accelerator to support development of ocean-based technologies.

Coworking space CoBiz in downtown Richmond could host incubators and accelerators that help entrepreneurs develop technologies for water-based agriculture, robotics, environmental restoration, and marine electric-power systems. Topics covered by incubators and accelerators may include idea development, product development, pitching, market fit, fundraising, customer acquisition, and exit strategies.

Workers: technology entrepreneurs
Training: staff could be mentored by other Bay Area tech accelerators Expertise:
• Clean Tech Open – to find, fund, and foster entrepreneurs who have ideas for solving environmental and energy challenges
• CoBiz Richmond co-working space
• Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
• The Rain Makers – incubator
• UC Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator
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65 19. Port Upgrades Including Electrification
Scope: Over the past century, Richmond’s deep-water port has seen a lot of historically important activity. In the 1920s, tidelands were filled in and the harbor dredged to accommodate the Ford Motor Assembly Plant and the Felice and Perelli Cannery. In 1941, the Kaiser Richmond Shipyards were established and grew to become the largest wartime shipbuilding operation on the West Coast. A boomtown atmosphere attracted tens of thousands of workers to support the war effort and caused Richmond’s population to swell from 23,600 in 1940 to 93,700 in 1943.

Nearly 80 years after the shipyards closed, the Port of Richmond is ready to upgrade city-owned and privately-owned terminals for today’s clean-energy and sustainable transportation standards. Upgrades would allow the port to accommodate heavier cargo loads, allow visiting vessels to plug into electric shore power, and host additional advanced manufacturing activities.

Federal, state, and regional grant funding is available to implement Clean Air Action Plan strategies, which will reduce air pollutants such as nitrous oxides, sulfur oxides, particulate matter, and toxic air contaminants. These investments will help reduce emissions from ocean-going vessels, railroad equipment, trucks, and automobiles, using the best available technologies.

If the City of Richmond establishes a manufacturing hub for West Coast offshore wind activities, the port upgrade is estimated to require $375 million of public and private investment. Making these investments could attract hundreds of port upgrade construction jobs followed by hundreds of offshore wind manufacturing career-length jobs. The State of California plans to spend $2.3 billion on port improvements, roughly on par with federal funding for the nationwide Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).

Demand: To reduce air pollution at ports, vessels are required to plug into electric shore power or capture and control emissions when sitting at port.

Container, refrigerated cargo, and cruise ships have been included since 2014.

These regulations will also apply to auto carriers starting in 2025 and oil and fuel tankers in Northern California starting in 2027.
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66 Workers:
• International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) • International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters)
• International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)
• Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) • North America Building Trades Union (NABTU)
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA)
Training: union provided
Expertise:
• City of Richmond, Port of Richmond staff
• Labor unions
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67 20. Berthing Vessels at the Port
Scope: According to Richmond’s Working Waterfront, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) is looking for a $3 million per year lay berth arrangement to park ships. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is also searching for berthing space.

Richmond could participate in a regional plan the Marine Exchange will set up to market lay berth space.

Richmond has several locations that could compete for MARAD’s Ready Reserve fleet moorings. Alameda currently berths two such vessels, fetching that City some $3 million per year. MARAD will issue requests for proposals for new berthings over the next one to two years, given that Alameda-based vessels must move because of low water levels.

The NOAA West Coast home port is Portland, Oregon, but their ships regularly visit the Bay Area. Richmond could make a bid to home-port NOAA vessels when in the Bay Area. The city would take advantage of the agency’s mission to study ocean health and the effects of climate change, and in doing so, the city could educate youth about related opportunities. Furthermore, NOAA is working to diversify its staff, and closer ties to Richmond would help engage youth to consider environmental science careers.

Demand: MARAD and NOAA are looking for locations for fleet moorings Workers: Port of Richmond staff
Expertise:
• MARAD
• NOAA
• Port of Richmond
• Working Waterfront
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68 21. Boatbuilding
Scope: Rosie the Riveter, one of the most famous icons of the can-do spirit of World War II, worked in Richmond’s shipyards. Mayor Eduardo Martinez is interested in exploring the return of shipbuilding to Richmond, whether local boatbuilding capacity for electric or wind-powered vessels or some of the many different types of boats needed to support the growing offshore wind industry on the West Coast.

Globally, offshore wind is expanding in Europe, Asia, and North America. The World Economic Forum expects global capacity of large-scale wind farms to increase 10-fold, from 34 GW in 2020 to 330 GW in 2030, and spread throughout 24 countries. A portion of the expected $1 trillion of investment between 2020 and 2030 will go into building vessels for constructing, operating or maintaining offshore wind farms. Figure 19 shows the kinds of vessels needed.

Figure 19: Offshore Wind Boat Types and Specifications
Vessel Type Representative
Vessel
Propeller
Engine Rating
(kilowatts [kW])
Auxiliary Engine
Rating [kW]
Specification Sheet
Source(s)
Scour protection
vessel Bravenes (Van Oord) Main: 6,200 3,194 Van Oord (2021) Crew transfer vessel CTV1 (Patriot) Thruster: 7,000 50
Patriot Offshore
Maritime Services, EPA
(2023a)
Cable lay vessel Leonardo da Vinci
(Prysmian Group) 2,066 3,194 Prysmian Group (n.d.)
Anchor handling tug
supply
Normand Sagaris
(Solstad Offshore) Main: 6,200 8,400 Solstad Offshore (n.d.) Tugboat EPA tugboat
classification Thrusters: 7,000 191 EPA (2022)
Service operations
vessel T60-18 (IHC) 17,400 5,370 IHC Offshore Energy
(2021)
Feeder barge Superfeeder (MINO
Marine) 2,536 6,800 Moore (2020)
Heavy lift vessel Bokalift 2 (Boskalis) 5,720 34,560 Boskalis (2022) Wind turbine
installation vessel Charybdis (Seajacks) Main: 7,500 34,560 Seajacks (2023) Deck carrier vessel Boldwind (UWL) Thrusters: 2,400 Not considered United Wind Logistics
(n.d.); Ship Technology
(2019)
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory30
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69 Demand: Globally there are not enough specialized boats available for all the offshore wind turbine development planned for the next few decades.

Workers: engineers, designers, and skilled trades (shipfitters, machinists, welders, metalworkers, caulkers, tool and die makers, pattern makers, core makers, pipefitters, boilermakers, carpenters, electricians, electronics technicians, painters, and sheet metal workers)
Training: for skilled shipbuilding trades - apprenticeships with classroom and on-the-job training
Expertise:
• American Boatbuilders Association
• American Society of Naval Engineers
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers
• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
• United Marine Manufacturers Association
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 691120 Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
70 22. Training Center for Boat Maintenance and Repair
Scope: Marine mechanics are responsible for maintaining and repairing electrical and mechanical equipment onboard a ship. The work to troubleshoot engine problems, perform preventative maintenance and assemble or disassemble engines is usually performed using hand, power, or pneumatic tools, and computerized analytic and diagnostic equipment.

Classroom and on-the-job training prepare students to work on different types of boats.

Marine mechanics for commercial vessels and ferry boats are in high demand.

Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) is open to collaborating with the Working Waterfront Coalition and possibly providing space for training cohorts for boat maintenance and repair. Organizers are currently looking for locations for a network of training facilities.

Demand: There is unmet demand for trained marine mechanics.

Workers: marine mechanics
Training: The Marine Trade Skills Program provides certificates in boat repair, diagnostics and maintenance.

National Expertise:
• Association of Marine Technicians
• Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence
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71 23. Shoreline Ecotourism
Scope: Along Richmond’s coast, the 2,315-acre Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park provides a home to more than 100 animal species, including deer, monarch butterflies, hawks, and owls. Salt marshes along the shoreline bluffs host a variety of shorebirds and crabs. The park has rich birdlife, including many ducks and shorebirds and the endangered black rail. Many migratory bird species are also seen, as the park is located on the Pacific Flyway.

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline contains a historical landmark for the former explosives factories, including the Giant Powder Company.

Also in Richmond is 276-acre Point Molate, located on the shores of San Pablo Bay. For thousands of years, Point Molate was home to Ohlone tribal groups. Between 1870 and 1912, the site was used as a Chinese shrimp camp. Between 1906 and 1920, it was the site of Winehaven, the offices and processing and storage facility of the California Wine Association. In 1942, the land was sold to the United States government and operated thereafter as a Navy base. Within Point Molate, there are currently 16 special-status plant species and 24 special-status animal species, including several raptors.

Both parks are ideal for hiking, picnicking, kayaking, horseback riding, bicycling, fishing, and crabbing, while taking in the beautiful views of the San Pablo Bay.

Ecotourism opportunities include recreation rentals of kayaks, bicycles, and horses, as well as naturalist-led and downloadable guided tours about wildlife, natural features, historical places, and sacred sites of the Ohlone people.

Demand: Richmond residents have requested more recreational opportunities during surveys.

Workers: park rangers, naturalists, community outreach coordinators, wildlife specialists, educators, facilities managers, conservation scientists Training: ecotourism and recreation
Local Expertise:
• East Bay Regional Parks District
• Point Molate Alliance
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72 Other
One notable green jobs category involves green hydrogen. Given the large federal investments flowing into this space, this report would be remiss if it did not mention green hydrogen. However, a few important concerns about this opportunity would need to be addressed.

24. Green Hydrogen*
Scope: Several energy-intensive activities in the United States require large quantities of fossil fuels and are difficult to decarbonize: long-haul flights, long-haul trucking, steel manufacturing, and ammonia production for fertilizer.

These industries contribute relatively large percentages of greenhouse gas emissions.

In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $7 billion in funding to launch seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs across the nation to accelerate commercial-scale deployment of low-cost clean hydrogen. California received funding to support one of these seven hubs.
*Concerns that need to be addressed: While hydrogen offers the potential to decarbonize major greenhouse gas-emitting activities, a few key safety and environmental concerns will need to be worked out.

First, hydrogen is flammable and explosive, so Richmond community leadership must decide if the economic benefits of scaling up hydrogen production outweigh the health and safety risks to the community. Second, the majority of hydrogen production comes from natural gas, which makes it brown hydrogen, an environmentally damaging form.

In order to produce green hydrogen, large quantities of renewable energy will be needed within the regional electricity grid where the hydrogen is being made so that it does not compete with other users of green electricity.

If these important concerns can be addressed and the community feels the benefits outweigh the risks, then green hydrogen might be a candidate for green job creation in Richmond.
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73 Demand: Global air travel and transport is responsible for 3.5% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide; medium- and heavy-duty trucks contribute 6.7% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.; steel manufacturing creates 5% of global greenhouse gases; and ammonia generates 1% of global greenhouse gases.

These four activities could be powered by green hydrogen, meaning hydrogen made with renewable energy.

Workers: for building a new electrolytic hydrogen facility: engineers; metal workers and assemblers; production occupations; plant and system operators Training: health and safety training; other training
Local Expertise:
• Chevron
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (Boilermakers) • Raven SR
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA)
ond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report 731124
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Opportunities Report
74 What training will be useful to upskill the labor force of today for the green-blue jobs of tomorrow? The answer depends on the types of jobs predicted to be in demand in growing industries. Economic development forecasting as well as government environmental policies influence public and private investment that enable job creation. These factors shine a light on the road ahead for green projects and the skillsets those projects will need.

The Contra Costa Just Transition Plan studied economic development forecasting for the county and determined that growth is expected in six industries:
• Advanced materials and diversified manufacturing
• Clean tech
• Advanced transportation technology
• Biomedical/biotech
• Food processing
• Other sectors that support the green energy economy and the shift to a zero-emission economy
Of this list, advanced manufacturing, clean tech, advanced transportation technology, and the other sectors that support the green energy economy overlap with some of the green-blue jobs recommendations in this report.

SECTION V
Workforce
Development and
Training
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75 Another way to look for guidance about workforce development training that will be needed is to study environmental policy goals set at the federal, state, and local levels which are outlined in the Gap Analysis which can be found in Appendix IV. Government agencies have developed ambitious goals for energy, buildings, transportation, consumer goods, and nature, all goals that are steering our society toward a more just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future. These policy goals are driving public and private investment in green industries that will need trained and skilled workers.

What Is Workforce Development?
Workforce development describes career-related services for individuals seeking to improve their earning potential and career options by developing their skills and/or increasing their education levels, or by obtaining certifications or licenses relevant to their industry.

Additional years of experience, as well as professional development to learn new skills or information, helps an individual progress along their chosen career path.

Generally, careers progress along a trajectory from entry-level to expert, and here we define some of the key aspects of each level:
• Specialization or expert roles – deepening expertise in a particular skill or area
• Executive or leadership roles – these roles have significant responsibility for the overall direction and success of an organization
• Senior-level or management positions – in these positions, individuals are responsible for decision-making, leadership, and overseeing teams or departments
• Mid-level – as individuals gain experience and skills, their roles involve more responsibility and may require specialized knowledge
• Entry-level
This upward trajectory can take many different paths, depending on workers’ interests and skills as well as the training and job opportunities available in their region.

To convey the broad brushstrokes of green career pathways, Figure 20 outlines pathways for six sectors relevant to green jobs: construction, building deconstruction, electrical contracting, advanced manufacturing, business entrepreneurship, and urban forestry.
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76 Figure 20: Simplified Career Pathways for Six Green Job Sectors Sector
Minimum
Educational Entry
Point
Career Pathway
Construction High school
diploma or GED
• Owner of construction firm
• Supervisor or manager
• Journeyperson
• Exam and license
• Apprentice – on-the-job and classroom training
Building
Deconstruction Some high school
• Move to construction career pathway
• Apprentice or entry-level
• Building deconstruction training and accreditation
Electrical
Contracting
High school
diploma or GED
• Owner of electrical contracting firm
• Master electrician
• Specialized continuing education and professional
development
• Journeyperson electrician
• Exam and license
• Apprentice – on-the-job and classroom training
Advanced
Manufacturing
High school
diploma or GED
• Business owner
• Manager or vice president
• Supervisor or technical specialist
• Technician, assembler, associate, or clerk
Business
Entrepreneurship
High school
diploma or GED
• Growth
• Hiring
• Funding
• Business planning
• Entrepreneurship classes
Urban Forestry High school
diploma or GED
• Business owner
• Supervisor or manager
• ISA certified arborist – requires bachelor’s degree
• Urban forester
• Foreman or crew leader
• Tree climber
• Groundworker
Note the minimum educational requirement for each sector as the entry point.

Workers can then move up the career ladder as they gain more education, training, credentials, and experience.

Each sector has demand for many different types of skills. For example, within construction, building electrification, and energy efficiency, projects need workers 1127
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77 with business skills in management, finance, marketing, sales, and administration, as well as technical skills in engineering, construction, installation, management, and repair.

Job classifications that house different types of skills relevant to green jobs, as organized by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are shown in Figure 21.

Figure 21: Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC)
SOC # Category
11-0000 Management Occupations
13-0000 Business and Financial Operations Occupations
15-0000 Computer and Mathematical Occupations
17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
21-0000 Community and Social Service Occupations
23-0000 Legal Occupations
25-0000 Educational Instruction and Library Occupations 27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations 35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations 37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations 39-0000 Personal Care and Service Occupations
41-0000 Sales and Related Occupations
43-0000 Office and Administrative Support Occupations
45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations
47-0000 Construction and Extraction Occupations
49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations 51-0000 Production Occupations
53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
For the 24 green-blue projects recommended in this report, training to learn new technologies and systems are needed, as well as training in established skillsets. 1128
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78 Skill Development
See Figure 22 for distinctive skillsets required for each recommended RGBND project, with details about who currently offers this type of training.

Figure 22: Distinctive Skills Needed for Recommended Green- Blue Projects
Project Skills Technology or system Who offers training 1 Solar emergency
microgrid
Microgrid design,
installation
Microgrid systems
(solar photovoltaics,
batteries, monitoring,
communications and
controls)
UC San Diego Extended Studies
– microgrid design, IBEW
Electrical Joint Apprenticeship
Training Centers
2 Battery
manufacturing
Production, quality
assurance Energy storage systems UC San Diego Extended Studies – electrical energy storage
3 Offshore
wind turbine
manufacturing
Production, quality
assurance, health and
safety
Depends on the wind
turbine part
Global Wind Organisation,
Massachusetts Maritime
Academy
4 Building
electrification
retrofits
Electrical installation Heat pumps for water
heating and HVAC
IBEW Electrical Joint
Apprenticeship Training
Centers, Pacific Gas & Electric
Energy Training Center
5 Green accessory
dwelling units
and tiny homes
Construction Small pre-fabricated
housing units
Big Skills Tiny Homes, UA
Green Professional Building
Skills Certificate, Diablo Valley
College, Cal State East Bay
6 Community land
trust Contracts, financing Cooperative ownership
Cooperation Richmond,
Sustainable Economies
Law Center, Project Equity,
Renaissance Center
7 Destination
downtown Business plans, finance
Co-located manufacturing,
retail, and cooperative
businesses
Renaissance Center,
Cooperation Richmond
8 Transportation
management
association
Community
engagement,
transportation demand
management
Transportation demand
management
Association of Commuter
Transportation, Community-
based social marketing
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79 9
Transition to
zero-emission
vehicles
Installation,
maintenance, and
repair of electrical
systems
Electric vehicle charging
infrastructure, zero-
emission vehicles
Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure
Training Program, IBEW
Electrical Joint Apprenticeship
Training Centers
10 Building
deconstruction
firms
Building deconstruction Disassembling buildings
and sorting by material Build Reuse
11 Building salvage
warehouse
Business plans,
inventory management,
finance
Inventory management Renaissance Center
12 Richmond
remakery and
fixery
Teaching, repair of
electronics, appliances,
clothing, and small
devices
Appliances and equipment iFixit
13 Re-entry
entrepreneur
Woodworking, business
plans Power tools Renaissance Center,
RichmondBUILD
14 Surplus food
rescue
Food handling safety,
logistics Logistics California Food Handlers Safety
training
15 Expanding the
tree canopy Tree climbing, tree care Urban forestry Merritt College 16 Living levee Landscape design,
levee construction Protective levee systems US Army Corps of Engineers 17 Brownfields
research and
innovation hub
Research on
environmental
management
Soil cleanup
UC Berkeley Extension
certificate in environmental
management
18 Blue tech
incubator and
accelerator
Business plans, finance Entrepreneurship Renaissance Center 19 Port upgrades,
including
electrification
Electrical installation High-voltage electric
charging systems
IBEW Electrical Joint
Apprenticeship Training
Centers
20 Berthing vessels
at the port Port management Berthing plans and
berthing aid systems ILWU Longshore union
21 Boat building Production, quality
assurance Marine vessels Consult US-based boat
manufacturers
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80 22
Training
center for boat
maintenance and
repair
Teaching, boat
maintenance, and
repair
Commercial vessels and
ferries
Marine Trades Training
Program
23 Shoreline
ecotourism Teaching Ecosystems Nature-based education
training
24 Green hydrogen Production, health and
safety Hydrogen production Occupational Safety & Health Administration
In addition, regional utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) offer extensive training opportunities. PG&E provides more than 400 educational resources to help clean energy workers and job seekers in California expand their technical skills. PG&E’s Energy Training Center and Power Pathway webpages provide details. Similarly, the East Bay Municipal Utilities District offers a variety of paid internship and training programs as part of its long-term workforce development strategy to attract, recruit, and retain a diverse, qualified workforce. By collaborating with utilities on training for the green energy and water careers of the future, the City would help expand opportunities for Richmond residents.

RichmondWORKS also looks for ways to help develop the local workforce. They serve a vital role providing skill development for people looking for a career onramp.

Through pre-apprenticeship training on soft skills and other skills, they prepare workers for apprenticeships and jobs.

Overcoming Barriers
While studying opportunities for green job creation in Richmond, a few solutions were suggested that would address barriers along the career pathways to high-road jobs for unlicensed contractors and members of the re-entry population. A few community members advocated for the benefits of providing career development training in Spanish for unlicensed contractors. Training to become licensed contractors would enhance job-site safety, public safety, boost income of workers, and increase city permit revenues that would be reinvested in the community.

Educating the public about these efforts would reduce the underground job market and enhance the visibility of the local workforce.

The re-entry population possess valuable skills sets that local employers need to fill vacancies but they face multiple challenges when seeking employment after 1131
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81 serving time. The City of Richmond sought to address this issue through the 2013 Ban the Box Ordinance No. 14-13 which supports qualified individuals seeking employment within Richmond by ensuring that all are given equal opportunity to apply for available positions. The State of California reinforced Richmond’s position on this with its 2018 Ban the Box Law, also known as the California Fair Chance Act, which prohibits employers from asking about conviction history before making a job offer. Employers must consider a job candidate’s qualifications first by removing conviction and arrest history questions from job applications and delaying background checks until later in the hiring process.

Workers in less-skilled and technical occupations are the target audiences for RichmondWORKS training to help workers move toward their career goals. Figure 23 describes the onramp for four different types of employment.

Figure 23: Skill Development by Type of Employment
Employment Entry-level Inclusion
Paths
Foundational Training and
Education
Incumbent Worker Skill
Upgrades
Less-skilled
occupations
Pipeline programs for
inclusion
No post-secondary education
requirement
Skill upgrade training
via industry training partnership
Technical
occupations
High school to
community college
support
Community college, Associate’s
degree, technical certification,
apprentice classroom learning
Skill upgrade training
via industry training partnership
Apprenticed
occupations
Pre-apprenticeship pro-
grams for inclusion
Certified apprenticeship, journey
card
Journey upgrade training via
industry training partnership
Professional
occupations
High school to 4-year
college support, com-
munity college to 4-year
college support
4-year university – bachelor’s
degree or graduate degree
Continuing education
via 4-year university or
professional association
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory31
Training for the last two categories in Figure 23, apprenticed occupations and professional occupations, are already well developed. Trade unions provide classroom and on-the-job training for certified apprenticeships for career pathways such as electricians and in the construction trades. Four-year colleges and universities provide support for professional occupations that require a licensing exam, such as engineering and architecture.
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82 Existing Training
In Contra Costa County and nearby, the following training and credentials are available to prepare less skilled or technical workers for green-blue jobs in the near future.

Figure 24: Examples of Training Currently Available
Sector Job Titles and Training Potential Projects
1 Renewable
Energy
Sample job titles:
• Robotics Technician
• Maintenance Manager
• Master Production Scheduler
Existing training programs:
• Construction Laborer - RichmondBUILD and
Richmond YouthBUILD
• Electrician – International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW)
• Geological Technicians, except Hydrologic
Technicians – Contra Costa Community College
(CCC) Certificate of Accomplishment or Associate’s
degree (AA or AA-T)
• Pipefitter - union training
• Solar Installer – community-based organizations
(CBOs)
• Welder - union training
• Battery manufacturing
(advanced manufacturing)
• Microgrid installation
• Offshore wind turbine
manufacturing
2 Building
Electrification
and Energy
Efficiency
Sample job titles:
• Electrician
• Powerline Worker
Existing training programs:
• Carpenter - RichmondBUILD and Richmond
YouthBUILD
• Construction Laborers - RichmondBUILD and
Richmond YouthBUILD
• Electrician – IBEW
• Energy Auditors - Rising Sun Center for
Opportunity
• Energy and Renewables – Pacific Gas & Electric
Energy Training Center
• Engineers - CCC and California universities
• Plumbers - union training
• Roofers - union training
• Welder - union training
• Building electrification,
energy efficiency and energy
demand management
(supporting equitable
transition of existing
buildings to resilient and
healthy homes)
• Construction of accessory
dwelling units, tiny homes,
and prefabricated homes
(also encourages new green
residential and commercial
developments)
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83 3
Sustainable
Transportation
Sample job titles:
• Electric Vehicle Mechanic
• Electrician (with electric vehicle certification)
Existing training programs:
• Automotive Hybrid Technician – CCC
• Automotive Program – CCC
• Automotive Technology – Associate’s degree at
Los Medanos College
• Bicycle Repairers - CBOs
• Electrician – IBEW
• Maintenance and Repair Workers - General
Automotive Collision Repair - CCC
• Transition to zero-emission
vehicles (including mass
transit and active mobility)
• Destination downtown
(supporting and attracting
a cluster of additional
businesses in a downtown
area to attract visitors)
4 Zero Waste
Sample job titles:
• Recycling Sorter and Operations
• Recycling Reclamation Workers
Existing training programs:
• Engineers - CCC and California universities
• Freight Truck Driver/Garbage Truck Driver – CCC
• Building salvage warehouse
(supporting increased
recycling and reuse of
construction and demolition
materials)
• Richmond remakery and
fixery (bringing together “fix-
it” clinics, maker enrichment
classes for children, and
Richmond’s Tool Lending
Library)
5 Green
Infrastructure
and Urban
Forestry
Sample job titles:
• Tree Trimmers/Climbers
Existing training programs:
• Arborists - CBOs
• Engineers - CCC and California universities
• Groundskeeper - Rubicon
• Certified Landscape Technician – CCC and
National Association of Landscape Professionals
• Tree planting (supporting
expansion of Richmond’s
tree canopy)
• North Richmond Living
Levee (in collaboration with
the County and regional
partners)
6 Water
Sample job titles:
• Geological Surveyor
• Water Quality Technician
Existing programs:
• Electrician - IBEW
• Engineer - Waterfrontjobs.com
• Marine Mechanic - Waterfrontjobs.com
• Plumber - union training
• Tug and Ferry Deckhand - Waterfrontjobs.com
• Welder - union training
• Boatbuilding, boat
maintenance and repair
• Upgrade Port of Richmond
(electrification upgrades
to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions)
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84 7 Other
Sample job titles:
• Marketing Associate
Existing training programs:
• Accounting Technician, Loan and Credit Clerks,
Tellers - Business certifications and AA degrees -
CCC
• Customer Service Representatives -
Communication Studies AS at CCC
• Engineers - CCC and California universities
• Environmental Management certificate - UC
Berkeley Extension
• Shipping, Receiving and Inventory Clerks - FLOW
training at CCC
• Blue and green tech
incubators and accelerators
• Brownfield research and
innovation hub
• Re-entry entrepreneurs
• Building deconstruction
firms
• Shoreline ecotourism
When steering workers toward additional educational credentials, it’s helpful to keep in mind the higher salaries workers can expect to command as a result. See Figure 25 for median salaries based on education level for Bay Area green job sectors.

Figure 25: Median Salaries by Green Sector
(San Francisco Bay Area)
Education
Level
Green Con-
struction
Renewable
Energy
Energy
Efficiency
& Carbon
Capture
Manufac-
turing
Recycling
& Waste
Reduction
Agriculture
& Forestry
Transpor-
tation
Master’s
degree - - - $125,000 $97,000 $105,000 -
Bachelor’s
degree $102,000 $141,000 $125,000 $122,000 $128,000 $62,000 $114,000 Associate’s
degree $70,000 $110,000 $98,000 $64,000 $46,000 $74,000 Post-
secondary
non-degree
award
$65,000 $62,000 $75,000 $131,000 $59,000
High school
diploma or
equivalent
$76,000 $102,000 $102,000 $54,000 $50,000 $42,000 $68,000 No formal
education
credential
$49,000 $59,000 - - - - $44,000
Source: Bay Region Green Jobs Exploratory Dashboard32
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85 The U.S. Department of Energy provides more detailed information about career pathways and salary ranges for entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level jobs in advanced manufacturing and construction. Note that highlighted positions require a minimum educational level of a Bachelor’s degree in Figures 26 and 27.

Figure 26: Salary Ranges in Advanced Manufacturing (National) Production (Manufacturing) Assembly & Fabrication
(Packaging) Distribution
Advanced
Assistant Plant
Manager
$85–152,000
Production
Manager
$71–139,000
VP
Manufacturing
& Operations
$200–300,000
Operations
Manager
$80–130,000
VP
Distribution
$71–200,000
Business
Development
Manager
$68–137,000
Distribution
Manager
$77–155,000
Mid-Level
Manufacturing
Engineer
$62–175,000
Production
Supervisor
$58–99,000
Quality
Technician
$42–95,000
Manufacturing
Technician II
$57–96,000
Electrical
Engineer
$61–147,000
Advanced
Manufacturing
Technician
$57–101,000
Assembly
Manager
$59–154,000
Quality
Control
Inspector
$39–92,000
Procurement
Specialist
$47–103,000
Assembly
Supervisor
$52–122,000
Distribution
Supervisor
$54–111,000
Distribution
Engineer
$68–155,000
Distribution
Analyst
$59–114,000
Entry-level
Manufacturing
Technician I
$70–85,000
Production
Associate
$35–52,000
Machine
Operator
$36–52,000
Maintenance
Technician
$48–77,000
CNC Machinist
$36–73,000
Production
Operator
$43–64,000
Production
Worker
$35–55,000
Fabricator
$36–65,000
Assembler
$32–45,000
Welder
$45–60,000
Packaging
Technician
$37–52,000
Electrical/
Electronic
Assembler
$37–54,000
Shipping-
Receiving
Clerk
$46–57,000
Material
Handler
$39–52,000
Warehouse
Associate
$32–45,000
Source: U.S. Department of Energy 33
The progression from entry-level to mid-level, and then to advanced salaries in construction with advanced manufacturing, demonstrates the salary bumps available with more training and experience.
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86 Figure 27: Salary Ranges in Green Building (National) Commercial Construction & Retrofitting Residential & Multifamily Construction & Retrofitting
Advanced
Building
Performance
Contractor
pay varies
Commercial
Building Code
Official
$37–99,000
Sustainable
Consulting
Supervisor

LEED AP
$48–96,000
Mechanical
Electrical
Plumbing
Contractor
pay varies
Commercial
Construction
Manager
$56–165,000
Indoor
Environmental
Health
Specialist
$75–150,000
Building/
Home
Performance
Contractor
pay varies
Residential
Building Code
Official
$37–99,000
Multi-family
Quality
Control
Inspector
$43–90,000
HVAC
Contractor
pay varies
Multi-family
Retrofit
Project
Manager
$60–100,000
Energy
Efficiency
Program
Director
pay varies
Mid-Level
Commercial
Lighting
Auditor
$50–100,000
Insulation
Journey
person/
Mechanic
$32–89,000
Commercial
Energy Auditor
$55–105,000
Product Sales
Specialist
$50–135,000
Commercial
Construction
Foreman
$45–110,000
Residential
Quality
Control
Inspector
$43–80,000
Residential
Energy Auditor
$43–106,000
Healthy
Home
Evaluator
$43–106,000
Multi-family
Energy Auditor
$43–106,000
Building
Performance
Crew Leader
$41–104,000
Entry-level
Insulation
Apprentice
$32–89,000
Energy
Efficiency
Technician
$31–52,000
Insulation/
Air Sealing
Technician
$25–69,000
Building
Performance
Installer
$24–52,000
Energy
Efficiency
Technician
$37–52,000
Energy
Efficiency Sales
Representative
$36–98,000
Energy
Efficiency
Program
Assistant
$23–54,000
Source: U.S. Department of Energy34
With the high cost of living in the Bay Area, workforce development is a vital resource to help workers access careers that offer family-sustaining wages, benefits, and career advancement opportunities.

High Road Training Partnerships
The California Workforce Development Board shares the City of Richmond’s goal to help workers secure high-road jobs, as evidenced by its work on High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP).35 This initiative was designed to address questions of income 1137
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87 inequality, economic competitiveness, and climate change to support economically and environmentally resilient communities. These partnerships encourage worker skill development and help firms compete based on their product and service quality, which is achieved through innovation and investment in workers.

Individual HRTPs relevant to green jobs that have developed policies and principles for high-road jobs in their industry include:
• California Water Wastewater and Energy
• Connecting Under-Represented Workers to High Road Jobs – includes justice-involved workers
• Contra Costa Harnessing Change: Refinery Transition Partnership – Just Transition Equity and Job Quality in Building Decarbonization – building electrification and energy efficiency
• Greater Sierra Forestry Corps – green infrastructure and urban forestry • Humboldt High Road Wind (HRW) – renewable energy
• Ready, Set, Cook: Launch Your Culinary Career Program – zero waste • TEAM GILLIG: A High Road Partnership Between Teamsters Local 853 and GILLIG – sustainable transportation
• West Oakland Job Resource Center Regional Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Workforce Institute and Expansion – sustainable transportation The policies and principles that have been developed for each HRTP could be useful to RichmondWORKS when developing training for local workers.

Funding for Training
In support of green high-road job training, for RichmondWORKS to secure workforce development funds from federal and state government agencies, jobs must be available to workers upon completion of training. This is the case for some but not all of the 24 projects recommended in this report. For green jobs projects that require more preparation before they are ready to train and hire, foundations may be interested in providing support.

K-12 Environmental Education and Green Career
Awareness
One final note about workforce development: during the RGBND community engagement process, a few community members recommended that development of talent for green careers and green career awareness start earlier. Raising 1138
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88 awareness among children in K-12 schools about a wide variety of green jobs that will be available in the future will help spark interest in studying certain subjects that will allow them to pursue specific green careers.

In elementary school, children learn about water, carbon and nitrogen cycles, ecosystems, and interesting plants and animals, information that provides the foundation of environmental education. That is just part of the equation, however.

Hands-on experience, for example in school gardens, complements classroom learning.

In middle school, students can apply what they learn in multiple school subjects (such as science, math, and writing) to real-world environmental problems. This project-based learning helps the material come alive and drives budding interest in green careers.

Being exposed to emerging green technologies and a wide variety of viable green career paths during middle school and high school will light a fire in many students, who will then pursue their interests at community colleges or universities.

Awareness of green careers continues in high school with specific training and applied projects in the community.

While environmental education basics are already part of the curriculum used in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, opportunities to expand curricula and teacher training exist. For those looking for inspiration about environmental education materials, Appendix III contains descriptions of K-12 environmental education curricula from around the country. This could be used to create a career readiness curriculum to be adopted by the School Board.

At the high school and community college levels, opportunities to expand technical training on emerging technologies and providing paid internship opportunities will encourage more students to pursue green careers.

As public funding appropriations and private investment become available for green projects, K-12 environmental education, community college technical training, and municipal and state workforce development efforts will prepare the workforce for the meaningful green jobs of tomorrow.
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89 Funding is central to moving a project along to the hiring stage. Where to look for funding depends on what the money is needed for: capital expenses (ex., land, buildings, equipment) or operating expenses (ex., salaries, utilities, office supplies).

This section considers a variety of financial tools on the spectrum of financial returns from projects that need subsidies to those that provide a return on investment, as shown in Figure 28.

Figure 28: Spectrum of Financial Tools for Green Job Projects

SECTION VI
Funding
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90 For Projects That Need Subsidies
This section provides examples of financial tools for green projects that offer social and environmental benefits: government grants, corporate grants, philanthropic grants, rebates, funding for training, tax credits and exemptions, and bonding.

Government agencies, public foundations, and private foundations (individual, family, or corporate) make grants for charitable purposes. Government grants fund ideas and projects to provide services to the public and stimulate the economy.

Public and private foundations offer grants in support of their preferred research or charitable objectives.

Government Grants
Federal grants
Trillions of dollars of economic investment is flowing to the state and local level from the federal government by way of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. The intent is to invest in communities and the working class while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support union labor, and encourage family-sustaining wages. To secure funding and earn tax credits, it’s essential that projects applying for these grants adopt labor standards.

Guided by the White House Justice 40 Initiative, the federal government aims for 40% of certain federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by the effects of pollution.

Details can be found in President Biden’s Executive Order 14008. Justice 40 Initiative investment categories include: climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, remediation and reduction of legacy pollution, and the development of critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure.

Among government grant programs at the federal, state, and regional level, the only constant is that the list of those available is ever changing. Some opportunities are one-time while others are recurring. Databases offering information about government grants include:
• Federal government grants – Grants.gov database to search for federal grants • Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – U.S. Conference of Mayors database of over 400 funding opportunities
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91 • Inflation Reduction Act – Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments database of Inflation Reduction Act grants
The following federal agencies may have current grant programs relevant to green- blue jobs projects listed in this report. Keep in mind that some grant programs that have closed may be available again in the future.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Forest Service – Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program • U.S. Department of Commerce
• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Office of Community Services – Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Green and Resilient Retrofit Program – Elements Cohort • Green and Resilient Retrofit Program – Leading Edge Cohort • Green and Resilient Retrofit Program – Comprehensive Cohort • California Department of Housing and Community Development - National Housing Trust Fund Program
• U.S. Department of Interior
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management – Renewable Energy Program • U.S. Department of Justice
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Department of the Treasury
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• Maritime Administration (MARAD) – Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grants
• Federal Transportation Administration 5310 Grant Program • Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program
• Federal Highway Administration
• Promoting Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost- Saving Transportation Program (PROTECT)
• Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program
• Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program
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92 • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• U.S. Economic Development Administration
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Brownfields program
• Clean Heavy Duty Vehicles program
• Clean Ports Program
• Clean School Bus Grant Program
• Diesel Emissions Reductions Act
• Environmental and Climate Justice Program grants
• San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund
• Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program • U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. National Endowment for the Arts
• U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Foundation
• U.S. National League of Cities
• U.S. National Science Foundation
• U.S. Small Business Administration
State grants
The California Grant Portal (grants.ca.gov) provides information about grants and loans available from California state agencies. The website is searchable by keyword, grant-making agency, eligible applicant, and category.

One state government funding source that provides investments for many different green jobs projects is the California Climate Investments. Funding comes from the state’s portion of the Cap-and-Trade auction and goes to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). Thirty-five percent of these investments are made in disadvantaged and low-income communities.

The following list includes state agencies and grant programs that may be applicable to Richmond.
• California Air Resources Board
• Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program • Clean Mobility Voucher Pilot Program
• Low Carbon Transportation Investments and Air Quality Improvement Program
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93 • California Coastal Commission
• Local Coastal Program (LCP) Local Assistance Grant Program • Whale Tail Grants – Tolowa Dunes Stewards program promotes education through shoreline restoration
• California Coastal Conservancy
• Explore the Coast Grants Program
• California Department of Community Services & Development Programs administers for the federal government:
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP)
• Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) – provides funding to local non-profit and public agencies to help alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty
• California Department of Housing and Community Development • The Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program is designed to distribute Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds to disadvantaged communities. Eligible projects for AHSC funding include those providing affordable housing, transit- oriented development (TOD), transit, complete streets, and active transportation projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and vehicle miles travelled (VMT).
• California Economic Development Department – offers funding for pre- development work through the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) Catalyst Program (now known as California Jobs First). Each of California’s 13 economic regions qualifies for up to $26.5 million to support the early development of projects that could become eligible for future California Jobs First implementation funding.
• California Energy Commission – offers grants and incentives for energy efficiency and electrification
• Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) – grant funding for larger projects such as the $5 million solar emergency microgrid for Kaiser hospital in Richmond
• Building Initiative for Low-Emissions Development Program • California Clean Energy Jobs Act K-12 Program (Proposition 39 School Retrofit Program) provided $550 million annually to K-12 schools and community colleges for energy efficiency retrofits and solar photovoltaic installation
1144
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94 • Clean Transportation Program – $100 million annually for projects that align with California’s goals for climate change, air quality, petroleum reduction, and adoption of zero-emission vehicles • Electric Vehicle Readiness Blueprint – to identify the best locations for charging infrastructure, help cities adopt development standards and ordinances that encourage EV adoption, and prepare the workforce of the future to maintain EVs and the charging infrastructure • California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development • California Housing Finance Agency
• California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (iBank) • Infrastructure State Revolving Fund Program
• Bond Financing Program
• Expanding Venture Capital Access Program
• Climate Catalyst Program
• California Labor and Workforce Development Agency
• California Natural Resources Agency
• California Ocean Protection Council
• California Pollution Control Financing Authority
• Tax-Exempt Bond Financing Program/Green Bonds
• California Public Utilities Commission – offers grants for energy efficiency and electrification, often in partnership with utilities • Marin Clean Energy (MCE) received $158 million from the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) to help fund low- and no-cost electric upgrades for low- and middle-income households • TECH Clean California – to accelerate the adoption of clean space heating and clean water heating technology
• Energy Savings Assistance Program – provides no-cost weatherization services to low-income households
• California State Treasurer’s Office
• California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority
• California Hub for Energy Efficiency Financing (CHEEF) Pilot Programs
• Working Group on Energy Efficiency Financing Programs • Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Loss Reserve Program • Sales Tax Exclusion (STE) for Manufacturers
• Clean Energy Bond Financing
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95 • Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds
• Private Activity Bonds for District Heating and Cooling • California Transportation Commission
• California Water Boards
• California Wildlife Conservation Board
• CalRecycle
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Loan Program
• Beverage Container Recycling Redemption Pilot Program • Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) Revolving Loan Program • Organics Grant Program
• Recycled Fiber, Plastic, and Glass Grant Program
• Reuse Grant Program
• Tire Incentive Program
• Caltrans
• Active Transportation Program
• Transportation Development Act
• Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants
• Department of Toxic Substances Control
• Strategic Growth Council
Regional grants
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District
• Contra Costa Transportation Authority – $2.5 billion from Measure J sales tax revenue through 2034
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission
• Active Transportation Program
• Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Competitive Grants
• Federal Transportation Administration Grants
• Housing Incentive Pool Grants
• Innovative Deployments to Enhance Arterials
• Innovative Deployments to Enhance Arterials Shared Automated Vehicles (IDEA SAV)
• Lifeline Transportation Program
• Local Parking Management Grant Program
• Priority Conservation Area Grants
• Priority Development Area Grants
• Transit Core Capacity Challenge Grants
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96 Corporate grants
• Chevron Environmental and Community Investment Agreement (ECIA) Community Grant Program36 – the ECIA includes investments in community programs, a scholarship program, competitive community grants, community-based greenhouse gas reduction programs, and a photovoltaic solar farm
• Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund – Closed Loop Partners is a New York- based investment firm comprised of venture capital, growth equity, private equity, and project finance, as well as an innovation center focused on building the circular economy. This fund provides zero-interest loans to municipalities and below-market-rate loans to private companies to improve recycling infrastructure across four primary categories: collection, sorting, processing or reclamation, and end-product manufacturing. • Walmart Foundation – Local community grants are awarded through an open application process and provide funding directly from Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities to local organizations in the U.S. There are eight areas of funding: community and economic development; diversity and inclusion; education; environmental sustainability; health and human service; hunger relief and healthy eating; public safety; and quality of life.

Philanthropic grants
• Bezos Earth Fund
• Bloomberg Philanthropies
• Climate Foundation
• Emerson Collective
• James Irvine Foundation
• Lever for Change
• Miranda Lux Foundation
• Richmond Connects
• The California Endowment
• Walton Family Foundation
• Waverley Street Foundation
Other grants
• ReFed – Catalytic Grant Fund – for reducing food waste 1147
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97 Bonds
• 501(c)(3) bonds – tax-exempt bonds used to fund charitable organizations (IRS)
• Public agency revenue bonds - bond financings for various State entities’ economic or public development projects and programs (California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank [iBank])
• Social impact bonds - A contract with the public sector or governing authority, whereby it pays for better social outcomes in certain areas and passes on part of the savings achieved to investors
Rebates
• California Public Utilities Commission – Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) provides rebates to support existing, new, and emerging distributed energy resources on the customer side of the utility meter. • Marin Clean Energy (MCE) – energy efficiency
• Association of Bay Area Governments
• BayREN – energy efficiency
Funding for training
• California Workforce Development Board – High Road Training Partnership • Investor-owned utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric have workforce education and training funding
Tax credits and exemptions
• Work opportunity tax credit – for businesses that hire previously incarcerated individuals no later than one year after conviction or release from prison
• Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GoBiz) – offers incentives, grants, and financing
Bonding
• Federal – fidelity bonding for the first six months of employment for hard-to- place candidates; provides up to $5,000 of protection against losses 1148
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98 For Projects Offering Returns on Investment
The following financial tools may be available for businesses or public agencies that need investment funding for capital or operating expenses.

Bonds
Bonds are a fixed-income instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower, typically corporate or governmental. Examples include:
• Green bonds – A fixed income debt instrument in which an issuer (typically a corporation, government, or financial institution) borrows a large sum of money from investors for use in sustainability-focused projects (DOE) • Industrial development bonds - Tax-exempt financing up to $10 million for qualified manufacturing and processing companies for the construction or acquisition of facilities and equipment (IBank)
• Exempt facility – Privately-owned projects that are financed with tax-exempt “private activity” bonds using state and local government entities as the conduit issuers of such bonds. Exempt facilities include airport facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, sewage facilities, etc.

Loans
• CalRecycle - Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) low-interest loans • Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) - Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant Program
• Other revolving loan funds
• Commercial bank loans
• Loan guarantees
Financing
• Project finance
• Venture capital
Number of Jobs Created
Investment funding available determines the number of jobs that will be created.

A common metric is jobs created per million dollars invested. California Climate Investments (CCI) from the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund are granted 1149
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99 by the State. Appendix I details dozens of different projects funded by CCI and the number of jobs created per million dollars invested.

For the number of jobs that will be created by different projects through the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal and the number of capacity building staff needed to catalyze these jobs, see Figure 29.

Figure 29: RGBND Projects Organized by Potential Number of Jobs Created
Project Description Project
Size
Number
of Jobs
Capacity
build-
ing staff
(FTE)*
Port upgrades
including
electrification
Clean up pollution, rebuild wharfs to handle heavier
loads, electrify Large 100–1,000 0.5
Offshore
wind turbine
manufacturing
Build parts for offshore wind development projects in
California and elsewhere Large 100–1,000 0.5
Boat building
Manufacture boats which could range from smaller
electric tugboats to larger 500' offshore wind turbine
installation vessels
Large 100–1,000 0.2
Battery
manufacturing Attract more battery manufacturers to Richmond Large 100–1,000 0.2 Green
hydrogen
Manufacture hydrogen for difficult to decarbonize
industries; if safety concerns and renewable energy
sources addressed and if the community approves
Large 100–1,000 0
Solar
emergency
microgrids
Develop requests for proposals; design, permit, and
install microgrids Medium 10–100 0.2
Building
electrification
retrofits
Retrofit older homes (pre-1940 then pre-1978) for
insulation, electric water heating and electric HVAC
(heat pumps)
Medium 10–100 0.5
Green
accessory
dwelling units
and tiny homes
Build factory to host workforce development training
and build housing units in Richmond Medium 10–100 0.1
Destination
downtown
Invest in streetscape of a commercial area, support
cohort of entrepreneurs for new restaurants, cafes,
shared micro-manufacturing and micro-retail
Medium 10–100 0.1
Transition to
zero-emission
vehicles
Install and maintain electric vehicle charging
infrastructure; maintain electric vans, fleet vehicles, buses, commercial trucks, and big rigs
Medium 10-100 0.2
*FTE = full-time equivalent
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100
Building
deconstruction
firms
Dismantle old buildings and sort salvaged materials by
type for donation or sale Medium 10–100 0.1
Building
salvage
warehouse
Accept donated materials such as wooden doors,
windows, furniture, kitchen cabinets, art and hardware
then sell them to keep valuable materials out of the
landfill
Medium 10–100 0.1
Expanding the
tree canopy Grow seedlings into trees; urban planting Medium 10-100 0 Living levee Construct levee and plant native plants to manage storm surge waters Medium 10–100 0.1
Brownfields
research &
innovation hub
Conduct research on soil cleanup technologies and
showcase relative effectiveness of each Medium 10–100 0.2 Community
land trust
Develop contracts for shared ownership to build wealth
in the community Small 1-10 0
Transportation
management
association
Provide information and incentives to encourage
residents and workers to commute by mass transit and
active mobility modes
Small 1-10 0.1
Richmond
remakery and
fixery
Combine tool lending library, maker space, workshop,
fixit clinic, after school enrichment classes, and summer camps
Small 1-10 0.25
Re-entry
entrepreneurs
Offer members of the re-entry population business
plan and woodworking classes to encourage starting
businesses such as building furniture from salvaged
materials
Small 1-10 0.25
Surplus food
rescue
Pick up surplus food from events, caterers, grocery
stores, and other large generators then deliver to non- profits serving people experiencing food insecurity
Small 1-10 0.1
Blue tech
incubator and
accelerator
Help aspiring entrepreneurs incubate and accelerate
their blue tech ideas Small 1-10 0.2
Berthing
vessels at the
port
Host large vessels at the port for a fee Small 1-10 0
Training
center for boat
maintenance
and repair
Train the next generation of boat mechanics Small 1-10 0 Shoreline
ecotourism
Offer the public opportunities for recreation, education, and tours of local plants and animals Small 1-10 0.1
The total number of green-blue jobs unlocked for Richmond will be a function of which projects the community decides to pursue and funding available. 1151
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101
This report provides recommendations for projects that, when implemented, will create green-blue jobs. After choosing which projects the City of Richmond and the community are interested in pursuing, the necessary level of effort to move projects to the starting line is not insignificant.

Capacity Building
Initiating implementation requires project managers: people to identify funding sources for capital and operating expenses and to write grant proposals or business plans. City staff do not need to do all the heavy lifting to start these projects, though. Residents, staff at businesses, local community-based organizations, and Economic Development Commissioners have expressed interest in championing various green-blue projects once initial and ongoing funding options have been confirmed.

However, it would be helpful to have the equivalent of four additional full-time- equivalent personnel for a few years to line up the six elements for each chosen project to help get these projects off the ground: scope, demand, champion, workers, training, and funding.

Next Steps for
the Richmond
Green-Blue New Deal
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102
A few options to add to the City of Richmond’s capacity to prepare green jobs projects include:
• Applying to foundations for capacity-building funding to hire more staff • Hiring Environmental Defense Fund Climate Fellows
• Hiring FUSE Fellows
• Hiring CivicSpark Fellows
• Finding consultants specializing in various topics
Details about tasks for project implementation can be found in the RGBND Implementation Plan.

Conclusion
In February 2019, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the U.S.

House of Representatives Resolution 109: “Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.”37 The resolution was described as a historic opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change while also working to fix societal problems like economic inequality and racial injustice. It inspired Green New Deals around the country, including the City of Richmond’s Green-Blue New Deal Resolution, with the City Council adding “Blue” as a nod to Richmond’s 32 miles of shoreline, the potential for work to restore waterways, and technological innovation in water- based industries.

In the years since the federal GND resolution, many cities have learned from each other and formulated increasingly specific green jobs plans. Federal, state, and regional government agencies, as well as philanthropies and the private financial sector, are standing by, ready to help. They’re just waiting for more detailed plans about projects they can invest in. Capacity building to tee up these projects is key to tapping these opportunities so that Richmond’s businesses, community-based organizations, and residents can capitalize on these opportunities. 1153
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Endnotes
1 According to the California Public Utilities Commission, the term “disadvantaged communities” refers to the areas throughout California that most suffer from a combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens. These burdens include poverty, high unemployment, air and water pollution, and hazardous waste, as well as a high incidence rate of asthma and heart disease. 2 The U.S. Census estimates Richmond’s population at 114,106 as of July 1, 2023. 3 California Workforce Development Board. “Putting California on the High Road: A Jobs and Climate Action Plan for 2030.” June 2020, https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/putting-california-on-the-high-road-a-jobs-and-cli- mate-action-plan-for-2030/. Accessed 3/29/2024.
4 Richmond City Council. “Resolution No. 88-21: Resolution to Begin a Planning Process to Establish a Vision and Identify Actions to Implement a Local Green-Blue New Deal That Will Provide 21st Century Jobs for Our Rich- mond Community.” 7/6/2021, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/11284. Accessed 3/29/2024.
5 Health in All Policies - This health-oriented public policy refers to the practice of integrating health promotion into the day-to-day decisions, policies and actions of the City of Richmond and its partnerships with other governments, non-profits, residents, and the private-sector. 6 MIG and Appraccel. “Community Outreach and Findings Report.” 6/15/2023. 7 Safe Return Project and Appraccel. “Insights About the Future Green-Blue Economy from Justice-Involved Rich- mond Residents.” 5/18/2023.
8 California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. “CalEnviroScreen 4.0.” https://oehha.ca.gov/ calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40. Accessed 4/1/2024. 9 City of Richmond. “City Facts.” 2/9/2024, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/8348/ COR-Fact-Sheet?bidId=. Accessed 7/3/2024.
10 California Workforce Development Board. “Putting California on the High Road: A Jobs and Climate Action Plan for 2030.” June 2020, https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/putting-california-on-the-high-road-a-jobs-and- climate-action-plan-for-2030/. Accessed 3/29/2024.
11 HR&A. “Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Workforce Development Plan: Community Profile & Economic Devel- opment Insights.” January 2023.
12 The Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s interactive career advancement map for the solar industry can be found at https://www.irecsolarcareermap.org/. Accessed 7/3/2024. 13 The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Career Map which applies to battery manufactur- ing can be found at https://advancedmanufacturing.careerpathplatform.com/map/. Accessed 7/3/2024. 14 National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “The Impacts of Developing a Port Network for Floating Offshore Wind Energy on the West Coast of the United States.” September 2023, https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23os- ti/86864.pdf. Accessed 3/30/2024.
15 Details about workforce development training for upcoming offshore wind development projects in Santa Barbara County, CA, can be found at https://offshorewindhrtp.slocoe.org/. Accessed on 7/3/2024. 16 U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Career Map can be found at https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/wind-ca- reer-map. Accessed 7/3/2024.
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17 City of Richmond. “6th Cycle Housing Element Update (2023-2031).” Revised September 2023, https://www. ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/66913/6th-Cycle-Housing-Element_Certified?bidId=. Accessed 5/1/2024.
18 National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “Equitable Electrification Analysis for Existing Buildings in Richmond, CA.” October 2023, https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2023/equitable-building-decarbonization-di- rect-install-program-guidelines. Accessed 3/30/2024.
19 The Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s HVAC career pathways map can be found at https://hvaccareer- map.org. Accessed 7/3/2024.
20 City of Stockton. “Accessory and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units: Pre-Approved Plans for ADUs.” 12/6/2023, https://www.stocktonca.gov/business/building___life_safety/accessory_dwelling_units.php#collapse72140b4.

Accessed 4/21/2024.
21 The U.S. Department of Energy’s career advancement routes for green building careers can be found at https://greenbuildingscareermap.org. Accessed 7/3/2024. 22 City of Richmond. “6th Cycle Housing Element Update (2023-2031).” Revised September 2023, https://www. ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/66913/6th-Cycle-Housing-Element_Certified?bidId=. Accessed 5/1/2024.
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.
25 The U.S. Department of Energy’s career advancement routes for green building careers can be found at https://greenbuildingscareermap.org. Accessed 7/3/2024. 26 CalRecycle. “2021Disposal Facility-Based Waste Characterization Study.” November 2022, https://calrecycle. ca.gov/wcs/dbstudy/. Accessed 5/1/2024.
27 The 81,000 tons of food waste figure from the business sector is from 2014, the latest waste characterization numbers CalRecycle has for Contra Costa County.
28 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Cleaning Up Brownfields Sites.” September 2019, https://www.epa. gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/documents/cleaning_up_brownfield_sites.pdf. Accessed 3/30/2024. 29 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Remediation Technology Descriptions for Cleaning Up Contaminated Sites.” November 8, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/remedytech/remediation-technology-descriptions-clean- ing-contaminated-sites. Accessed 5/1/2024.
30 National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “The Impacts of Developing a Port Network for Floating Offshore Wind Energy on the West Coast of the United States.” September 2023, https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23os- ti/86864.pdf. Accessed 3/30/2024.
31 California Workforce Development Board. “Putting California on the High Road: A Jobs and Climate Action Plan for 2030.” June 2020, https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/putting-california-on-the-high-road-a-jobs-and- climate-action-plan-for-2030/. Accessed 3/29/2024.
32 Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research. “Bay Region Green Jobs Exploratory Dashboard.” Updated April 2023, https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/6d389ba6-9320-4614-84cc-ed6343a14045/page/ zmO7C. Accessed 4/3/2024.
33 U.S. Department of Energy. “Advanced Manufacturing Career Map.” https://advancedmanufacturing.career- pathplatform.com/map/. Accessed 4/3/2024.
34 U.S. Department of Energy. “Green Buildings Career Map.” Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, https:// greenbuildingscareermap.org/. Accessed 4/3/2024.
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35 California Workforce Development Board. “High Road Training Partnerships.” https://cwdb.ca.gov/initiatives/ high-road-training-partnerships/. Accessed 4/3/2024.
36 Chevron Refinery Modernization Project Environmental and Community Investment Agreement. https://www. ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/37791/ECIA-12-7-15?bidId=. Accessed 5/1/2024. 37 H.R.109 – 116th Congress (2018-2019): Recognizing the Duty of the Federal Government to Create a Green New Deal. (2019, February 7). https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/109/text.

Accessed 7/3/2024.
38 J.R. DeShazo et al. “Employment Benefits from California Climate Investments and Co-Investments.” UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, https://innovation.luskin.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Employment_ Benefits_from_CA_Climate_Investments_and_Co-investments.pdf. Accessed 5/20/2024. 1156
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Appendices
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Appendix I:

Jobs per $1 Million Invested
California Climate Investments is a program administered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). It is funded solely by Cap-and-Trade proceeds and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Figure 30: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency Projects Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund (GGRF)
program
CCI invest-
ments ($
millions)
Total CCI +
co-invest-
ment ($
millions)
Jobs per
million
(direct
FTE’s)
Direct
FTE’s from
CCI +
co-invest-
ment
%
construc-
tion
%
manufac-
turing
% profess-
sional
services
Other
GGRF Energy Sector
Single-family/small
multi-family energy
efficiency + solar
water heating
49 49 10.896 534 34% 0% 0% 66%
Single-family solar
photovoltaics 72 72 4.583 330 38% 10% 53% 0%
Large multi-family
energy efficiency +
renewables
24 29 4.664 133 54% 5% 49% 0%
Figure 31: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Sustainable Transportation Projects
Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund (GGRF)
program
CCI invest-
ments ($
millions)
Total CCI +
co-invest-
ment ($
millions)
Jobs per
million
(direct
FTE’s)
Direct
FTE’s from
CCI +
co-invest-
ment
%
construc-
tion
%
manufac-
turing
% profess-
sional
services
Other
GGRF Transportation Sector
High speed rail 707 6,307 4.528 28,559 72% 0% 28% 0%
Transit and inner
city rail 208 209 2.483 519 73% 19% 8% N/A
Low-carbon transit
operations 116 116 8.336 967 8% 3% 0% 90%
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Affordable housing
+ sustainable
communities
411 411 4.815 1,979 97% 0% 2% 2%
Clean vehicle rebates 204 679 1.701 1,154 0% 26% 5% 69% Hybrid and zero-
emission truck + bus
vouchers
20 81 0.346 28 0% 67% 33% 0%
Enhanced fleet
modernization 12 43 1.628 70 0% 7% N/A 93%
Car sharing and
mobility options 3 10 4.200 42 0% 11% 26% 63%
Public fleet pilot 3 13 2.154 28 0% 25% 3% 72%
Financing assistance
pilot 1 2 14.500 29 0% 0% 95% 5%
Zero-emission truck +
bus pilot 25 46 2.913 134 13% 17% 4% 67%
Multi-source facility
demonstration 25 47 3.255 153 11% 24% 17% 48%
Zero-emission
drayage truck
demonstration
25 41 0.634 26 22% 33% 19% 26%
Figure 32: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Zero Waste Projects
Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund (GGRF)
program
CCI invest-
ments ($
millions)
Total CCI +
co-invest-
ment ($
millions)
Jobs per
million
(direct
FTE’s)
Direct
FTE’s from
CCI +
co-invest-
ment
%
construc-
tion
%
manufac-
turing
% profess-
sional
services
Other
GGRF Waste Sector
The Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Loan
Program
9 70 1.133 79 33% 68% 0% 0%
Recycled Fiber,
Plastic, and Glass
Grant Program
5 19 1.230 23 20% 43% 27% 14%
Organics Grant
Program 15 45 3.744 170 86% 7% 7% 1%
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Figure 33: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry Projects
Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund (GGRF)
program
CCI invest-
ments ($
millions)
Total CCI +
co-invest-
ment ($
millions)
Jobs per
million
(direct
FTE’s)
Direct
FTE’s from
CCI +
co-invest-
ment
%
construc-
tion
%
manufac-
turing
% profess-
sional
services
Other
GGRF Natural and Working Lands Sector
Dairy Digester
Research and
Development
Program
11 37 2.810 105 55% 9% 20% 15%
Urban and
Community Forestry
Program
16 16 9.268 146 5% 0% 50% 44%
Forest Legacy
Program 4 19 0.036 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta and
Coastal Wetlands
Restoration
15 15 6.377 98 64% 0% 16% 20%
Mountain Meadow
Ecosystems
Restoration
6 6 6.153 36 24% 0% 58% 17%
Forest Health
Program 18 18 13.434 245 0% 0% 0% 100%
Figure 34: California Climate Investment Expenditures - Water Projects
Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund (GGRF)
program
CCI invest-
ments ($
millions)
Total CCI +
co-invest-
ment ($
millions)
Jobs per
million
(direct
FTE’s)
Direct
FTE’s from
CCI +
co-invest-
ment
%
construc-
tion
%
manufac-
turing
% profess-
sional
services
Other
GGRF Water Sector
State Water Efficiency
and Enhancement
Program
56 56 2.165 120 57% 43% 0% 0%
Water-Energy Grant
Program 47 47 6.850 321 15% 0% 37% 43%
State Water Project
Turbines 20 26 2.538 66 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Source: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation38
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Appendix II:

Eight Municipal Green New Deals
Richmond may be interested in reaching out to other cities that have crafted Green New Deals to see how they could help each other successfully implement their green jobs plans. The following eight GNDs are all different but ambitious. • Los Angeles Green New Deal Sustainable City pLAn
• OneNYC 2050
• Boston Green New Deal and Just Recovery
• Green New Deal, Seattle, Washington
• Austin Climate Equity Plan, Austin, Texas
• Green New Deal, Ithaca, New York
• Green New Deal, Portland, Maine
• Portland Clean Energy Fund, Portland, Oregon
Los Angeles Green New Deal Sustainable City pLAn
Los Angeles, California
The Mayor released the first Sustainable City pLAn in 2015, committing to annual progress reports and a major update to the plan every four years. L.A.’s 2019 Green New Deal is an expanded vision of their pLAn, securing clean air and water and a stable climate, improving community resilience, expanding access to healthy food and open space, and promoting justice for all and for the future. L.A.’s Green New Deal will guide the city’s transition to an equitable and abundant economy powered by 100% renewable energy.

This plan will support the creation of hundreds of thousands of good green jobs in all L.A. communities by:

1. Supplying 55% renewable energy by 2025, 80% by 2036, and 100% by 2045

2. Sourcing 70% of water locally by 2035 and capturing 150,000 acre ft/yr of stormwater by 2035

3. Reducing energy use per sq ft for all types of buildings with 22% by 2025, 34% by 2035, and 44% by 2050

4. Reducing vehicle miles travelled (VMT) per capita by at least 13% by 2025, 39% by 2035, and 45% by 2050
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5. Ensuring 57% of new housing units are built within 1,500 ft of transit by 2025 and 75% by 2035

6. Increasing the percentage of zero-emission vehicles in the city to 25% by 2025, 80% by 2035, and 100% by 2050

7. Creating 300,000 green jobs by 2035 and 400,000 by 2050

8. Converting all city fleet vehicles to zero emission where technically feasible by 2028

9. Reducing municipal GHG emissions by 55% by 2025 and 65% by 2035 (from 2008 baseline levels), achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 A 2023 progress review by the City’s Controller critiqued the lack of measurable progress on the plan’s 47 long-term sustainability targets and 97 short-term milestones. The Controller recommended bolder targets for renewable energy, housing, the reduction of fossil-fuel powered cars, and alignment of the most urgent priorities with Inflation Reduction Act funding opportunities.

OneNYC 2050: Building a Strong and Fair City
New York City, New York
In 2019, Mayor de Blasio announced New York City’s Green New Deal, which comprises $14 billion in new and committed investments, legislation, and concrete action at the city level to ensure a nearly 30% additional reduction in emissions by 2030. New York views a Green New Deal as a bold vision that meets the twin challenges of climate change and inequality.

In OneNYC 2050, New York hopes to demonstrate a model for inclusive growth and climate action with a focus on:
• Creating good-paying jobs, including green jobs, and promoting prosperity and economic security for all
• Ensuring equitable access to nature, clean air, and water • Climate and community resiliency
• Healthy food
• Guaranteeing the right to quality healthcare and education in all communities
• Promoting justice by recognizing (and repairing the damage caused by) historic oppression of communities of color, migrant communities, youth, and other frontline and marginalized communities
OneNYC consists of eight goals and 30 initiatives that comprise a strategy to 1162
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prepare New York City for the future. The eight goals are: a vibrant democracy, an inclusive economy, thriving neighborhoods, healthy lives, equity and excellence in education, a livable climate, efficient mobility, and modern infrastructure. • Committing to carbon neutrality by 2050 and 100% clean electricity • Requiring buildings to cut their emissions – require all large existing buildings of 25,000 sq ft or more (of which there are 50,000 citywide) to make efficiency upgrades that lower their energy usage and emissions or face steep penalties
• Banning new inefficient glass-walled buildings – will no longer allow all-glass facades in new construction unless they meet strict performance guidelines, making inefficient glass-heavy building designs a thing of the past • Hydro-powered City government – 100% carbon-free electricity supply for City government operations with the building of a new connection linking New York City to zero-emission Canadian hydropower
• Mandatory organics recycling – will make organics collection mandatory citywide, expanding the country’s largest organics management program, including curbside pickup, drop-off sites, and support for community composting opportunities
• Reducing waste and carbon-intensive consumption – the City will end unnecessary purchases of single-use plastic foodware, phase out the purchase of processed meat, reduce the purchase of beef by 50%, and commit to a carbon-neutral City fleet by 2040
• Aligning with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals Boston Green New Deal
Boston, Massachusetts
In 2020, the then-City Councilor, Michelle Wu, released a plan outlining a Green New Deal and Just Recovery for the City of Boston to make Boston a transformed city. A local Green New Deal and Just Recovery must direct this scale of collective action to take aim at the root causes of systemic injustices. This report presents 15 examples to demonstrate the power of cities to lead:

1. Accelerating decarbonization as Boston commits to citywide carbon neutrality by 2040, 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and a net-zero municipal footprint by 2024

2. A justice audit and framework

3. Easing upfront costs of clean-energy infrastructure through green municipal bonds and the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program 1163
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4. Green workforce development

5. Divesting from harmful industries and reinvesting in a clean, just future

6. An urban climate corps

7. De-commodifying housing

8. Renters’ right to counsel

9. Just and resilient development

10. Resilient stormwater infrastructure

11. Transportation justice

12. An equitable small business recovery

13. Food justice

14. Expansion of the urban tree canopy

15. A local blue new deal
Boston also has a Green New Deal coalition, a civic network of community organizations and issue advocates.

Green New Deal
Seattle, Washington
In 2020, the Seattle City Council voted to form the Green New Deal Oversight Board to advance the work of establishing a Green New Deal for Seattle. In 2022, Mayor Bruce Harrell signed into law $6,491,539 in Green New Deal Opportunity Fund investments, which will accelerate the City’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build community resilience to climate change, and increase net-zero affordable housing. These investments are the first set to be recommended by the Oversight Board, which also suggested $2.6 million in rebates and incentives to help middle- and low-income residents to transition off oil to clean electric heat pumps.

Investments for the $6.5 million Green New Deal Opportunity Fund include:

1. $2.4 million to identify and develop resilience hubs in Seattle

2. $2.3 million to support efforts to get all City-owned buildings off fossil fuels by 2035 (the City of Seattle owns 650 buildings, including 27 public libraries, which are increasingly on the front lines of community care during climate emergencies)

3. $2 million to increase the number of city-funded affordable housing projects

4. $300,000 to support climate data and the Community Health Indicator project

5. $100,000 for community engagement to inform climate elements of the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan update
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Austin Climate Equity Plan
Austin, Texas
In September 2021, the City Council adopted the Austin Climate Equity Plan.

The plan includes the bold and aggressive goal of equitably reaching net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, with a strong emphasis on cutting emissions by 2030. Austin’s Climate Equity Plan was created with input from nearly 200 community members, with an intentional focus on engaging racially and economically diverse residents about the challenges, barriers, and opportunities facing historically excluded groups.

Community Climate Ambassadors were mobilized to engage members of the Austin community on climate-related topics and provide feedback on potential strategies.

Additionally, each strategy in the plan was evaluated through an equity tool that accounted for outcomes related to health, affordability, accessibility, community capacity, cultural preservation, accountability, and a just transition to green jobs.

The plan comprises 17 goals and 74 strategies to achieve net-zero across five focus areas: Sustainable Buildings, Transportation and Land Use, Transportation Electrification, Food and Product Consumption, and Natural Systems.

Overarching strategies of the plan include green jobs and entrepreneurship; prioritization of local community initiatives; regional collaboration; and local carbon- reduction projects, carbon dioxide removal, and carbon offsets.

Green New Deal
Ithaca, New York
On June 5, 2019, the City of Ithaca Common Council unanimously adopted the Ithaca Green New Deal resolution, a government-led commitment to community- wide carbon neutrality by 2030 that focuses on addressing historical inequities, economic inequality, and social justice.

The Green New Deal goals include: 1) Community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030; 2) Ensuring that benefits are shared among all local communities to reduce historical social and economic inequities; 3) Meeting the electricity needs of government operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2025; and 4) 50% reduction of emissions from the city vehicle fleet by 2025.

Ithaca also has an ecovillage, a community of three neighborhoods that have been built over 20 years. Each cohousing unit has pioneered and continues to develop 1165
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new practices for green buildings and energy use. Ithaca also launched Electrify Ithaca, an initiative to replace all fossil fuel infrastructure with electric equivalents (such as heat pumps, induction cooktops, and air sealing) to ensure conditioned air is kept indoors. The City has partnered with expert BlocPower to provide competitive financing for residential and commercial electrification.

Green New Deal
Portland, Maine
Portland’s Green New Deal requires any project receiving more than $50,000 in public subsidy to include solar or green roofs and to match other energy efficiency standards, and it requires developers of those projects to meet certain pay standards and employ apprentices on each job.

It also increases inclusionary housing standards so that 25% of units in new projects will be affordable to people earning up to 80% of the area median income, which in Portland is just over $100,000 a year for a family of four. The fee for opting out of including those units on site will be raised from $100,000 to $150,000.

The law also requires that the City produce an annual report surveying the reduced use of fossil fuels in building and construction. By tying together climate, housing, and labor goals, the measure is meant to show how the concept of a Green New Deal can be implemented at a local level.

In 2020, Maine also passed An Act to Establish a Green New Deal for Maine.

The law will create a task force of labor, youth, climate science, and other representatives to craft a strategy for achieving 80% renewable energy in Maine by 2040, for creating good jobs in renewable energy and manufacturing, and to ensure low-income households have access to affordable solar power.

Portland Clean Energy Fund
Portland, Oregon
In 2018, Portland voters passed a ballot measure that created the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), which was officially adopted by the city council in 2019. The PCEF establishes a 1% business tax on companies that annually make over a billion dollars nationally and more than $500,000 locally. That money will be used for environmentally friendly job creation and sustainable building projects that will benefit low-income people and people of color.
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Through this fund, small organizations can apply for mini-grants of up to $5,000 for projects that address racial, social, and climate-justice issues. The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability released a full draft of the PCEF inaugural five-year Climate Investment Plan that outlines proposed funding allocations, strategies, and outcomes for program investments from 2023 through 2028.

Priority funding categories include: renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; transportation decarbonization projects; green infrastructure projects; regenerative agriculture projects; climate jobs training, apprenticeships, and contractor development projects; organizational capacity-building projects; and other projects that reduce or sequester greenhouse gases.
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Appendix III:

K-12 Environmental Education
and Green Careers Awareness
Preparation for Green Careers of the Future
In the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2020, employers estimate that four in ten workers will need to be reskilled. To prepare today’s students for the green jobs of the future, here are six key skills that will be helpful.

1. Science skills: Key roles include environmental scientists, biologists, hydrologists, and biochemists. People in these jobs will monitor, manage and protect natural resources including land and valuable water supplies.

2. Architectural and planning skills: Buildings will become more energy efficient, with fewer resources used to construct and operate them. Architects and planners will design these buildings to comply with environmental regulations and client demands for green spaces.

3. Green engineering and tech skills: Helping to design and maintain solar panels, wind turbines, low emission vehicles and other green economy technology.

4. Agriculture skills: As farming and food supply becomes more sustainable, there’ll be a growing number of green jobs in areas such as organic farming, urban farming and precision agriculture. The use of information technology and other tech-based programs to make farming more accurate and controlled.

5. Environmental justice skills: Workers will gain legal, social and historical awareness to ensure humanity does not repeat the mistakes of the past which led to racial and social injustice and poor environmental and social health.

6. Systems skills: Workers will need to assess systems against performance indicators and find ways to optimize and improve system operations. They will need skills in macroeconomics to build sustainability into long-term infrastructure projects.

An important foundation for these skills is an understanding of the natural environment cultivated in elementary, middle, and high school. Below are links to six K-12 environmental education and environmental careers curricula. 1168
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California Department of Education
The Education and the Environment Initiative was adopted by the State Board of Education in 2010 with the goal to increase environmental literacy for California’s kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) students. The curriculum can serve as a useful resource for teaching academic content standards within an environmental context.

San Francisco Unified School District
The SFUSD is working towards district-wide implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) through a core curriculum. The curriculum engages students in taking on real-life tasks that use San Francisco as the classroom.

Students are led to build mastery and personalize their learning in their approaches to the real-life tasks. Their website has a breakdown of NGSS standards by grade level.

Roots of Success
An empowering environmental literacy and job training program that prepares youth and adults who have been failed by the education system to access jobs and career pathways in environmental fields and improve environmental and social conditions in their communities.

Centered around a federally registered Department of Labor (DOL) Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship, Roots of Success is offered in high schools, youth programs, job training programs, reentry programs, prisons, jails, juvenile facilities, and other workforce and education settings throughout the United States. Since 2009, over 26,000 youth and adults have gone through the program; with 12,000 taking the course while incarcerated.

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction The K-12 Integrated Environmental and Sustainability Learning Standards were developed in collaboration with educators from across Washington and describe what all students should know and be able to do in the area of Environmental and Sustainability Education. Their website has a spreadsheet with examples of what the curriculum would look like based on grade and makes connections to themes of climate change, environmental justice, etc.
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National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
NEEF partners with organizations to reach a national audience of students with environmental education activities that develop a deeper sense of environmental stewardship. The foundation has two approaches: 1) Greening STEM: A collaboration between schools, nonprofits, and public spaces to create an immersive outdoor learning experience that enriches STEM learning and creates a sense of place for students. This utilizes place-based learning to bring the classroom outside. 2) Climate Superstars education guide: standards-aligned lessons that teach students about climate change, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

North American Association for Environmental Education
(NAAEE)
The organization created K-12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence that provides students, parents, caregivers, educators, and others a roadmap to achieving environmental literacy by setting expectations for fourth (age 10), eighth (age 14) and twelfth grade (age 18) students and outlining a framework for effective and comprehensive environmental education programs and curricula.

The guidelines set a standard for high quality education, based on what an environmentally literate person should know and be able to do by the time they graduate from high school.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA has a list of lesson plans, teacher guides and online environmental resources for educators that is separated by the grade it applies to and the type of resource it is.
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Gap Analysis

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY GOALS

AND CURRENT STATE
Submitted to the City Manager’s Office
City of Richmond, California
APRIL 2024
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 2 Acknowledgements
Prepared by: Apparaccel and Medema Consulting,
as part of the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal
https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4138/Green-Blue-New-Deal-and-Just-Transition City Council
Eduardo Martinez, Mayor
Claudia Jimenez, Vice Mayor
Soheila Bana
Gayle McLaughlin
Doria Robinson
Melvin Willis
Cesar Zepeda
City’s Consultant Team
Appraccel
Abbe & Associates
Groundwork Richmond
HR&A
Medema Consulting
MIG
Safe Return Project
City Staff
Nannette Beacham
Samantha Carr
Shasa Curl
Patrick Phelan
Hector Rojas
Tamara Walker
Diana Wear,
Economic Development Commissioner
B.K. White
Orrian Willis,
Economic Development Commissioner
Lizeht Zepeda
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1Hundred Years
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
Blue Frontier
Boilermakers Union
Center for Creative Land Recycling
Chevron
CoBiz Richmond
Collaborising
Contra Costa Building Trades
Contra Costa Community College
Cooperation Richmond
Council of Industries
CSU Maritime
Construction Trades Workforce Initiative
East Bay Economic Development
Alliance
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
County
Groundwork Richmond
International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers
Laborers’ International Union
Marin Clean Energy
Othering & Belonging Institute, UC
Berkeley
Pacific Environment
Plant to Plate
RCF Connects
Rebuilding Together East Bay Network
RecycleMore
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
Republic Services
Rich City Rides
Richmond LAND
Richmond Listening Project
Richmond Main St. Initiative
Richmond Neighborhood Housing
Services
Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
Rubicon
RYSE
SF Made
Sims Metal
SMART Sheet Metal Workers union
The Watershed Project
Urban Ore
Urban Tilth
Water Emergency Transportation
Authority
West County Wastewater
Working Waterfront
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 4 Table of Contents
Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................

Introduction....................................................................................................................................

Renewable Energy.........................................................................................................................

Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency .......................................................................

Sustainable Transportation ......................................................................................................

Zero Waste...................................................................................................................................

Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry............................................................................

Land Use.......................................................................................................................................

Water.............................................................................................................................................

Appendix....................................................................................................................................... 1 2
4 12
19 28
35 43
48 53
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Executive Summary
How do we know what types of green jobs will be created in the future? By studying environmental policy goals set at the federal, state, and local levels.

Government agencies have developed ambitious goals for energy, buildings, transportation, consumer goods, and nature, all goals that are steering our society toward a more just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future.

These policy goals build on the interconnected web of environmental protection regulations government agencies have created over the past half century to address pollution concerns. This Gap Analysis studies the more recent environmental policy framework that attempts to address the rising existential crises of climate change and mass species extinction.

At a high level, the environmental policies included in this analysis will move society closer to:
• An electricity grid powered by 100% renewable energy
• Buildings retrofitted to be all electric
• An expanded number of housing units
• Zero-emission vehicles and expanded active mobility options • Zero waste with more waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and composting
• Rescue of surplus food to feed people
• Conservation of 30% of land and waterways to restore biodiversity • Brownfield site cleanup to expand economic development opportunities
In this report, environmental policy goals are organized by topic, with progress toward these goals measured where data is available. The gaps between goals and the current state illuminate the opportunities for job creation in projects that will stabilize the climate and restore environmental health while also improving human health outcomes, providing family-sustaining wages, and building wealth among Richmond residents.

Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 11175 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 2 Introduction
The Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Gap Analysis starts by considering the framework of environmental policy goals set at the federal, state, and local levels for the years 2025–2050. Government agencies have invested time to study, develop, and request public feedback about these environmental policy goals.

Honoring the level of effort and thoughtfulness of the policy development process, this Gap Analysis looks at the gap between government environmental policy goals that have been set and where we are today. The difference between the two represents the work that needs to be done to close these gaps. In Figure 1, the light green bars on the right side of the graphic represent the green jobs that will be needed to reach these goals.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 3 Figure 1: Gap Between California’s Environmental Policy Goals and the Current State
This report contains seven chapters that cover the following policy topics:

1. Renewable Energy

2. Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency

3. Sustainable Transportation

4. Zero Waste

5. Green Infrastructure and Urban Forestry

6. Land Use

7. Water
Each chapter provides an overview of the topic, the environmental policy goals timeline, progress toward the policy goals, and green-blue jobs projects that will help meet the goals.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 4 Renewable energy is energy produced from sources like the sun and wind, which are naturally replenished and do not run out. In contrast, non-renewable energy comes from finite sources that could be used up, such as fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, and coal.

Eligible renewable energy resources that help the state meet its renewable energy goals include solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, small hydro, renewable methane, ocean wave or thermal, and fuel cells using renewable fuels.

1.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
Altogether, federal, state, and local government agencies have contributed legislative bills, executive orders, agency goals, government pledges, plans, and local ordinances that shine a light on the path to a clean-energy future. These collective environmental policies for 2025 through 2050 guide public and private investment in renewable energy systems that will help society address climate change, improve local air quality, and advance public health outcomes.

The following renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals are grouped through 2030, 2040, and 2050 and organized by federal, state, and local levels.

CHAPTER 1
Renewable Energy
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 5 Figure 2: Policy Goals for Renewable Energy, by 2030
By 2030
Federal
RE F1 – Directs the Department of the Interior to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy on departmentally managed lands by 2025 (Energy Act of 2020, Section 3104)1 RE F2 – 10 million solar roofs by 2020 (Senate Bill 1108)2 RE F3 – 30 gigawatts offshore wind energy by 2030 (Executive Order 14008)3 RE F4 – 50–52% reduction below 2005 levels in economy-wide net greenhouse gas pollution by 2030 (U.S. Pledge to Paris Agreement on Climate Change)4 State
RE S1 – 50% of California’s electricity to be powered by renewable sources by 2025 (Senate Bill 100)5
RE S2 – 60% of California’s electricity to be powered by renewable sources by 2030 (Senate Bill 100)6
RE S3 – One million solar roofs by 2018 (Senate Bill 1)7 RE S4 – 300 megawatts of rooftop solar on multi-family affordable housing by 2030 (Assembly Bill 693)8
RE S5 – 2–5 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030 (Assembly Bill 525)9 RE S6 – 40% reduction of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2030 (Senate Bill 32 and Assembly Bill 32)10
Local
RE L1 – A complete conversion to a 100% renewable energy system for both electricity and transport by 2030 (City of Richmond Resolution No. 88-21)11 RE L2 – MCE’s Light Green portfolio will include a minimum of 85% renewable energy by 2029, while its Deep Green portfolio will continue to offer 100% renewable energy (Marin Clean Energy [MCE], Richmond’s Community Choice Aggregator)12 Figure 3: Policy Goals for Renewable Energy, 2031–2040
2031-2040
Federal RE F5 – 100% of electricity will be carbon pollution-free by 2035 (White House target)13 State
RE S7 – 90% of all retail electricity sales will be supplied by renewable energy and zero-carbon resources by 2035 (Senate Bill 1020)14
RE S8 – 95% of all retail electricity sales will be supplied by renewable energy and zero-carbon electricity by 2040 (Senate Bill 1020)15
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 6 Figure 4: Policy Goals for Renewable Energy, 2041–2050 2041-2050
Federal RE F6 – 110 gigawatts of offshore wind development by 2050 (White House target)16 State
RE S9 – Renewable and zero-carbon energy resources supply 100% of electric retail sales to customers by 2045 (Senate Bill 100 and Senate Bill 1020)17, 18 RE S10 – 25 gigawatts offshore wind capacity by 2045 (Assembly Bill 525)19 RE S11 – 80% reduction of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2050 (Executive Order S-3-05, Senate Bill 375, and Assembly Bill 32)20, 21, 22 RE S12 – Carbon neutrality by 2045, with net negative greenhouse gas emissions thereafter (Executive Order B-55-15)23
Local RE L3 – 80% reduction of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2050 (Resolution 108-08)24

1.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
With the above-listed policy goals in mind, the following shows progress to date using the most recent numbers available.

Figure 5: Gap Between Renewable Energy Goals and Current State 1180
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 7 United States
• Renewables overall: In the first half of 2022, 24% of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation came from renewable energy, which includes conventional hydropower, wind, solar, and geothermal (U.S. Energy Information Agency)
>> Percent complete: 24% (toward a goal of 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035)
• Installed residential solar: In December 2018, Stanford University’s DeepSolar program announced that it had mapped 1.47 million solar homes across the lower 48 states (Stanford University)
>> Percent complete: 14.7% (1.47 million toward goal of 10 million solar roofs by 2020)
• Installed offshore wind: As of 2022, there were 42 megawatts of offshore wind in Rhode Island and Virginia (U.S. DOE)
>> Percent complete: 0.14% (42 megawatts toward the goal of 30,000 megawatts by 2030)
• Over the next decade, gigawatts of offshore wind being developed along the East Coast, Gulf Coast, and West Coast will come online. Figure 6 notes the statuses of offshore wind projects being planned.

Figure 6: Offshore Wind Turbines Planned and Installed in the U.S.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy25
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 8 • Reduction of greenhouse gases: In 2021, U.S. greenhouse gas levels were 17% below 2005 levels after accounting for sequestration from the land sector (U.S. EPA)
>> Percent complete: 17% toward a goal of 50–52% below 2005 levels by 2030
California
• Eligible renewables: In 2021, the eligible renewable energy mix was 33.6% of electricity (California Energy Commission)
>> Percent complete: 33.6% (of 100% by 2045 goal)
• Solar roofs: California Senate Bill 1 set a goal of one million solar roofs by 2018
>> Date realized: 2019
• Greenhouse gas reductions: As of 2020, California had reduced greenhouse gases 14% below 1990 levels (California Air Resources Board) >>Percent complete: 14% toward 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 Richmond
• Renewable energy: In 2021, the power content of MCE’s Light Green electricity product was 60.5% renewables.
>> Percent complete: 60.5% renewables in Light Green electricity toward goal of 85% by 2029
The City of Richmond and its many community partners have made progress expanding local renewable energy generation.
• 3,585 residential solar permits have been issued since 2012 (Transparent Richmond)
• GRID Alternatives provides free solar systems to income-qualifying homes in Richmond and North Richmond. They have installed solar systems on more than 470 low-income households in Richmond, saving more than $10 million in energy costs and preventing over 13,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
• 10.5 megawatt Solar One solar farm in Richmond operated by MCE (Richmond Climate Action Plan Strategy RE 1 – increase local solar energy generation)
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 9 • MCE is a non-profit public agency that provides clean electricity to Richmond. MCE has been working continuously to boost the percentage of renewable energy in its Light Green electricity product. Currently, 80% of Richmond residents and businesses have enrolled in MCE’s Light Green program, which supplies 50% of their electricity from renewable sources. (Richmond Climate Action Plan Strategy RE 2 – Promote and maximize utility clean energy offerings)
• MCE is planning the rollout of a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) in 2025, a project that will help commercial, municipal, and low-income residential customers flexibly manage assets such as energy storage, smart thermostats, solar photovoltaics, electric vehicle chargers, and load shifting, enabled by building energy management systems, HVAC controls, and other resources. The VPP project will advance state and local goals for energy and carbon savings while maximizing benefits to the local community, the grid, and low-income residents.
• MCE has incentive programs for businesses and multifamily dwellings to convert equipment from natural gas to electric (Climate Action Plan Strategy RE 3 – Promote conversion from natural gas to clean energy) • ZNE Alliance is a non-profit working on the Richmond Advanced Energy Community Project to develop a comprehensive revitalization for Richmond, focused on 100% clean energy, the transformation of abandoned homes into new ZNE infill housing, and energy-efficient building retrofits.

The City of Richmond also included policies about developing local renewable energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their General Plan 2030. • Promote the generation, transmission, and use of a range of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind power, and waste energy to meet current and future demand and encourage new development and redevelopment projects to generate a portion of their energy needs through renewable sources. (General Plan 2030 – Policy EC 3.1 – Renewable Energy) • Work toward reducing the overall energy footprint from residential, industrial, transportation, and City operations. Address energy use to meet state requirements for greenhouse gas emission reductions, as well as to protect the health and safety of residents and visitors. Involve residents, businesses, public agencies, and neighboring jurisdictions in addressing climate change by taking a leadership role in meeting these targets. (General Plan 2030 – Policy HW 10.1 – Citywide Energy Footprint) 1183
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 10 1.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
Building on the progress outlined above, the following projects related to renewable energy will build on Richmond’s assets and strengths and move closer to federal, state, and local environmental policy goals.
• Solar emergency microgrids at critical community facilities – develop local expertise to design and install resilient energy systems that allow emergency electrical demands (e.g., lights, communications, refrigeration) to function when the grid is down at critical community facilities (such as fire stations, police stations, healthcare facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and public schools)
• Battery manufacturing – manufacturing of energy storage for vehicles, buildings, and mobile applications, such as at construction sites and movie sets
• Offshore wind turbine part manufacturing – to meet the demand for offshore wind development being planned by the State of California in support of the 5 gigawatts by 2030 and 25 gigawatts by 2045 goals • Green hydrogen – energy for difficult-to-decarbonize applications, such as long-haul flights, long-distance trucking, steel manufacturing, and ammonia manufacturing for fertilizer26
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 101184 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 11 Source: California Energy Commission

1.4 Conclusion
Closing the gap between governmental clean energy goals and our current status will require significant investments in new technologies with a sustained build-out of existing clean energy projects. To reach California’s 100% by 2045 target while electrifying other sectors, the state will need to roughly triple its current electricity grid capacity.

The electricity grid will also require more energy storage capacity as California moves closer to its 100% clean energy goal. Solar and wind are intermittent power sources, and as renewables provide a larger percentage of the electricity power mix, energy storage will be necessary to align supply and demand. Figure 7 underscores the scale of buildout needed.

Every clean-energy project that goes online helps California shrink the amount of natural gas burned by utilities to generate electricity and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The continued transition away from fossil fuel combustion will benefit Richmond residents by reducing air pollution, delivering public health benefits, and addressing environmental justice while growing the economy and bringing good-paying jobs to the city.

Figure 7: Development Needs to Accelerate Clean Energy
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 12 Richmond has 38,499 housing units and 13,351 commercial buildings. Many of these buildings burn natural gas onsite for space heating, water heating, cook stoves, clothes dryers, and other applications. Building decarbonization, which involves switching from natural gas to electric in these applications, will help the City of Richmond achieve the goal in Resolution #108-80 to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

Besides demonstrating local leadership in climate solutions, accelerating the switch from burning of natural gas indoors to electric equipment will help the City of Richmond realize its Health in All Policies strategy, which promotes health equity and well-being for all residents where they live, work, learn, and play. By enabling upgrades of equipment from natural gas to electric, government agencies and the utility will help ensure healthier indoor spaces for low-income and vulnerable populations.27

2.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
The following timeline of existing state and local policies will guide future building electrification and energy efficiency upgrades.

Chapter 2
Building Electrification
and Energy Efficiency
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 13 Figure 8: Policy Goals for Building Electrification, by 2030 By 2030
State
BE S1 – Starting in 2020, all new residential construction will be Zero Net Energy (California Public Utilities Commission, Decision 07-10-032)28
BE S2 – Starting in 2030, all new commercial construction in California will be Zero Net Energy (CPUC, Decision 07-10-032)29
BE S3 – By 2030, retrofit 50% of existing commercial buildings to Zero Net Energy (California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan)30
BE S4 – In Sept 2022, the California Air Resources Board adopted a zero-emission standard for new residential space- and water-heating appliances starting in 2030 (California Air Re- sources Board)31
BE S5 – By 2030, deploy three million climate-ready homes and six million heat pumps in new buildings or major renovations. Fifty percent of funding to achieve these goals shall be directed toward disadvantaged communities. (July 22, 2022 letter from Governor Newsom to the California Air Resources Board)32
BE S6 – California needs 2.5 million additional housing units by 2030 (Governor Newsom’s announcement in 2022)33
Local
BE L1 – Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, no person shall sell, install, or offer for sale within the District any natural-gas-fired storage tank water heater (Bay Area Air Quality Management District amendment to Regulation 9, Rule 6)34
BE L2 – Beginning on Jan. 1, 2029, no person shall sell, install, or offer for sale within the Dis- trict any natural gas-fired furnace. This includes non-central installations such as wall furnac- es, as well as units installed in non-residential applications. (Bay Area Air Quality Management District amendment to Regulation 9, Rule 4)35
BE L3 – Convert 1,328 residential water heaters annually from natural gas to electric in Rich- mond homes by 2030 (Richmond Climate Action Plan, Strategy RE 3)36 BE L4 – Electrify 17% of commercial natural gas use by 2030 (Richmond Climate Action Plan, Strategy RE 3)37
BE L5 – Starting in 2020, all newly constructed buildings shall be all-electric (City of Richmond Ordinance No. 06-20 N.S., amending the 2019 California Energy Code, California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 6)38
BE L6 – As of Jan. 1, 2022, natural gas infrastructure is banned in newly constructed buildings (Richmond Municipal Code, Chapter 9.64.040)39
BE L7 – By 2030, all new commercial buildings will be Zero Net Energy (Richmond’s Climate Action Plan, Strategy EE 3)40
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 14 Figure 9: Policy Goals for Building Electrification, 2031–2040 2031-2040
State BE S6 – Deploy seven million climate-ready homes in new buildings or major renovations by 2035 (July 22, 2022 letter from Governor Newsom to the California Air Resources Board)41 Local
BE L8 – “Beginning in 2031, no person shall sell, install, or offer for sale within the District any large natural gas-fired boiler, storage tank water heater, or instantaneous water heater.” (Bay Area Air Quality Management District amendment to Regulation 9, Rule 6)42 BE L9 – Richmond’s “fair share” of new housing is 3,614 new homes by 2031 (6th Regional Housing Needs Allocation)43
Figure 10: Policy Goals for Building Electrification, 2041–2050 2041-2050
State
BE S7 – Commercial buildings will undergo a transition from gas appliances to electric appli- ances, achieving 80% sales of all-electric appliances by 2035 and 100% by 2045 (California Air Resources Board, 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality)44 BE S8 – California joined a commitment to ensure that all new buildings operate at net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and for all buildings to do so by 2050 (Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, World Green Building Council for the Global Climate Action Summit)45 Local
BE L9 – Commits to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target established by California Assembly Bill 32 and Executive Order S-3-05 and to achieving an 80% reduction below 1990 levels by 2050 (Richmond City Council Resolution No. 108-08)46 California
Foundational to the policies listed above, the State of California’s Title 24 regulations guide energy efficiency improvements in buildings. The California Air Resources Board oversees cycles of tightening requirements on building energy efficiency:
every three years they develop ever-stricter regulations, ask for public input, and then finalize new rules.

Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 141188 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 15 Bay Area
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) recently passed regulatory requirements that will ensure building electrification efforts continue. In March 2023, the BAAQMD Board voted nearly unanimously to:
• ban the sale or installation of natural gas water heaters in the Bay Area, starting in 2027
• ban the sale or installation of natural gas furnaces in the Bay Area, starting in 2029
As existing natural gas space heaters and water heaters fail over the next decade and contractors are only able to replace them with all-electric equipment, these bans will result in reduced greenhouse gases and improved indoor air quality in commercial and residential buildings throughout the Bay Area.

Richmond
Goals the City of Richmond set in its General Plan 2030, Climate Action Plan, Economic Development Action Plan, and Workforce Development Plan jointly indicate the path forward on building electrification, energy efficiency, and reduction of greenhouse gases.
• City of Richmond Climate Action Plan – In 2016, Richmond’s City Council adopted the Climate Action Plan to help guide how the city could pursue GHG emission reductions and prepare for impacts of climate change. The sections most relevant to this analysis are:
• Objective 1: Increase Energy Efficiency of Buildings and Facilities • Strategy EE 1 – Leverage existing programs and rebates to improve efficiency of existing buildings (improve the energy efficiency of all existing buildings by 50% by 2030)
• Objective 2: Increase Use and Generation of Renewable Energy • Strategy RE 3 – Promote conversion from natural gas to clean electricity (by 2030, replace 1,328 natural gas water heaters in homes each year with electric models and electrify 17% of commercial natural gas use)
• City of Richmond General Plan 2030 – In 2012, Richmond’s City Council adopted their General Plan, which is intended to guide investments and decision-making for the city through 2030.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 16 • Element 8 – Energy and Climate Change, which includes the following goals:
• Goal EC1 – Leadership in Managing Climate Change
• Goal EC3 – Sustainable and Efficient Energy Systems
• Goal EC5 – Community Revitalization and Economic
Development
• City of Richmond Health in all Policies – In 2014, Richmond’s City Council passed an ordinance that requires/empowers the city to identify and, when possible, address individual and community health impacts of city policies, projects, and programs.
• City of Richmond Advanced Energy Community Report: This 2018 effort by several state and local organizations reviewed and compiled several financial, policy, and program models for zero net energy buildings in Richmond, with the goals of reducing GHG emissions and improving health. • Richmond Advanced Energy Community is a collaboration between the City of Richmond, Richmond Community Foundation, MCE, and GRID Alternatives to upgrade 100 homes to lower pollution and the risk of power outages through small and automated energy-saving actions.
• Richmond BUILD Academy is a public-private partnership focused on developing talent and skill in the high-growth, high-wage construction and renewable energy fields. Participants complete the core Carpentry Pre- Apprenticeship track and then choose from electives such as extended carpentry, hazardous waste removal, solar energy, energy efficiency, and electrical wiring and theory.

The local objectives, strategies, elements, and goals listed above are being implemented through programs such as the Contra Costa County Weatherization Program for low-income residents, BayREN’s energy efficiency programs for residences, small businesses, and municipalities, and utility MCE’s building electrification and energy efficiency incentive programs for businesses and residences.

Other community-based organizations working on building decarbonization and energy efficiency include:
• Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, a non-profit organization that focuses on building healthy communities through climate solutions and green career pathways. They provide youth and low-income adults with meaningful training and employment opportunities in the growing green energy 1190
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 17 economy while delivering free energy and water conservation upgrades to thousands of households each year. The organization has served over 3,000 youths and adults and made 57,522 homes more climate resilient and efficient. They have also convened 22 partners as members of a High Road Training Partnership.
• Richmond Community Foundation, Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, SparkPoint Contra Costa, and Mechanics Bank work together on the Richmond Housing Renovation Program. Funded by social impact bonds, this program upgrades blighted houses to all-electric, zero net energy buildings and allows first-time local home buyers to purchase these homes.
• The Rebuilding Together East Bay Network’s Tiny Village Spirit project trains unsheltered and other underserved and socially marginalized young people, ages 16–24, in community organizing to create justice. Guided by coordinator Sally Hindman, the young people from Tiny Village Spirit are leading the project by carrying out the necessary steps and activities to create a Tiny House Village, farm, and garden in their community.

2.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
The following shows quantifiable progress toward the abovementioned goals in building electrification and energy efficiency.

California
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has tools that estimate building energy consumption by fuel type. The ComStockTM modeling tool covers commercial buildings and ResStockTM models residential buildings. ComStock reports that as many as 43,000 commercial buildings (7%) in California are all-electric and use no natural gas or other fossil fuels onsite. ResStock states that 525,000 residential buildings (4%) in California burn no natural gas, propane, or fuel oil onsite.47 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 171191 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 18 This 2022 baseline-modeled data showing only 4–7% of existing buildings are all- electric demonstrates the opportunity for green jobs to retrofit over 90% of these buildings.

2.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
In the building sector, the most cost-effective path to decarbonization involves transitioning existing buildings from natural gas-fueled appliances to energy efficient electric appliances and ensuring new construction has all-electric equipment. To fulfill the environmental policy goals listed above, the following building electrification and energy efficiency projects will create green jobs in Richmond.
• Building electrification retrofits: in existing residential and commercial buildings, replace equipment that runs on natural gas with electric • Energy efficiency: install equipment that is more energy efficient in existing buildings
• Weatherization: install insulation in walls, roofs, floors, and air ducts • New construction of all-electric Accessory Dwelling Unit housing • New construction of all-electric tiny homes

2.4 Conclusion
While state and local environmental policies are in place to direct new construction to be all-electric, existing residential and commercial buildings offer an opportunity to bend down the curve of greenhouse gas emissions. Upgrading existing buildings to all-electric will benefit human health, air quality, and the climate.

Figure 11: Progress Toward All-Electric Buildings

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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 19 Transportation provides vitally important access to jobs, goods, services, and education. In support of equity and improved public health, the interconnected network of public transit, private vehicles, and active mobility options should be accessible, safe, affordable, and clean.

Statewide, transportation contributes 38% of greenhouse gas emissions. California and Richmond are planning for an equitable transition to zero tailpipe emissions for cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles powered by the increasingly clean electric grid. Transitioning to zero-emission vehicles and expanding options for active mobility will improve local air quality and public health outcomes, as well as reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

CHAPTER 3
Sustainable
Transportation
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 20 3.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
The following timeline of existing federal, state, and local policy objectives provides a common framework for guiding public- and private-sector transportation decisions and investments.

Figure 12: Policy Goals for Sustainable Transportation, by 2030 By 2030
Federal
T F1 – By 2030, electric vehicles (EVs) make up at least 50% of new car sales, and there is a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers along America’s highways and in our communities (Executive Order 14037)48
T F2 – By 2030, 30% of truck and bus sales will be zero-emission vehicles (Memorandum of Understanding the U.S. signed onto at the international climate meeting COP27 in Egypt in 2022)49
State
T S1 – By 2026, 35% of new cars sold will be plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), electric vehicles, or hydrogen fuel cell. That proportion will rise to 68% by 2030. (Advanced Clean Cars II rule, California Air Resources Board)50
T S2 – By 2030, 30% of truck and bus sales will be zero-emission vehicles (15-state Memoran- dum of Understanding)51
T S3 – Public transit agencies will gradually transition to 100% zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleets.

Beginning in 2029, 100% of new purchases by transit agencies must be ZEBs. (Innovative Clean Transit Regulation, California Air Resources Board)52 T S4 – 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road, 200 hydrogen fueling stations and 250,000 zero-emission vehicle chargers, including 10,000 direct-current fast chargers, by 2025 and 5 million EVs on the road by 2030 (Executive Order B-48-18 and Executive Order N-19-19)53
T S5 – By 2030, reduce petroleum use in cars and trucks 50% from the 2015 consumption rate (Sustainable Freight Action Plan and Senate Bill 350)54 1194
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 21 Local
T L1 – Encourage the use of available climate-friendlier vehicles and equipment to reduce energy use and carbon emissions and support the use of low-emission or renewable fuel ve- hicles by residents and businesses, public agencies, and City government (Richmond General Plan 2030, Policy EC2.1 Climate-Friendly Vehicles and Equipment)55 T L2 – The City is committed to using Complete Streets principles and design to improve safe- ty, amenities, and access for all types of transportation, including walking, bicycling, driving, and transit. Complete Streets improvements are recommended as part of an overarching Smart Growth strategy in dense urban areas, with a mix of uses to encourage people to safe- ly walk, bicycle, utilize public transit, and accommodate motorists. (Climate Action Plan, 2016, Objective 3: Sustainable Transportation and Land Use)56 T L3 – Revitalization of three major commercial corridors using Complete Streets principles and designs to improve safety, amenities, and access for all types of transportation, including walking, bicycling, driving, and transit (Richmond Livable Corridors Form-Based Code)57 Figure 13: Policy Goals for Sustainable Transportation, 2031–2040 2031-2040
Federal T F3 – By 2030, 100% zero-emission new truck and bus sales (COP27 Memorandum of Un- derstanding)58
State
T S6 – By 2035, 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero-emission (Executive Order N-79-20)59
T S7 – By 2035, all new vehicles sold in the state to be plug-in electric vehicles or fully electric (California Air Resources Board approved)60
T S8 – By 2035, 55% of delivery vans and large pickups, 75% of commercial trucks such as garbage trucks, and 40% of the big rigs sold in California must be emissions-free (Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation, California Air Resources Board)61 T S9 – By 2040, all public transit agencies must transition to a 100% zero-emission bus fleet (Innovative Clean Transit Regulation, California Air Resources Board)62 Local
T L4 – By the year 2035, the Bay Area region must reduce emissions by 19% compared to 2005 levels. State law requires the Bay Area to cut per-capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars and light trucks through coordinated transportation and land-use planning. (Cali- fornia Air Resources Board)63
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 22 Figure 14: Policy Goals for Sustainable Transportation, 2041–2050 2041-2050
State
T S10 – By 2050, 100% of truck and bus sales will be zero-emission vehicles (15-state Memo- randum of Understanding)64
T S11 – By 2050, 80% reduction in greenhouse gases below 1990 levels (Executive Order S-3- 05)65
T S12 – By 2050, reduction of transportation-related GHG emissions to 80% below 1990 lev- els (Senate Bill 350 and Executive Order B-30-15)66
T S13 – By 2045, reduce oil use by 94% from 2022 levels (California Air Resources Board, 2022 Final Scoping Plan Update)67

3.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
The following baseline data provides insight into progress toward a sustainable transportation future at the national, state, and local levels.

Figure 15: Sustainable Transportation Goals and Progress

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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 23 United States
• Zero-emission vehicle sales: In 2022, 5.6% of U.S. vehicle sales were zero- emission vehicles. (Automotive News)
>> Percent complete: 5.6% toward a goal of 50% ZEVs by 2030 • Electric vehicle charging stations: In 2023, there were 58,090 charging stations with 155,789 charging ports. (U.S. Department of Energy) >> Percent complete: 31% (155,789 charging ports out of the goal of 500,000 charging ports by 2030)
California
In California, 38% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector, as seen in Figure 16. The following shows the state’s clean transportation goals for reducing air pollution and the progress already made toward these goals. • Zero-emission vehicle sales: In 2022, 18.8% of California’s vehicle sales were zero-emission vehicles (California Air Resources Board) >> Percent complete: 18.8% (toward a goal of 100% ZEV sales by 2035) Source: California Energy Commission
• Electric vehicle charging by 2030: For
passenger vehicle charging in 2030,
over 700,000 public and shared private
chargers are needed to support 5
million ZEVs as envisioned in the AB
2127 legislation. For the 8 million ZEVs
anticipated by 2030 under the more
ambitious Executive Order N-79-20
goals, nearly 1.2 million chargers will
be needed for light-duty vehicles. An
additional 157,000 chargers are needed
to support the 180,000 medium- and
heavy-duty vehicles anticipated for
2030. (CEC’s AB 2127 biennial report)
>> Percent complete: 13% (87,707
public and shared private EV
chargers out of 700,000 public and
shared private EV chargers by 2030)
(California Energy Commission)
Figure 16: California Greenhouse Gas
Emissions, 2020
369.2 MMT CO2e
2023 Total CA Emissions
1197
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 24 • Reduction of gasoline and diesel use: In 2022, 13.6 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel were sold in California
>> Percent complete: 49% (reduction from 18 billion gallons in 2015 to

13.6 billion gallons in 2022 with a goal of 9 billion gallons by 2030) Bay Area
• Regional GHG reduction goal: 19% reduction of greenhouse gases per capita below 2005 levels by 2035 (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) >> Percent complete: 17% reduction toward 19% reduction of greenhouses gases per capita
Richmond
Richmond has extensive train, bus, and ferry services but, like many cities in the Bay Area, connectivity to and between mass transit options is challenging.

To close these gaps, priority projects in the 2019 Richmond First Mile/Last Mile Transportation Strategic Plan include:
• investments in walking and cycling infrastructure
• prevention of residential and business displacement and preservation and expansion of existing affordable housing
• increase in adoption of electric vehicles and electric mobility while addressing equity concerns and prioritization of investment in frontline communities
• medium- and heavy-duty vehicle electrification, including trucks and delivery vehicles, personal vehicle infrastructure in multi-family buildings, curbside charging, and school and transit buses
• use of car-free areas for active transportation, parks, and parklets, green infrastructure, pop-up communities, and commercial activity • reduction of emissions from Port vehicles and equipment • full electrification of drayage trucks
• yard trucks and cargo handling equipment
• transportation demand management
Building on the First Mile/Last Mile Transportation Strategic Plan, Richmond adopted a Bicycle Master Plan in 2011 and by 2016 installed 36 miles of bikeways toward a goal of a 145-mile network of bikeways throughout the city. Figure 17 shows the extensive network of additional bikeways that will enable mobility throughout the city.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 25 Figure 17: Proposed Bikeways for Richmond
Locally, the city and county agencies have been working hard to build out zero- emission charging infrastructure that will reduce GHG emissions:
• Richmond has 106 public charging stations, eight of which are free EV charging stations. This includes 47 Direct Current Fast Chargers, 34 of which are Tesla Superchargers. (PlugShare)
• The City of Richmond lists six public electric vehicle charging stations on their website
• Marina Bay Park has an EV ARC™ 2020 solar-powered EV charging station (Beam Global)
• Richmond Moves is an electric on-demand public shuttle that provides expanded access to efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation in the community
• Miocar is an electric vehicle car-share program with four locations around Richmond. Chevy Bolts can be rented by the hour or day, and rental includes insurance, roadside assistance, and vehicle maintenance.

Source: Transparent Richmond 68
1199
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 26 • As of 2023, public transit agency AC Transit operates an industry-leading zero-emission fleet of 58 battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (AC Transit)
• AC Transit has been awarded $25.5 million from the 2023 Federal Transit Administration’s Bus and Low- and No-Emission Grant Awards, which will allow them to acquire 25 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses, replacing traditional diesel engines and accelerating them toward California’s requirement to be fully zero emission by 2040.

Local community-based organizations such as Rich City Rides (RCR) complement the work listed above by promoting cycling as a social, sustainable, and green mode of transportation. RCR teaches community members to fix bikes, organizes weekly rides in Richmond, and hosts activities that bring the community together.

3.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
Building on the progress outlined above, the following potential sustainable transportation projects will build on Richmond’s assets and strengths and move the city closer to federal, state, and local environmental policy goals. • Transition to zero-emission vehicles
• Electric vehicle charging infrastructure: install and maintain • Transportation management association: a non-profit that works to encourage drivers of single-occupancy vehicles to switch to trains, buses, carpooling, electric shuttles, and active mobility options (bicycling, scootering, walking)
• Destination downtown: recruiting aspiring entrepreneurs and attracting regional entrepreneurs to work together to develop a cluster of new businesses in one of Richmond’s commercial areas
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 261200 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 27 3.4 Conclusion
To achieve an 80% reduction of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2050, expanding the number of zero-emission transportation options and enabling easy connections between transportation modes are vitally important. Federal and state governmental agencies are in the process of distributing infrastructure funding for local governments to support zero-emission transportation while also continuing to incentivize households to purchase personal electric vehicles. Switching to electric vehicles is also becoming more attractive as automakers expand the number of models with longer ranges – 250 miles or more between a charge – and as more electric vehicles become available in the secondary market.

From a transportation equity standpoint, though, members of lower-income households should be able to travel to work, school, and shopping without each adult needing to own a car. This is what makes the continued availability of mass transit, the expansion of shared shuttles, and infrastructure improvements for safer active mobility – walking, biking, scootering – valuable to vibrant and mobile communities.

Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 271201 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 28 Raw materials are essential for manufacturing the consumer goods we enjoy:
clothing, furniture, electronics, appliances, and so forth. When those goods are no longer of use and, more often than not, thrown away, we say they are part of a linear flow of materials, from raw material extraction to use and then to landfill.

By reusing, repairing, sharing, leasing, recycling, and composting a higher percentage of materials, we move closer to a zero-waste closed loop and circular economy. This additional work to keep consumer goods in circulation longer creates more jobs and drives economic growth more than disposal of them in a landfill.

Another opportunity to reduce waste involves food. Throughout the entire food- supply chain – from production to processing, distribution, retail, and consumption – 30–40% of food raised and grown is wasted. At the same time, one in five Californians are food insecure, defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of “consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living.” Diverting surplus food from large generators to feed people will improve food security as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

CHAPTER 4
Zero Waste
1202
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 29 4.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
The following timeline of existing federal, state, and local policy goals inform public and private investment in the green jobs [essential to a zero-waste economy].

Figure 18: Policy Goals for Zero Waste, by 2030
By 2030
Federal ZW F1 – 50% of solid waste be source reduced, recycled, or composted by 2030 (U.S. Envi- ronmental Protection Agency)69
State
ZW S1 – Not less than 75% of solid waste be source reduced, recycled, or composted (Assem- bly Bill 341)70
ZW S2 – Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law requires businesses and public entities that generate two cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week, or is a multi-family dwelling of five units or more, to arrange for recycling services (Assembly Bill 1826)71
ZW S3 – By 2025, every jurisdiction is required to provide organic waste collection services to all residences and businesses, reduce organic waste disposal by 75%, and rescue at least 20% of edible food that would otherwise go to landfill and can instead feed people (Senate Bill 1383)72
ZW S4 – By 2025, not less than 20% of currently disposed-of edible food must be recovered for human consumption (Senate Bill 1383)73
ZW S5 – To reduce methane emissions, the State of California seeks “to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% by 2025” (Senate Bill 1383)74
ZW S6 – At least 30% of plastic packaging must be recycled starting January 1, 2028 and 40% on and after January 1, 2030 (Senate Bill 54)75
Local
ZW L1 – 90% of all solid waste is diverted from landfills and 100% of all schools have three- bin (garbage, recycling, and compost) recycling programs (Richmond General Plan 2030)76 ZW L2 – The use of polystyrene foam and small plastics is restricted (Richmond Foodware Ordinance)77
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 30 Figure 19: Policy Goals for Zero Waste, 2031–2040
2031-2040
State
ZW S5 – All packaging in the state must be recyclable or compostable by 2032, cutting plastic packaging by 25% in 10 years and requiring 65% of all single-use plastic packaging to be recy- cled in the same timeframe (Senate Bill 54)78
ZW S6 – Plastics manufacturers will pay $5 billion into a fund over the next 10 years (2022– 2032) that would mitigate the effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health, primarily in low-income communities (Senate Bill 54)79

4.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
The following baseline data provides insight into the progress toward a zero-waste economy at the federal, state, and local levels.

Figure 20: Recycling Goals and Progress

United States
• Federal recycling goal: 50% of solid waste be source reduced, recycled, or composted by 2030
>> Percent complete: In 2018, 32% of the 292.4 million tons of solid waste was source reduced, recycled, or composted toward the goal of 50% by 2030 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
• Food waste makes up 22% of all municipal solid waste (MSW), making it the single largest component of U.S. landfills (U.S. EPA)
• Each American produces about 4.9 pounds of trash in a single day (U.S. EPA) 1204
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 31 California
• In 2021, the recycling rate in California was 40%, down from 50% in 2014, as shown in Figure 21.
• In 2011, Assembly Bill 341 made a legislative declaration that “it is the policy goal, of the State of California, that not less than 75 percent of solid waste generated be source reduced, recycled, or composted by the year 2020.” Even though the state only reached 50% diversion in the early 2010s, the 75% goal still stands.
>> Percent complete: 40% toward the goal of 75%
• About eight million people in California face food insecurity (California Association of Food Banks)
• Over 18 months from the beginning of the pandemic to late 2021, food banks in California served over one billion pounds of food, a 74% increase from pre-pandemic levels (Richmond Confidential)
• During the pandemic, the number of California residents struggling with food insecurity rose from one in five to one in four (Richmond Confidential) California sends over 1.5 million tons of potentially donatable food to landfills each year. See Figure 22 for the types and amounts of food that could potentially be donated to feed people. Recycling experts assert that the following percentages of the waste stream that are edible food could be applied to Contra Costa County as well.

Figure 21: California’s Statewide Recycling Rate, 2010-2021 Source: CalRecycle
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 32 Figure 22: Food in California That Could Be Donated to Feed People
Food Potentially Donatable % of Waste Stream Tons/Year
Vegetative (perishable/fresh) 1.5% 615,133
Eggs, dairy, and dairy alternatives 0.2% 98,000
Meat 0.3% 111,229
Cooked/baked/prepared perishable Item 0.3% 114,977
Packaged non-perishable 1.4% 577,199
Source: CalRecycle80
The State of California has focused recent waste diversion efforts on composting organic materials and encouraging rescue of surplus food from large generators.

There is also more to be done to prevent single-use disposable packaging waste by switching to reusable packaging, developing new product markets for recycling plastics and carpeting, and salvaging construction and demolition materials, among other projects.

Contra Costa County
• In 2014, the commercial sector in Contra Costa County generated 81,112 tons of food waste (CalRecycle)
• In 2021, 87,070 people or 7.5% of the population of Contra Costa County were food insecure (Feeding America)
• Edible food diversion goal: By 2025, not less than 20% of currently disposed-of edible food must be recovered for human consumption >> Percent complete: 11.4% (3.6 million pounds or 1,800 tons edible food were diverted and redistributed by White Pony Express in 2022, out of 81,000 tons of commercial food waste generated in Contra Costa County [2014 CalRecycle number], 2.3% of target 20% diversion) • In 2021, food recovery organizations and services in West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority’s jurisdiction recovered 116,667 pounds (58.33 tons) of edible food (RecycleMore)
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 33 Richmond
• Richmond’s overall recycling rate was 40% in 2021 (RecycleMore) • The City of Richmond has a contract with Republic Services that provides recycling and composting services
• The City of Richmond is establishing a Zero Waste Framework designed to increase participation in recycling programs, establish garbage service rates and schedules that maximize participation in composting and recycling programs, increase diversion of construction and demolition waste, and promote school waste diversion programs
• Richmond-based Urban Tilth inspires, hires, and trains local residents to cultivate agriculture at seven school and community gardens and small urban farms, to feed the community, and to restore relationships to the land to build a more sustainable food system, within a just and healthier community. The non-profit’s staff, interns, and volunteers grow and distribute 400 boxes of organic produce per week to Richmond families. • On any given day in Richmond, 16,200 people go hungry (Richmond Confidential)
• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano provides free food directly to the community through a variety of programs and services. In 2022, they served over 258,000 clients per month, on average, in Contra Costa and Solano Counties (approximately 1 in 6 people), distributing 34 million pounds of food through 227 distribution sites with 6,700 volunteers. • Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, Bay Area Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, and others serve homeless, hungry, and low-income consumers by providing meals and other types of support

4.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
• Building deconstruction firms
• Building salvage warehouse
• Remakery and fixery – afterschool enrichment and summer camps for K-12 students to spark creativity and innovation using tools and donated or salvaged items
• Re-entry entrepreneurs – building furniture from salvaged items • Rescuing surplus food
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 34 4.4 Conclusion
Moving beyond 40% waste diversion and closer to the state’s 75% waste diversion goal will create jobs that transform industries such as packaging, plastics, food, textiles, electronics, batteries, vehicles, and construction and demolition.

Within the food industry, we can solve two problems at the same time: food insecurity and food waste. By capturing and redistributing aesthetically imperfect produce, surplus packaged goods from grocery stores that are close to their freshness date, and leftover prepared food from large generators, we could feed more people living on the margins and reduce the amount of edible food thrown away.

As the public and private sector expand the number of diversion and prevention programs to build a zero-waste economy, we will improve human well-being, promote social justice, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect biodiversity.

Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 341208 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 35 Flooding, droughts, high winds, landslides, and other natural hazards pose major threats to Richmond. As part of climate change, these threats have compromised the ability of our natural systems – waterways, soils, forests, and wildlife populations – to bounce back from these shocks. When these systems function optimally, they buffer humans from natural hazards. It is in our best interest to restore nature to health and adapt the functions of these natural systems to serve our needs.

Human efforts in land conservation, greenways, permeable pavement, tree trenches, subtidal habitat restoration, and more bring natural features and processes into cities, landscapes, and seascapes. These locally adapted, resource- efficient, and systemic interventions of natural features provide valuable social, economic, and environmental benefits.

CHAPTER 5
Green Infrastructure
and Urban Forestry
1209
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 36 5.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
The year 2030 is an important date for federal, state, and local goals to protect and restore natural lands and waterways.

Figure 23: Policy Goals for Nature-based Solutions, by 2030 By 2030
Federal N F1 – By 2030, at least 30% of lands and waterways shall be conserved (Executive Order 14008, Section 216)81
State
N S1 – Commits to conserving at least 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030, expanding nature-based solutions, and calling for restoring nature and landscape health, public health and safety, and securing food and water supplies (Executive Order N-82-20)82 Local
N L1 – Protect and expand tree resources in Richmond (Richmond General Plan 2030, Policy CN6.2)83
N L2 – Many of the natural resources in the City are preserved, but some sensitive areas such as wetlands, baylands, marshes, creeks, and riparian areas need to be protected and restored. Particularly along the shoreline and in the hills, there are undeveloped areas that contain sensitive natural habitats that should be preserved and restored. (Richmond General Plan 2030, Conservation, Natural Resources, and Open Space, Finding 1)84 California’s work to conserve 30% of lands and coastal waters (30x30) influenced federal efforts on this topic. On October 7, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an Executive Order establishing a California Biodiversity Collaborative and setting a goal of conserving at least 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030 to combat the biodiversity and climate crises. After the Governor announced the 30x30 conservation goal, lively discussion ensued about what “conserve” meant.

Then, on January 27, 2021, the Biden Administration released Executive Order 14008, which directs the California Natural Resources Agency (CRNA) to coordinate the implementation of 30x30 with other state agencies and stakeholders through a series of actions, including the development of a strategy document called the Pathways to 30x30 California.

5.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
The following baseline data provides insight into the current state of efforts to restore nature at the national, state, and local levels. 1210
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 37 Figure 24: Conservation Goals and Progress
United States
• Land conservation: At the national level, meeting the 30x30 goal of setting aside 30% of land for conservation would require 440 million more acres (National Geographic)
>> Percent complete: 289 million acres [12%] conserved out of the 729 million acres [30%] needed
• Currently, 12% of U.S. land and roughly 23% of U.S. oceans are conserved as protected areas (U.S. Department of the Interior).
• The federal government owns about 640 million acres of land, which is 28% of all the land in the U.S. A portion of this federal land is not managed in a way that meets the 30x30 standard, in part because resources are regularly extracted from portions of it. (National Geographic)
• Meeting the 30x30 target will require improvement of conservation efforts on land that sits in private hands. Individuals or companies own around 70% of land in the U.S. About two-thirds of species on the U.S. endangered species list are found on privately-owned lands, and around half of the country’s forests considered usable for carbon storage sit on private property. (National Geographic)
• Sixty percent of lands in the continental U.S. are in a mostly natural condition or could be restored (Road to 30)
1211
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 38 California
• Land conservation: At the state level, protecting 30% of California land will require an additional six million acres to be conserved (Office of Governor Newsom)
>> Percent complete: 24.4% toward the 30% conserved goal • Coastal waters: Conserving an additional half million acres of coastal waters will bring the total up to 30% (Office of Governor Newsom) >> Percent complete: 16.2% toward goal of 30% conserved • California contains 36 of the world’s biodiversity hotspots due to the high concentration of unique species and ecosystems experiencing unprecedented threats (Office of Governor Newsom)
• Since April 2022, California has added approximately 631,000 acres of conserved land – nearly 1,000 square miles – bringing the statewide total to

24.4% of lands and 16.2% of coastal waters (Office of Governor Newsom) • Conservation areas in the San Francisco Bay Area that meet California’s 30x30 standards are outlined in Figure 25. The following graphic overlays housing burden, which refers to the proportion of households within a census tract that are both low-income and spend a high proportion of their income on housing costs.

Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 381212 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 39 Figure 25: Open Access Conserved Areas in the Nine County Bay Area
Source: Pathways to 30X30 California85
1213
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 40 The Pathways to 30x30 California team discovered that communities with higher rates of housing burden may face barriers accessing nature, such as:
• financial burden of transportation from urban centers to natural areas • a region-wide rise in user demand for parks, trails, and open space • the need for signs and outreach materials translated into Spanish and other languages
Improving green spaces in low-income communities and expanding access to regional natural areas are identified as priorities in the state’s Pathways 30x30 California plan.

Richmond
• Richmond contains over 6,500 acres of parks and open space, including local, regional, state, and national resources. Around 5,700 acres of parkland are owned and operated by regional agencies and are located along the shoreline and in the East Bay Hills. The City owns approximately 250 acres of compact, neighborhood, and community parks and 510 acres of open space clustered mostly in El Sobrante Valley, Point Richmond, and Point Molate, which provide valuable recreational linkages to regional trails. (Richmond General Plan 2030)
• In 2023, the City of Richmond and community partners such as Urban Tilth, Rich City Rides, GRID Alternatives, and Trust for Public Land secured a $35 million grant from the Strategic Growth Council for a collection of sustainable projects called Richmond Rising. Projects include: expanded electric bike share with new docking hubs, new e-bikes, and memberships for residents; a new accessible community garden; tree canopy investment of up to 1,000 new street trees and 400 fruit trees; water catchment and greywater systems in 80 homes; solar power for 250 homes; and energy- efficient appliances. Green infrastructure will provide extensive new bicycle and pedestrian features and stormwater capture throughout the neighborhoods, and the project will include job training in community health promotion, solar installation, water conservation, urban forestry, and expansion of the existing City of Richmond employment and training programs. A Youth Fellows leadership program will help ensure the project is led by the community and is for the community of Richmond. • Tree planting: The City’s July 2013 tree inventory identified 22,051 existing trees and available planting areas for 13,000 additional trees (Richmond 1214
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 41 Urban Greening Master Plan, 2017)
• The Richmond Greenway project reclaimed the abandoned railroad tracks running through South Richmond for community residents. This green space has been restored and is maintained by hundreds of neighborhood volunteers. Groundwork Richmond is a local trust that has implemented partnership programs such as the Richmond Greenway projects and other urban forestry programs.
• The North Richmond Shoreline Living Levee Project secured a $644,000 grant for planning and community engagement. The project includes technical studies, data collection, development of conceptual designs, cost estimates, engaging the public, key stakeholders, and involvement of the regulatory community. The project was awarded a $50,000 augmentation to add a tribal engagement storytelling component.
• The Watershed Project has constructed 14 bioswales and rain gardens along the Richmond Greenway to absorb stormwater and reduce surface water pollution.
• In 2013, the Watershed Project built 100 oyster reef balls at Point Pinole Shoreline with the help of Dixon Marine Services. The reef balls were split into four reef areas composed of 25 balls each. In the fall of 2014, biannual monitoring of the native oysters on the reef balls began. In 2021–2022, volunteers conducted the monitoring in December and April. • The 2017 Urban Greening Masterplan includes urban greening goals – such as expanding the urban forest, updating the City’s tree ordinance and city-owned tree policies, and reappointment of the Urban Forest Advisory Committee – and recommendations for achieving these goals. • Local non-profits such as Groundwork Richmond, Pogo Park, the Watershed Project, and Richmond Trees – with funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the City of Richmond – have planted trees throughout the city since 2012. The Watershed Project has planted over 350 trees in the Coronado, Santa Fe, Booker T, and North Richmond neighborhoods.
• Urban Nature Loop is a self-guided walking tour of North Richmond. This project stretches between Verde School along Wildcat Creek Trail to Fred Jackson Way, Chelsey Ave through Shields Reid Park, and back to Verde School on Giaramita St, with extensions to the Fish Passage and Urban Tilth’s Farm.
• Pogo Park transforms dispirited city parks and playgrounds into safe, 1215
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 42 healthy, and magical outdoor public spaces for children to play and for the community to gather.
• YES Nature to Neighborhoods creates access for youth and families to spend more time together outdoors and thus foster healthier communities.

In their 2020–2021 fiscal year, the organization tracked 1,262 volunteer hours, 416 community members engaged, 351 hours of physical activity, 66 days in nature, and 47 community partners.
• ouR-HOME is a suite of projects that will improve the resilience of North Richmond and build health, wealth, and home ownership opportunities for over 5,000 residents. Projects include a horizontal levee, planting 20,000 trees to filter air and water, small-lot housing, a community land trust, and social-impact bonds.

5.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
Projects that will grow the number of green-blue jobs in Richmond include the following:
• Expanding the tree canopy
• Living levee: gently sloping, vegetated area that serves as a transition between tidal wetlands and terrestrial uplands, and protects the city by slowing storm-surge waters and absorbing floodwaters

5.4 Conclusion
Expanding the acreage of conserved land and waterways and implementing nature-based climate solutions will yield multiple benefits for nature and people. By increasing the amount of protected habitat, biodiversity will be enhanced, both the number and variety of species in various ecological niches. Furthermore, improving green spaces in low-income communities and expanding access to regional natural areas will benefit health for people of all ages.
1216
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 43 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines brownfields as “a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” Environmentally contaminated properties tend to be found in urban industrial areas and disproportionately affect working-class communities and/or communities of color.

Brownfields are widely recognized as an environmental justice issue due to the range of potential hazards associated with the land.

In Richmond, leaking underground storage tanks, as well as more than a century of industrial and military activity, have resulted in soil contamination. Cleaning up brownfield sites to levels appropriate for future intended uses will provide safer and healthier environments for residents and workers. Doing so will also help attract businesses that will bring additional economic activity to the city and revitalize commercial corridors.

CHAPTER 6
Land Use
1217
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 44 6.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
Brownfield sites and Superfund sites are both areas of land that have been contaminated. The difference between the two is that for Superfund sites, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency is involved and Superfund sites are on a list of the nation’s worst contaminated sites, called the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL guides the U.S. EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation for environmental remediation.

Richmond’s General Plan 2030 provides direction about brownfield cleanup but does not specify dates or numbers, as cited in Figure 26.

Figure 26: Policy Goals for Brownfields Revitalization, by 2030 By 2030
Local
BR L1 – Continue to work with the appropriate local, state, and federal agencies to promote the cleanup and reuse of contaminated sites to protect human and environmental health (Richmond’s General Plan 2030, Policy LU4.4 Toxic and Contaminated Sites)86 BR L2 – The City will implement appropriate mitigation measures and cleanup of sites that are known to contain toxic materials (Richmond’s General Plan 2030)87

6.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
No target dates or number of target sites for clean up have been set for brownfield revitalization at the federal, state, or local levels, but abundant federal and state resources are available to the City of Richmond. The following baseline data provides insight into the current state of brownfield knowledge and site revitalization at the national, state, and municipal levels:

United States
• There are over 450,000 brownfield properties in the United States (U.S.

Government Accountability Office)
• There are 1,336 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List (U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency)
• The Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) is a federal grant program to assist cities with redeveloping abandoned, idled, and underused industrial and commercial facilities. The U.S. EPA offers Targeted Brownfields Assessment, which is free technical assistance to research historical 1218
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 45 property uses, conduct environmental sampling, and identify potential environmental concerns.

California
• California is home to almost 90,000 brownfield sites (California Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Toxics Substances Control)
• The California Department of Toxic Substances Control offers technical assistance and funding for brownfields cleanup through the Center for Creative Land Recycling
Richmond
Soil-contaminated sites are a damper on real estate transactions and economic development. Figures 27 and 28 show U.S. EPA maps of distinct brownfield and Superfund sites in Richmond.

Figure 27: Brownfield sites in
Richmond
Figure 28: Superfund sites in
Richmond
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency88
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency89
1219
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 46 When leaking underground storage tanks (LUST), as well as military and industrial brownfield sites are included, the number of brownfield sites in Richmond jumps to 442. See Figure 29 for the State of California’s map.

Figure 29: Brownfield Sites in Richmond
Source: State Water Resources Control Board90
There has been some notable recent progress in this area. In 2020, the Richmond Community Foundation (RCF Connects) received a $300,000 Brownfields 1220
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 47 Assessment grant that is being used to assess abandoned and foreclosed properties in the Richmond neighborhoods of Belding Woods, Coronado, Iron Triangle, Pullman, and Santa Fe. Subsequent to property assessment, RCF Connects is leveraging funding from the Richmond Housing Renovation Program to clean up and redevelop these properties into homes for low- and moderate-income first- time homebuyers. This grant builds on previous brownfields grants to the City of Richmond. RCF Connects also has a U.S. Department of Energy grant that is funding solar panels, energy efficient equipment, and energy storage for these renovated properties.

6.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
Brownfield cleanup requires intensive labor and financial resources at a time when there is uncertainty about which remediation technologies are most effective at protecting nearby human and environmental health. Studying and showcasing site remediation technologies could happen at a Brownfields Research and Innovation Hub.

6.4 Conclusion
The cleaning of a brownfield often results in the removal of a potential threat to human health or the environment, which in turn can unlock economic development opportunities. However, applying for, managing, and writing reports for federal and state grants requires considerable personnel resources. In the absence of federal and state timelines for cleanup, the City of Richmond’s leadership has the opportunity to decide whether to prioritize brownfields cleanup.

Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 471221 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 48 Richmond’s 32 miles of shoreline host historic infrastructure, industrial activities, housing, and protected natural areas. Water features prominently in Richmond’s past as a shipbuilding powerhouse during World War II, the present as a deep-water port with nearby shoreline recreation areas, and the future role Richmond plans to play in the regional economy.

Topics touched on in this chapter include regulations and proposed regulations that will determine future activities at the Port of Richmond, types of jobs available, and the health of the environment and community.

CHAPTER 7
Water
1222
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 49 7.1 Environmental Policies and Timeline
Federal and state goals and regulations that will affect green-blue jobs created in Richmond in the future are outlined in Figure 30.

Figure 30: Policy Goals for Water, by 2030
By 2030
Federal
W F1 – Goods shipped between U.S. ports must be transported on ships built, owned, and operated by United States citizens or permanent residents (Jones Act, Section 27, Merchant Marine Act of 1920)91
State
W S1 – To reduce air pollution at ports, vessels are required to plug into electric shore power or capture and control emissions when sitting at port. Container, refrigerated cargo, and cruise ships have been included since 2014. These regulations will also apply to auto carri- ers starting in 2025 and oil and fuel tankers in Northern California starting in 2027. (Section 93130, Control Measures for Ocean-Going Vessels at Berth, Title 17 California Code of Regu- lations)92
W S2 – New excursion vessels (sunset cruises, whale watching, etc.) will be required to be zero-emission capable hybrid, and 30% of their power must be derived from zero-emission sources by January 1, 2025 (California Commercial Harbor Craft regulations)93 W S3 – New and in-use short-run (less than 3 nautical miles) ferries will be required to be zero-emission by January 1, 2026 (California Commercial Harbor Craft regulations)94 W S4 – Goal of recycling and reusing at least 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030 (Water Supply Strategy [proposed], California State Water Resources Control Board)95

7.2 Progress Toward Policy Goals
• The Port of Richmond is working to install electric shore power that will enable vessels to plug in to the electricity grid while at port • Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) is planning to expand their fleet and switch over to zero-emission ferries
• Richmond Shoreline Alliance is a coalition of Richmond-area residents, organizations, and allies dedicated to environmental justice, environmental protection, and an accessible and healthy Richmond shoreline now and for future generations
• San Francisco Bay Shoreline Contamination Cleanup Coalition – The Richmond Shoreline Alliance is part of this coalition that mobilizes for the safe, comprehensive, and immediate cleanup of all hazardous and 1223
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 50 radioactive contamination near the San Francisco Bay shoreline, where sea level rise due to the climate crisis will spread the contamination • North Richmond Shoreline Adaptation Project – West County Wastewater District’s (WCWD’s) wastewater treatment plant is at increased risk of flooding due to sea level rise and is pursuing collaborative, multi-objective, nature-based solutions on and off its property in order to achieve greater habitat benefits and increased flood protection. This project builds on the work of recent shoreline planning efforts focused on preservation and resilience, including:
• The North Richmond Shoreline Community Vision Project – led by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and completed in 2017. It combined transition zone mapping with strategies for protecting and improving ecosystem services, community health, economic stability, local jobs, education opportunities, safe places for recreation, and vibrant natural habitats. The North Richmond Shoreline Community Vision Project highlighted the WCWD living levee concept as a recommended near- term project.
• ouR-HOME Project – The Resilient by Design (RbD) Bay Area Challenge, completed in 2018, dispatched 10 multidisciplinary teams to 10 shoreline areas in the San Francisco Bay to develop innovative site- specific approaches toward achieving community resilience to sea level rise. The design firm Mithun was assigned to North Richmond and worked with a local Citizen Advisory Board to dig deeper into the concepts and project opportunities identified in the North Richmond Shoreline Community Vision Project. The Mithun final report identifies the living levee concept and measures to improve shoreline local public access and recreational opportunities as priorities. It further recommends that the “West County Wastewater District’s levee strategy would be coordinated and extended within the greater shoreline to protect the North Richmond neighborhood and existing and planned industrial uses from sea level rise.”
• Working Waterfront Coalition is an industry-led initiative that seeks to create a pipeline of ship maintenance and repair workers. With a $500,000 grant from the California Workforce Development Board’s Workforce Accelerator Fund, partners seek to launch an 8- to 10-week course for 30 students.
• Blue Frontier is a Richmond-based citizen engagement non-profit that protects the ocean, coasts, and communities – both human and wild – 1224
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 51 that depend on them.
• Point Molate Alliance is a Blue Frontier project that, in 2010 (as Citizens for a Sustainable Point Molate), helped defeat plans for development on the publicly owned 422-acre natural headlands and waters that include 180 acres of pristine eelgrass beds in San Francisco Bay.

7.3 Potential Green-Blue Jobs Projects
Based on these policy goals and progress, the following water-related projects could create green-blue jobs in:
• Blue tech incubator and accelerator
• Port upgrades including electrification
• Berthing vessels at the port
• Electric ferry network
• Boat building
• Training center for boat maintenance and repair
• Shoreline ecotourism

7.4 Conclusion
A large portion of Richmond’s economy revolves around the waterfront and shoreline. City leadership has an opportunity to grow its economy in the future while helping the state realize its environmental goals.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 511225 Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 52 Report Conclusion
Building a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future will require changing the way many of our systems operate. Upgrading systems to be more efficient, less wasteful, and less dependent on burning fossil fuels, restoring the health of natural systems, and cleaning up historic pollution is work that cannot be outsourced or automated. These projects require local labor.

To determine which green-blue jobs will be in demand in the future, this report identifies the gaps between our environmental policy aspirations and where we are today. On some topics at the national, state, and local levels, we are close to reaching our goals. For others, we are just getting started. 1226
Appendix
1227
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 54 Glossary

TERM DEFINITION
AB 32-regulated
sources
any source, or category of sources, of greenhouse gas emissions whose emissions are at a level of significance, as determined by the state board, that its participation in the program established under this division will enable the state board to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and monitor compliance with the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit (Assembly Bill 32)
Accessory dwelling
unit
a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit located on the same lot as a standalone single-family home (American Planning Association) Affordable housing
housing for which the occupant is paying no more than 30% of gross income for housing costs, including utilities (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)
Area median income
(AMI)
the midpoint of a specific area’s income distribution calculated on an annual basis by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Battery electric
vehicles (BEV)
a vehicle powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery (U.S. Department of Energy)
Bike lanes: Class I
paths, Class II lanes,
Class III boulevards,
Class IV cycle tracks
Class I bikeways (bike paths) are facilities with exclusive right of way, with cross flows by vehicles minimized (Caltrans). Class II bikeways (bike lanes) are established along streets in corridors where there is significant bicycle demand and where there are distinct needs that can be served by them (Caltrans). Class III bike boulevards provide a right-of-way designated by signs or pavement markings for shared use with pedestrians or motor vehicles (Richmond Bicycle Master Plan). Class IV cycle tracks are physically separated from motor traffic and distinct from the sidewalk (National Association of City Transportation Officials).

Biodiversity
all the different kinds of life found in one area – the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world (World Wildlife Fund)
Biodiversity hotspots
regions that contain a high level of species diversity, many endemic (native to a certain place) species, and a significant number of threatened or endangered species (Defenders of Wildlife)
1228
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 55 Biomass
a renewable energy made from organic materials that comes from plants and animals; sources include wood and wood processing waste, agricultural crops and waste materials, garbage, and animal manure or human sewage Blighted homes a physical space or structure that is no longer in acceptable or beneficial condition to its community (Vacant Property Research Network) Brownfield
revitalization
the ability to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields (U.S. EPA)
Brownfield site
a property in which its expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant (U.S. EPA)
Building
electrification
the adoption of technologies that use electricity in place of natural gas or other fossil fuels, key examples of which include space heating, water heating, appliances, and other equipment
Building envelope
improvements
measures such as insulation and air sealing that reduce the energy needed for space heating and cooling
Carbon neutrality a state of balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere in carbon sinks (European Parliament)
Carbon pollution-free
electricity
electrical energy produced from resources that generate no carbon emissions (U.S. General Services Administration)
Carbon sequestration the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (U.S.

Geological Survey)
Carbon-free and
renewable energy
energy produced by a resource that generates no carbon emissions and is renewable, such as solar, wind, geothermal, eligible hydroelectric, biomass, and biowaste (Marin Clean Energy)
Carbon-free energy energy produced by a resource that generates no carbon emissions, such as nuclear or large hydroelectric (Marin Clean Energy)
Centralized renewable
energy
the classic standard power management model for the large power plants connected to the power system (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) 1229
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 56 CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Circular economy
a model of production and consumption that involves the sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, refurbishing, and recycling of existing materials and products for as long as possible (European Parliament)
Clean electricity grid
an electrical grid that applies modern information technology at all levels of the system to dramatically and cost-effectively improve performance and reduce environmental impacts (Americans for a Clean Energy Grid) Climate-ready homes
a home or building that has been designed or modified to meet low-carbon and high energy efficiency standards and manage many of the risks related to climate change, such as heat-related illness, poor indoor air quality, and damage from flooding or windstorms (Port Moody, Canada, Climate Action Plan)
Closed-loop systems production system in which any industrial output is capable of being recycled to create another product (U.S. EPA)
Coastal waterways
the waters of the Great Lakes, the territorial seas of the United States, and those waters directly connected to the Great Lakes and territorial seas (U.S.

Coast Guard)
Commercial solid
waste
all types of solid waste generated by a store, office, or other commercial or public entity source, including a business or a multifamily dwelling of five or more units (CalRecycle)
Community choice
aggregation
local governments can procure power on behalf of their residents, businesses, and municipal accounts from an alternative supplier while still receiving transmission and distribution service from their existing utility provider (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Complete Streets
an approach to planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining streets that enables safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities (Smart Growth America)
Compostable any organic material that, when accumulated, will become active compost (CalRecycle)
1230
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 57 Construction and
demolition (C&D)
materials
common C&D materials include lumber, drywall, metals, masonry (brick, concrete, etc.), carpet, plastic, pipe, rocks, dirt, paper, cardboard, and green waste related to land development (CalRecycle)
COP27
the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Paris Agreement, held in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt (United Nations)
Cost-burdened
household
households that spend more than 30% of their income on housing and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care (HUD)
Distributed renewable
energy systems
technologies that generate electricity at or near where it will be used, such as solar panels and combined heat and power, which may serve a single structure, such as a home or business or may connect to a microgrid, such as at a major industrial facility, a military base, or a large college campus (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Ecosystem a single environment and every living organism and non-living factor that is contained within it or characterizes it (Biology Dictionary) Electric retail sales sales made directly to the customer who consumes the energy product Eligible renewables
renewable energy sources including biodiesel, biomass, biomethane, fuel cells, geothermal, small hydroelectric, conduit hydroelectric, water supply or conveyance system, incremental hydroelectric, municipal solid waste combustion and conversion, ocean thermal, ocean wave, solar, tidal current, and wind (California Energy Commission)
Endangered species plants and animals that have become so rare they are in danger of becoming extinct (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Energy efficiency use of less energy to perform the same task Fair share of housing
the process in which every city and county in California is obligated by law to plan and zone for their fair share of 2.5 million new units of housing statewide – a process currently underway (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom)
1231
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 58 First mile/last mile
strategies
improvement of connection to public transportation for the portion of a transit user’s trip that involves walking, driving, or another method to get to and from the nearest transit station or stop (City of Richmond, First Mile/ Last Mile Transportation Strategic Plan)
Food insecure lack of consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Fuel cells a device that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction, not fossil fuel combustion
Fuel cell electric
vehicle (FCEV)
a vehicle powered by hydrogen that has been converted to electricity by the fuel cell (U.S. Department of Energy)
Green hydrogen carbon-free hydrogen produced by using renewable power to split water into hydrogen and water in electrolyzers
Greenhouse gases
(GHG)
gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Greenway a corridor of undeveloped land preserved for recreational use or environmental protection
Heat pump
technology similar to that found in a refrigerator or an air conditioner that extracts heat from a source such as the surrounding air, geothermal energy stored in the ground, nearby sources of water, or waste heat from a factory, and amplifies and transfers the heat to where it is needed (International Energy Agency)
Housing burden
the proportion of households within a census tract that are both low income and that spend a high proportion of their income on housing costs (California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, CalEnviroScreen)
Housing Element
part of a General Plan adopted by a city, town, or county that includes the goals, policies, and programs that direct decision-making around housing (Association of Bay Area Governments)
Key value chains
the combination of activities a business undertakes to move a product or service along its life cycle, including design, marketing, distribution, and customer support (The Balance)
1232
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 59 Large (Tier 1) food
waste generators
wholesale food vendors, food service providers, food distributors, and grocery stores that have produce, fresh grocery, and shelf-stable foods to donate (CalRecycle)
Medium and heavy-
duty vehicles
a vehicle with a gross weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (California Energy Commission)
Municipal solid waste
everyday items such as product packaging, yard trimmings, furniture, clothing, bottles and cans, food, newspapers, appliances, electronics, and batteries (U.S. EPA)
National Priorities List
(NPL)
guides the U.S. EPA in determining which contaminated sites warrant further investigation for environmental remediation (U.S. EPA) Nature-based
solutions
actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously benefitting people and nature (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
Net zero carbon
emissions
the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere (National Grid)
Organic waste
includes food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, lumber, wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate, and sludges (CalRecycle)
Plug-in hybrid vehicles
(PHEV)
a vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and by an internal combustion engine (U.S. Department of Energy)
Raw materials the basic material from which a product is made Recycling the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products (U.S. EPA) Refurbish to make an item or building look new again by painting, repairing, or cleaning
1233
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 60 Regional Housing
Needs Allocation Goal
the number of housing units assigned to every local jurisdiction that represents its share of the state’s housing needs for an eight-year period (Association of Bay Area Governments)
Renewable methane the gaseous product of decomposed organic matter that has been processed to purity standards
Reusable packaging
pallets, containers, and dunnage (interior packing materials) designed for reuse within a supply chain and constructed for multiple trips and extended life (Reusable Packaging Association)
Reuse use of something multiple times in a variety of ways to reduce landfill waste and to decrease manufacturing needs
Riparian of or relating to or located on the bank of a river or sometimes a lake or tidewater
Single-use plastic
packaging
goods made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) that are meant to be disposed of after use (often in mere minutes); single- use disposable plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags (Natural Resources Defense Council)
Smart Growth
an overall approach to development that encourages a mix of building types and uses, diverse housing, transportation options, development within existing neighborhoods, and robust community engagement (Smart Growth America)
Small hydro hydroelectric power on a scale suitable for a small community or industrial plants
Source reduction any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal (U.S. EPA)
Superfund site a hazardous waste site designated by the EPA for management and cleanup (U.S. EPA)
Tiny home
a small portable dwelling with 400 square feet or less of floor space that may have all the fundamentals of a house, such as kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living area
1234
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 61 Transportation
demand management
a general term for strategies that increase overall system efficiency by encouraging a shift from single-occupant vehicle (SOV) trips to non-SOV modes or shifting auto trips out of peak periods (Seattle Urban Mobility Plan)
Utility-scale electricity
generation
electricity generation and capacity of electric power plants with at least 1,000 kilowatts or 1 megawatt (MW) of total electricity-generation capacity (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
Virtual power plant
consists of several small-scale distributed energy resources that are connected on a virtual network and can remotely coordinate these independent technologies to respond to grid needs (Marin Clean Energy) Waste diversion use of material for any purpose other than disposal in a landfill or transformation facility (CalRecycle)
Waste reduction
practices
system in which waste is never created and therefore doesn’t have associated costs, also known as waste prevention (CalRecycle) Waterway a way or channel for water; a navigable body of water Zero-emission
standard
zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles such as battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which have ultra-low smog-forming and greenhouse gas pollutants, even over the life of a vehicle, including the vehicle’s fuel-production emissions Zero-emission vehicle
(ZEV)
vehicles that do not produce direct exhaust or tailpipe emissions (U.S.

Department of Energy)
Zero-energy building
(also Zero Net Energy
and Net Zero Energy)
an energy-efficient building where, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy (U.S. Department of Energy)
Zero waste
designing and managing of products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials and to conserve and recover all resources and not burn or bury them (CalRecycle) Zero-carbon energy
sources
energy sources like wind, nuclear and solar, which do not create carbon emissions when they are used to produce electricity (National Grid ESO) 1235
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 62 Endnotes
1 U.S Department of the Interior. “Interior Department Outlines Roadmap for Continued Renewable Energy Progress on Public Lands.” Press Releases, 4/20/2022, https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-depart- ment-outlines-roadmap-continued-renewable-energy-progress-public-lands. Accessed 11/6/2023. 2 Sen. Sanders, Bernard. “S.1108 – 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011.” Senate – Energy and Natural Resources, 5/26/2011, https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1108. Accessed 11/6/2023. 3 U.S. Department of the Interior. “Secretary Haaland Outlines Ambitious Offshore Wind Leasing Strategy.” Press Releases, 10/13/2021, https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-haaland-outlines-ambitious-off- shore-wind-leasing-strategy. Accessed 11/6/2023.
4 The White House. “FACT SHEET: President Biden Sets 2030 Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Target Aimed at Creating Good-Paying Union Jobs and Securing U.S. Leadership on Clean Energy Technologies.” Statements and Releases, 4/22/2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releas- es/2021/04/22/fact-sheet-president-biden-sets-2030-greenhouse-gas-pollution-reduction-target-aimed- at-creating-good-paying-union-jobs-and-securing-u-s-leadership-on-clean-energy-technologies/. Accessed 11/6/2023.
5 California Legislative Information. “SB-100 California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: emissions of greenhouse gases.” Bill Information, 9/10/18, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?- bill_id=201720180SB100. Accessed 11/6/2023.
6 Ibid.
7 Sen. Gaines. “Senate Bill No. 1.” Legislative Counsel’s Digest, 12/1/2014, http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/ bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sb_1_bill_20141201_introduced.htm. Accessed 11/6/2023. 8 Public Utilities Commission. “The Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Program.” Assembly Bill 693, 12/1/2017, https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/somah/. Accessed 11/6/2023. 9 Chiu, David. “Assembly Bill 525, Offshore Wind Generation (Chaptered).” California Air Resources Board, 2021, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/2021-assembly-bill-525-chiu-david-offshore-wind-generation-chaptered. Accessed 11/6/2023.
10 California Legislative Information. “SB-32 California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: emis- sions limit.” Bill Information, 9/8/2016, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_ id=201520160SB32. Accessed 11/6/2023.
11 Richmond City Council. “Resolution No. 88-21.” 7/6/2021, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/ArchiveCenter/View- File/Item/11284. Accessed 11/6/2023.
12 City of Richmond. “MCE Clean Energy Programs.” Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, https://www. ci.richmond.ca.us/2523/MCE-Clean-Energy. Accessed 11/6/2023. 13 The White House. “FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Executive Order Catalyzing America’s Clean Energy Economy Through Federal Sustainability.” Statements and Releases, 12/8/2021, https://www.whitehouse. gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/08/fact-sheet-president-biden-signs-executive-order-cata- lyzing-americas-clean-energy-economy-through-federal-sustainability/. Accessed 11/6/2023. 14 California Legislative Information. “SB-1020 Clean Energy, Jobs, and Affordability Act of 2022.” Bill Information, 9/19/2022, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1020. Accessed 11/6/2023.
1236
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 63 15 Ibid.
16 The White House. “FACT SHEET: Biden Administration Jumpstarts Offshore Wind Energy Projects to Create Jobs.” Statements and Releases, 3/29/2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releas- es/2021/03/29/fact-sheet-biden-administration-jumpstarts-offshore-wind-energy-projects-to-create-jobs/.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
17 California Legislative Information. “SB-100 California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: emissions of greenhouse gases.” Bill Information, 9/10/2018, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?- bill_id=201720180SB100. Accessed 11/6/2023.
18 California Legislative Information. “SB-1020 Clean Energy, Jobs, and Affordability Act of 2022.” Bill Information, 9/19/2022, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1020. Accessed 11/6/2023.
19 Chiu, David. “Assembly Bill 525, Offshore Wind Generation (Chaptered).” California Air Resources Board, 2021, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/2021-assembly-bill-525-chiu-david-offshore-wind-generation-chaptered. Ac- cessed 11/6/2023.
20 Governor of the State of California. “Executive Order S-3-05.” Executive Department State of California, 6/1/2005, https://www.californiaenvironmentallawblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/449/2013/01/Exec.- Order-S-3-05-Jun.-2005.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023.
21 Southern California Association of Governments. “Senate Bill 375 Factsheet.” California State Legislation, 1/1/2009, https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/scag_sb375_factsheet.pdf?1605558391. Ac- cessed 11/6/2023.
22 California Legislative Information. “AB-32 California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006” Bill Information, 9/27/2006, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=200520060AB32. Accessed 11/6/2023.
23 California Energy Commission. “Executive Order B-55-15 To Achieve Carbon Neutrality.” 11/19/2022, https:// efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=235752&DocumentContentId=68701. Accessed 11/6/2023. 24 City of Richmond. “Resolution 108-08 committing to the greenhouse gas emission targets es- tablished by AB 32.” http://sireweb.ci.richmond.ca.us/sirepub/cache/2/wc3nvlsfbiwi5s4pidzfn- be1/4257911062023114951811.PDF. Accessed 11/6/2023.
25 U.S. Department of Energy. “DOE Offshore Wind Energy Market Report, 2022.” 8/16/2022, https://www.ener- gy.gov/eere/wind/articles/offshore-wind-market-report-2022-edition. Accessed 2/12/2024. 26 Regarding green hydrogen, safety concerns need to be addressed, as well as issues around sourcing renew- able energy for green hydrogen manufacturing.
27 Research has shown that gas stoves leak unburned gas even when shut off. Unburned natural gas contains hazardous air pollutants, some of which are known carcinogens, such as benzene. Gas stoves have also been found to emit nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide while in use. 28 California Public Utilities Commission. “Residential Zero Net Energy Building Integration Cost Analysis.” Cus- tomer Distributed Energy Resources Grid Integration Study, 10/18/2017, https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/ cpuc-website/files/legacyfiles/1/6442455013-10007451-hou-r-02-d-zne-building-integration-costs-2017-10- 18-final.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023.
29 Ibid.
30 California Public Utilities Commission. “Zero Net Energy.” https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/elec- trical-energy/demand-side-management/energy-efficiency/zero-net-energy. Accessed 4/17/2024. 31 California Air Resources Board. “Zero-Emission Appliance Standards.” Final 2022 Scoping Plan Update, 1237
Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 64 12/1/2022, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ab-32-climate-change-scoping-plan/2022-scoping- plan-documents. Accessed 11/6/2023.
32 Tung, Robin. “California Governor Gavin Newsom sets a target of 3 million climate-ready homes and 6 million heat pumps by 2030.” Building Decarbonization Coalition, 7/22/2022, https://buildingdecarb.org/california- governor-gavin-newsom-sets-a-target-of-3-million-climate-ready-homes-and-6-million-heat-pumps-by-2030.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
33 Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. “Governor Newsom’s Newly Created Housing Accountability Unit Marks First Year.” 11/4/2022, https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/11/04/governor-newsoms-newly-created-housing-ac- countability-unit-marks-first-year/. Accessed 11/6/2023. 34 Bay Area Air Quality Management District. “Regulation 9 Rule 6: Nitrogen Oxides Emissions from Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters.” Rules & Compliance, 2023 Amendment, https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-com- pliance/rules/reg-9-rule-6-nitrogen-oxides-emissions-from-natural-gasfired-water-heaters?rule_ver- sion=2021%20Amendment. Accessed 11/6/2023.
35 Bay Area Air Quality Management District. “Rules 9-4 and 9-6 Building Appliances.” Rule Development, 10/31/2023, https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rule-development/building-appliances. Ac- cessed 11/6/2023.
36 City of Richmond. “Climate Action Plan.” 10/1/2016, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/ View/40636/CAP-combined. Accessed 11/6/2023.
37 Ibid.
38 City of Richmond. “Ordinance No. 06-20 N.S.” Code of Ordinances, 1/1/2020, https://library.municode.com/ ca/richmond/ordinances/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=1010764. Accessed 11/6/2023. 39 City of Richmond. “Ordinance No. 15-21 N.S.: Amending Richmond Municipal Code Adding New Chapter 9.64 Prohibition of Natural Gas Infrastructure in Newly Constructed Buildings.” 1/1/2022, https://www.ci.rich- mond.ca.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/11597. Accessed 11/6/2023. 40 City of Richmond. “Climate Action Plan.” 10/1/2016, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/ View/40636/CAP-combined. Accessed 11/6/2023.
41 Tung, Robin. “California Governor Gavin Newsom sets a target of 3 million climate-ready homes and 6 million heat pumps by 2030.” Building Decarbonization Coalition, 7/22/2022, https://buildingdecarb.org/california- governor-gavin-newsom-sets-a-target-of-3-million-climate-ready-homes-and-6-million-heat-pumps-by-2030.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
42 Bay Area Air Quality Management District. “Regulation 9 Rule 6: Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters.” Rules & Compliance, 2023 Amendment, https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-com- pliance/rules/reg-9-rule-6-nitrogen-oxides-emissions-from-natural-gasfired-water-heaters?rule_ver- sion=2021%20Amendment. Accessed 11/6/2023.
43 City of Richmond. “6th Cycle Housing Element Adoption Hearing.” Agenda Report, 1/24/2023, https://pub-ich- mond.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=48626. Accessed 11/6/2023. 44 California Air Resources Board. “2022 Scoping Plan.” 2022 Scoping Plan Documents, 11/16/2022, https:// ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/2022-sp_1.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023. 45 World Green Building Council. “The Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.” 9/15/2021, https://worldgbc. org/thecommitment/. Accessed 11/6/2023.
46 City of Richmond. “Resolution 108-08 committing to the greenhouse gas emission targets es- tablished by AB 32.” http://sireweb.ci.richmond.ca.us/sirepub/cache/2/wc3nvlsfbiwi5s4pidzfn- be1/4257911062023114951811.PDF. Accessed 11/6/2023.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 65 47 Note that residential units in California that are all-electric are fairly evenly split between single-family homes and multi-family dwellings (48% each), with an additional 4% of all electric residences being mobile homes. (2022)
48 The American Presidency Project. “Executive Order 14037 – Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks.” Documents, 8/5/2021, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-or- der-14037-strengthening-american-leadership-clean-cars-and-trucks. Accessed 11/6/2023. 49 Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero. “COP27: USA, Ukraine, Ireland, Aruba, Belgium, Croatia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Liechtenstein, Lithuania Sign Global MOU, support path to 100% new truck and bus sales by 2040.” 11/17/2022, https://globaldrivetozero.org/2022/11/16/cop27-usa-growing-number-nations- sign-global-mou/. Accessed 11/6/2023.
50 California Air Resources Board. “Advanced Clean Cars II.” Amendments, 10/1/2023, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/ our-work/programs/advanced-clean-cars-program/advanced-clean-cars-ii. Accessed 11/6/2023. 51 California Air Resources Board. “15 states and the District of Columbia join forces to accelerate bus and truck electrification.” Memorandum of Understanding, 7/14/2020, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/15-states-and-dis- trict-columbia-join-forces-accelerate-bus-and-truck-electrification. Accessed 11/6/2023. 52 California Air Resources Board. “Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation. Fact Sheet, 4/1/2019, https://ww2. arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-07/ICTreg_factsheet.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023. 53 U.S. Department of Energy. “Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Promotion Plan.” Laws & Incentives, 1/26/2018, https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/10212. Accessed 11/6/2023. 54 California Air Resources Board. “The California Sustainable Freight Action Plan.” Transportation and Toxics Division, 6/1/2015, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/california-sustainable-freight-action-plan.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
55 City of Richmond. “Richmond General Plan 2030.” 4/25/2012, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2608/Gener- al-Plan-2030. Accessed 11/6/2023.
56 City of Richmond. “Climate Action Plan.” 10/1/2016, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/ View/40636/CAP-combined. Accessed 11/6/2023.
57 City of Richmond. “Richmond Livable Corridors.” Sustainable Communities Planning Grant, 7/15/2022, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/30759/RLC_FBC_Final_022715?bidId=. Accessed 11/6/2023.
58 Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero. “COP27: USA, Ukraine, Ireland, Aruba, Belgium, Croatia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Liechtenstein, Lithuania Sign Global MOU, support path to 100% new truck and bus sales by 2040.” 11/17/2022, https://globaldrivetozero.org/2022/11/16/cop27-usa-growing-number-nations- sign-global-mou/. Accessed 11/6/2023.
59 State of California Executive Department. “Executive Order N-79-20.” 9/23/2020, https://www.gov.ca.gov/ wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.23.20-EO-N-79-20-Climate.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023. 60 California Air Resources Board. “California moves to accelerate to 100% new zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.” Office of Communication, 8/25/2022, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/california-moves-acceler- ate-100-new-zero-emission-vehicle-sales-2035. Accessed 11/6/2023. 61 California Air Resources Board. “Advanced Clean Trucks.” https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ad- vanced-clean-trucks. Accessed 11/6/2023.
62 California Air Resources Board. “Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Regulation. Fact Sheet, 4/1/2019, https://ww2. arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-07/ICTreg_factsheet.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023. 63 Association of Bay Area Governments. “Plan Bay Area 2050+.” 10/1/2021, https://www.planbayarea.org/plan- bay-area-2050-plus. Accessed 11/6/2023.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 66 64 California Air Resources Board. “15 states and the District of Columbia join forces to accelerate bus and truck electrification.” Memorandum of Understanding, 7/14/2020, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/15-states-and-dis- trict-columbia-join-forces-accelerate-bus-and-truck-electrification. Accessed 11/6/2023. 65 Governor of the State of California. “Executive Order S-3-05.” Executive Department State of California, 6/1/2005, https://www.californiaenvironmentallawblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/449/2013/01/Exec.- Order-S-3-05-Jun.-2005.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023.
66 California Energy Commission. “Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act – SB350.” https://www. energy.ca.gov/rules-and-regulations/energy-suppliers-reporting/clean-energy-and-pollution-reduc- tion-act-sb-350#:~:text=What%2520Does%2520SB%2520350%2520Do,%252C%2520biomass%252C%2520 geothermal%2520and%2520others. Accessed 11/6/2023.
67 California Air Resources Board. “2022 Scoping Plan.” 2022 Scoping Plan Documents, 11/16/2022, https:// ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/2022-sp_1.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023. 68 City of Richmond. “Transparent Richmond.” https://www.transparentrichmond.org/. Accessed 2/12/2024. 69 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “U.S. National Recycling Goal.” Circular Economy, 11/17/2020, https:// www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/us-national-recycling-goal. Accessed 11/6/2023. 70 CalRecycle. “Mandatory Commercial Recycling.” 1/17/2012, https://calrecycle.ca.gov/Recycle/Commercial/.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
71 CalRecycle. “Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling – AB 1826.” Mandatory Commercial Organics Recy- cling Measure, 4/21/2014, https://urecycle.org/mobius/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/MDMRA-Recycle-Laws- AB-1826-Rev2-Apr21.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023.
72 CalRecycle. “New Statewide Mandatory Organic Waste Collection.” SB 1383, 1/1/2022, https://calrecycle. ca.gov/organics/slcp/. Accessed 11/6/2023.
73 Ibid.
74 Ibid.
75 California Legislative Information. “SB-54 Solid Waste: reporting, packaging, and plastic food service ware.” Secretary of State, 7/1/2022, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_ id=202120220SB54. Accessed 11/6/2023.
76 City of Richmond. “Richmond General Plan 2030.” 4/25/2012, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2608/Gener- al-Plan-2030. Accessed 11/6/2023.
77 California Legislative Information. “SB-54 Solid Waste: reporting, packaging, and plastic food service ware.” Secretary of State, 7/1/2022, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_ id=202120220SB54. Accessed 11/6/2023.
78 Ibid.
79 Ibid.
80 CalRecycle. “2021 Disposal Facility-Based Waste Characterization Data Tables.” https://calrecycle.ca.gov/wcs/ dbstudy/. Accessed 2/12/2024.
81 Department of the Interior. “FACT SHEET: President Biden to Take Action to Uphold Commitment to Re- store Balance on Public Lands and Waters, Invest in Clean Energy Future.” 1/27/2021. https://www.doi.gov/ pressreleases/fact-sheet-president-biden-take-action-uphold-commitment-restore-balance-public-lands.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
82 Governor of the State of California. “Executive Order N-82-20.” Executive Department State of Califor- nia,10/7/2020, https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/10.07.2020-EO-N-82-20-.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023.
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Gap Analysis: Environmental Policy Goals and Current State 67 83 City of Richmond. “Richmond General Plan 2030.” 4/25/2012, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2608/Gener- al-Plan-2030. Accessed 11/6/2023.
84 Ibid.
85 California Natural Resources Agency. “30x30 California.” https://www.californianature.ca.gov/. Accessed 2/12/2024.
86 City of Richmond. “Richmond General Plan 2030.” 4/25/2012, https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2608/Gener- al-Plan-2030. Accessed 11/6/2023.
87 Ibid.
88 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Cleanups in My Community.” https://www.epa.gov/cleanups/clean- ups-my-community. Accessed 2/12/2024.
89 Ibid.
90 State Water Resources Control Board. “GeoTracker.” https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov. Accessed 2/12/2024.
91 Sen. Jones, Wesley. “Merchant Marine Act of 1920, Jones Act, Section 27.” 6/05/1920, https://uscode.house. gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-2000-title46a-chapter24&edition=2000. Accessed 11/6/2023. 92 California Air Resources Board. “Section 93130. Control Measures for Ocean-Going Vessels at Berth, Title 17 California Code of Regulations.” 1/1/2023, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/barcu/regact/2019/og- vatberth2019/fro.pdf. Accessed 11/6/2023.
93 California Air Resources Board. “CARB passes amendments to commercial harbor craft regulation.” 3/24/2022, https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/carb-passes-amendments-commercial-harbor-craft-regulation.

Accessed 11/6/2023.
94 Ibid.
95 California Water Boards. “Next phase of recycled water begins for California.” 7/11/2023. https://www.water- boards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr20230711-recycled-water-next-phase.pdf. Press Release, 7/11/2023. Accessed 2/12/2024.
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Community Outreach and Findings Report

Submitted to the City of Richmond City Manager’s Office June 15, 2023

Prepared by:

as part of the
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal Workforce Development Plan https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4138/Green-Blue-New-Deal-and-Just-Transition

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Table of Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 Overview .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Outreach Goals and Objectives................................................................................................................... 1 Outreach Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Major Themes and Feedback .......................................................................................................................... 2 Community Priorities ................................................................................................................................... 2 Support for Green-Blue Projects ................................................................................................................. 2 Key Partners to Engage in Plan Development and Implementation ......................................................... 3 Project Logo ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Community Champions ................................................................................................................................... 5 Role and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................. 5 Compensation .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Meeting Objectives...................................................................................................................................... 6 Findings ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 Community-Based Organization Partners ...................................................................................................... 9 Partnership Overview .................................................................................................................................. 9 Partners ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 Findings ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Stakeholder Workshops ................................................................................................................................. 12 Purpose ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Business and Industry Stakeholders ......................................................................................................... 12 Union and Trades Stakeholders ................................................................................................................ 12 Survey ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Design ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Promotion .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Response Statistics .................................................................................................................................... 14 Findings ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................................ 28

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