City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JUNE 6, 2023
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER WARD: 4
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL – ROUND 5 TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM - IN AN AMOUNT UP TO $300,000 TO BENEFIT THE GREATER CASA BLANCA NEIGHBORHOOD; AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE GRANT – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUES:
Approval of a Resolution that authorizes a submittal to the Transformative Climate Communities Planning Grant Program application in an amount of approximately $300,000, funded by the State of California Strategic Growth Council, to fund clean energy and smart growth projects in the greater Casa Blanca Neighborhood; and authorization for the City Manager or designee to sign all required Grant documents.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve a Resolution (Exhibit A) authorizing an application to the Transformative Climate Communities Planning Grant Program (TCC Planning Grant) and further authorizing the City Manager or designee to sign an application and any and all associated program documents, making minor and non-substantive changes as necessary, for a grant amount of approximately $300,000 to plan for clean energy and smart growth projects in the greater Casa Blanca Neighborhood; Upon Grant award, receive $300,000, or the actual awarded amount, from the TCC Planning Grant Program; and With at least five affirmative votes, and upon award of TCC Planning Grant funds, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenues and appropriate expenditures in the amount of $300,000, or the actual awarded amount, in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, TCC Planning Program accounts.
BACKGROUND:
The TCC Grant Program has the overall goals of producing public health and environmental benefits through the reduction of emissions from sources of air pollution; achieving health equity and improving public health; and by connecting and investing in project areas. The Grant also invests in ensuring healthy and active living by improving and increasing access to health-promoting systems and environments. In 2001, a partnership between the City of Riverside and neighborhood partners were successfully awarded a TCC Implementation Grant package valued at $31.2 million that funded the Entrada Housing Project as well as smart transit projects, park improvements, urban greening, and workforce development projects and programs in a project area located in the Eastside Neighborhood.
DISCUSSION:
TCC Planning Grants are intended to fund activities that are defined in an existing regional or local plan and that will occur in disadvantaged communities that may be eligible for future TCC Implementation Grants, or other California Climate Investment (CCI) programs. On March 8, 2023, the Strategic Growth Council released a Round 5 Notice of Funding Availability and initial application materials for the TCC Planning Grant Program. The TCC Planning Grant will award up to $300,000 that fund community building and initial project planning leading to a full TCC Implementation Grant. The State Strategic Growth Council plans to award three Planning Grants statewide in the current funding round.
The Casa Blanca Neighborhood:
The Casa Blanca neighborhood features many single-family homes of early twentieth century architectural styles, particularly California Bungalow. The homes surround the neighborhood's central recreational feature, Villegas Park and the Ysmael Villegas Community Center. A mix of residential, institutional, and neighborhood serving commercial uses are located along Madison Street which runs through the middle of the neighborhood. Located along Indiana Avenue and Jefferson Street, at the edges of the neighborhood, is a mix of commercial and industrial development. The Casa Blanca Census Tract (6065031300) has about 3,200 people. Surrounding Census Tracts have approximately 23,000 people.
Casa Blanca scores very high (90%+) in the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 analytical tool, a key metric used to qualify for a TCC Planning Grant. CalEnviroScreen scores are calculated from the scores for two groups of indicators: pollution burden and population characteristics. Given the population density, freeway adjacency and pollution burden, the Casa Blanca Neighborhood and surrounding areas would make a strong candidate for investment by a TCC Grant. The Casa Blanca Neighborhood also demonstrates many potential projects and has established community groups that would be key to success of a Planning Grant and potentially a TCC Implementation Grant. A map taken from the Cal EnviroScreen 4.0 program is presented as Exhibit B to demonstrate neighborhood characteristics.
The City intends to utilize assistance from its approved Grant Writer panel to complete this application, and an approximate cost of $12,000.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item aligns with Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government and Goal 5.4, to maintain fiscal health by addressing gaps between revenues and expenditures.
This report also aligns with each of the five cross-cutting threads as follows:
Community Trust – Utilizing a TCC Grant to build community capacity will serve the public interest by potentially expanding programs and completing projects with external funding; benefiting the City’s diverse populations, and resulting in greater public good.
Equity – A potential major grant investment in Casa Blanca would result in a more equitable distribution of funding opportunity that serves populations citywide. The TCC Grant is an example of City staff also seek grant funding to directly benefit disadvantaged communities and residents in need of aid.
Fiscal Responsibility – The City maximizes outcomes in usage of grant funds as a way to lessen pressure on the General fund for projects and services in greater Casa Blanca.
Innovation – This funding provides the City with the ability to create an innovative program for building capacity with the result in receiving greater external funding.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Riverside builds community capacity to allow Casa Blanca to apply for future sustainability grants and allows the City to adaptively address resident needs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this report, if the grant is awarded, is $300,000. Upon Council approval and grant award, an increase in revenue in the amount of the grant award will be recorded and an equal amount appropriated in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, TCC Planning Program revenue account number 9348800-334100 and expenditure account 9348800-440210.
Prepared by: Jeff McLaughlin, Grants Administrator
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer/Finance Director
Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Resolution
Map
Transformative Climate Communities Planning Grant ● Page 3