April 7, 2026
Economic Development
DATE: April 7, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Jesson de Leon, Senior Business Assistance Officer
Junne Garcia, Management Analyst
Subject:
Quarterly Status Update on Richmond Green -Blue New
Deal Projects
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to receiving this update.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
October 1, 2024
July 1, 2025
December 2, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
This quarterly update provides the City Council with a
status report on active projects under Richmond’s Green- Blue New Deal (GBND), with a focus on the Top Five
Priority Areas approved by the City Council. The report outlines progress to date and highlights ongoing efforts to align resources and strategic partnerships to advance job creation, climate resilience, and equity through these
initiatives.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE a quarterly update report on the status of the
Richmond Green-Blue New Deal projects - Economic
Development Department (Jesson de Leon 510-412-
2023/Junne Garcia 510-620-6524/Nannette Beacham
510-620-1306).
AGENDA
REPORT
April 7, 2026
BACKGROUND:
On October 1, 2024, City staff presented the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal (RGBND) Opportunities Report and its appendices to the City Council for initial review. In response to Council and community feedback, staff initiated an internal evaluation process to refine the implementation strategy and narrow the scope of projects to be prioritized over the next five years.
This process included a comprehensive review of all 24 proposed projects, surveys of internal departments, and input from the Economic Development Commission (EDC) and Workforce Development Board (WDB).
On July 1, 2025, the Top Five Priority Areas were presented to City Council and formally approved.
1. Port Upgrades & Offshore Wind Manufacturing
2. Building Electrification Retrofits & Green Accessory Dwellings
3. Brownfield Research and Innovation
4. Destination Downtown
5. Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles
QUARTERLY UPDATE
Below are their progress updates for the period of October through December 2025.
1. Port Upgrades & Offshore Wind Manufacturing
A. Assessment of Participation Options in Offshore Wind Industry In December, the Richmond City Council adopted a resolution to accept and appropriate the California Energy Commission (CEC) funding award to the Port of Richmond a $750,000 grant under the Offshore Wind Energy Waterfront Facility Improvement Program (Agreement OSW-25-003) to advance the Port’s Offshore Wind Conceptual Planning Project. A contract with Moffatt & Nichol for conceptual planning and preliminary engineering services was also approved by City Council. The project will evaluate terminal capacity, identify potential offshore-wind staging and assembly areas, and support development of a future Port Master Plan for offshore- wind-related uses. The Grant Agreement with CEC has not yet been finalized and is pending further action from CEC.
B. Build relationship with Blue Tech Companies and Industry Port staff members will continue to participate in Offshore Wind conferences and committees to strengthen connections with Blue Tech companies and explore partnership opportunities with this sector. Port staff members will continue to participate in working sessions with Energy Innovators Network and other regional groups to explore
April 7, 2026
collaboration opportunities and strengthen engagement with Blue Tech industry leaders.
The Port continues to work on California Air Resources Board (CARB) At Berth Regulation compliance and is contracting with STAX Engineering to deploy an exhaust gas emissions control solution for ships that are calling at the Port of Richmond.
C. Assessment of Port Infrastructure
The Port initiated a Comprehensive Conditions Assessment of the Point Potrero Marine Terminal (PPMT)—conducted by Moffatt & Nichol. This study provides a prioritized list of projects, with associated cost ranges, enabling the Port to strategically plan infrastructure investments over the next decade that will be needed to expand the tenant base and attract new industries.
D. Workforce Development for Marine Trades
Port staff members are planning a second annual Community Open House and Workforce Development Port Day to engage the community, raise awareness of maritime career pathways, and connect jobseekers with training and employment opportunities in the marine trades sector. The Port will continue to participate in regional efforts, the Working Waterfront Coalition (WWC), and explore best practices and partnership opportunities for advancing marine trades workforce development.
2. Building Electrification Retrofits & Green Accessory Dwellings
A. Green Accessory Dwelling Units.
Pre-approved plans were completed in 2024, and City staff are currently reviewing the plan set with the consultant to update it in accordance with the 2025 California Building Code.
B. Richmond Wired for Success
Employment and Training received a $500,000 grant from the California Workforce Development Board for Electrification training. City staff have completed the first cohort and are now placing graduates in internships.
One graduate intern is with the City of Richmond's Public Works in the electrical department. Other interns have been placed with local electric companies.
C. Electrification
The City’s Environmental and Health Initiatives staff participated in and tabled at an Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) hosted community workshop, alongside partner organizations, to provide Richmond residents with information on available home electrification programs.
April 7, 2026
The City submitted formal comments to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) advocating for the inclusion of additional Richmond SB 535 census tracts as designated SB 1221 Priority Decarbonization Zones. Senate Bill 1221 allows up to 30 pilot projects within the designated census tracts across California to help transition some neighborhoods from natural gas to cleaner, zero-emission energy options. The City hosted no-cost solar enrollment workshops at City Hall through a partnership between the Environmental and Health Initiatives Division, GRID Alternatives and Richmond Rising (Transformative Climate Communities) to support resident participation in clean energy programs. Environmental and Health Initiatives Division staff participated in an Advanced Energy Community Grant site tour with the California Energy Commission grant team, led by Zero Net Energy (ZNE)Alliance and Marin Clean Energy (MCE). The tour included visits to three participating Virtual Power Plant (VPP) sites: a multifamily property, a single-family residence, and a commercial business that installed EV charging equipment (EVSE) and battery storage. The residential site also featured upgraded electric appliances, including a heat pump water heater and electric stove.
3. Brownfield Research and Innovation
A. RichmondBUILD Environmental Job Training Program (RBEJTP) The Employment and Training Division recently received $500,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The program will provide pathways to family‑ sustaining careers for residents most impacted by environmental contamination and economic inequities. The program looks to partner with the City of Richmond's Port and other municipal capital improvements that require hazardous materials handling, demolition/deconstruction in support of cleanup, and site preparation
4. Destination Downtown
A. (TCC Project) Small Business Beautification Pilot Program The Program officially launched on December 29, 2025, and the online application is now available. Community outreach efforts are underway to inform businesses within the program area about this opportunity.
B. Macdonald Avenue Corridor Task Force
The Task Force convened three official meetings, including a Downtown Richmond walking tour with Assemblymember Matt Haney (San Francisco) and representatives from Assemblymember Wicks’ office. The Task Force commenced marketing and recruitment efforts to identify and onboard additional members.
The Task Force issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consulting services to support the Economic Revitalization Strategy for Downtown Richmond and the Macdonald Avenue corridor.
April 7, 2026
5. Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles
A. Zero Emission Vehicle(ZEV) Transition Plan
City staff, in coordination with consultants, enhanced the ZEV Fleet Transition and Infrastructure Coordination Tool to support implementation- level budgeting, scenario modeling, infrastructure planning, and emissions tracking through an approved contract modification.
The upgraded tool will guide FY 2026–27 CIP and operating budget integration, informing fleet replacement sequencing, infrastructure investments, funding strategy, and greenhouse gas reduction targets for Council consideration.
Phase 4 Implementation Strategy Update
City staff continue to advance development of the Phase 4 Implementation Strategy, which is focused on translating the five Council-approved priority project areas into actionable, implementation-ready scopes of work. These scopes are informed by prior technical assessments, community engagement input, and ongoing interdepartmental coordination to ensure alignment with Council policy direction and operational capacity.
The Implementation Strategy will establish clear project guidelines, sequencing recommendations, and a prioritization framework to support resource allocation and strategic decision-making. Each scope will integrate climate action goals, workforce development and inclusion strategies, economic equity considerations, and environmental sustainability objectives to ensure coordinated and comprehensive delivery.
Departmental leads and key external partners are being identified, and staff are evaluating potential funding sources, staffing needs, and budget requirements to support phased implementation and long-term program success. Upon completion, draft scopes of work and associated resource needs will be presented to the City Council for review, prioritization, and policy direction.
NEXT STEPS:
Providing this quarterly update to City Council was identified as a priority to ensure transparency, accountability, and continued alignment with Council-approved goals under the Richmond Green-Blue New Deal. City staff will present the next quarterly update to the City Council in the subsequent quarter to continue monitoring progress, implementation milestones, and emerging priorities.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
The RGBND initiative is rooted in Resolution 88-21 and builds upon Richmond’s Climate Action Plan, Economic Development Action Plan, Health in All Policies
April 7, 2026
Strategy, and Richmond Workforce Development Local Plan. The overarching goals include advancing a Just Transition and creating at least 1,000 new green-blue jobs to support a just, equitable, resilient, and sustainable future. Additionally, this is included in the City Council Goals and Priorities 6.1.b.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
None.