City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 FROM: HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES WARDS: 5 AND 6 SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR, AND ACCEPTANCE OF, UP TO $27,500,000 IN STATE OF CALIFORNIA STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES IMPLEMENTATION GRANT FUNDING FOR THE RIVERSIDE THRIVE INITIATIVE; AND APPROVAL OF A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE COLLABORATIVE STAKEHOLDER STRUCTURE – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUES:
Adoption of a Resolution authorizing the City’s application for, and acceptance of, a State of California Strategic Growth Council and Department of Conservation Transformative Climate Communities Implementation Grant in an amount up to $27,500,000 to implement the Riverside Thrive Initiative; and approval of Partnership Agreements for the collaborative stakeholder structure.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment 1) authorizing the submission of an application to the Transformative Climate Communities Program, administered by the California Strategic Growth Council and the California Department of Conservation, for an amount not to exceed $27,500,000 to implement clean energy, smart growth, and affordable housing projects (Attachment 2) the Arlanza, Arlington Heights, and Casa Blanca Neighborhoods, and authorizing the acceptance of the Grant upon award; Upon receipt of the funding award, and with at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenues in an amount of $27,500,000, or the actual grant award, and appropriate expenditures in the same amount in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Housing and Human Services, TCC 6 Project revenue and expenditure accounts; Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary in connection with the application for, acceptance, and implementation of the Grant, including grant agreements, amendments, payment requests, and other documents necessary to complete the Grant-funded activities, and to make any minor and non-substantive changes thereto; and Authorize the City Manager and the Housing and Human Services Director, or their designees, to execute Partnership Agreements establishing the Collaborative Stakeholder Structure for the Riverside Thrive Initiative, including making any minor and non-substantive changes thereto.
BACKGROUND:
In 2020, the City of Riverside was awarded Round 3 of the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Implementation Grant in the amount of $9,080,510 to support solar energy, xeriscaping, and urban greening improvements in Riverside’s Eastside Neighborhood. The current grant is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2026. The City has successfully completed the required grant deliverables and implemented innovative processes and practices that can inform future TCC grant rounds and community-based project implementation.
For the upcoming Round 6 TCC Implementation Grant, the Housing and Human Services Department has been coordinating with City departments and community partners to develop a cohesive portfolio of projects that builds upon the City's experience with the Round 3 grant. The proposed Riverside Thrive Initiative is designed to connect investments across the Arlanza, Arlington Heights, and Casa Blanca neighborhoods and advance clean energy, smart growth, affordable housing, and other community improvements that support healthy, sustainable, and resilient neighborhoods.
Through coordinated investment and collaboration with community stakeholders, the Riverside Thrive Initiative seeks to promote community resiliency, improve quality of life, expand equitable access to resources and opportunities, and create long-term neighborhood benefits for current and future generations.
DISCUSSION:
Beginning in 2024, the Housing and Human Services Department utilized grant opportunities, community engagement efforts, and partnerships with community organizations to gather information regarding the needs, priorities, and aspirations of Riverside residents. Individual Ward meetings have provided opportunities to receive public input directly from community members. In addition, the Department’s collaboration with the Riverside Community Health Foundation in the Casa Blanca and Arlanza neighborhoods has provided valuable community input and opportunities to establish relationships and engage directly with residents.
The TCC Implementation Grant is a community-based program that places residents and community priorities at the center of the planning and implementation process. This approach has provided the city with an opportunity to build the Riverside Thrive Initiative around the priorities and experiences of the residents who live in the proposed project area.
The City’s proposed Round 6 application, Riverside Thrive Initiative, encompasses approximately five square miles within Wards 5 and 6. The proposed Project Area, identified in Attachment 3, includes the Arlanza, Arlington Heights, and Casa Blanca neighborhoods. The Project Area was identified using the State’s official TCC mapping data and eligibility criteria.
The three neighborhoods are long-established communities with strong cultural identities, deep neighborhood connections, and a history of community resilience. At the same time, residents face a range of environmental and socioeconomic challenges, including extreme heat, air pollution, limited access to healthy food and green space, and housing affordability challenges. The Riverside Thrive Initiative seeks to build upon the strengths of these communities while addressing these challenges through coordinated investments in clean energy, smart growth, affordable housing, neighborhood improvements, and other community-driven strategies.
As part of the City's preparation for the Round 6 application, pre-proposal materials were submitted to the State for review and feedback. Based on the State's preliminary evaluation (Attachment 4), the City's concept was identified among the top 15 of nearly 50 applications statewide. This feedback provided additional support for advancing the Riverside Thrive Initiative and developing a full application for the Round 6 funding opportunity.
The TCC Implementation Grant is designed to achieve multiple interconnected goals, including:
Empowering communities to identify and implement strategies that achieve environmental, health, and economic benefits while reducing greenhouse gas emissions; Prioritizing California’s most disadvantaged communities for transformative investments; Developing a shared community vision through partnerships and decision-making established through a Collaborative Governance Structure; and Funding community-led development and infrastructure projects, including energy efficiency improvements, solar installations, urban greening, affordable and sustainable housing, transit access and mobility improvements, health equity initiatives, community microgrids, and other transformative projects.
The proposed Riverside Thrive Initiative and associated transformative plans are intended to advance the State’s goals while responding directly to priorities identified through community engagement. The proposed portfolio of projects provides an opportunity to coordinate investments across the three neighborhoods and generate long-term environmental, economic, housing, health, and quality-of-life benefits for residents.
Implementation of the Riverside Thrive Initiative would involve coordination among multiple City departments and community partners, including Public Works; Parks, Recreation and Community Services; Riverside Public Utilities; the Office of Sustainability; GRID Alternatives Inland Empire (GRID IE); TreePeople; Riverside Community Health Foundation; Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service; Mujeres Activas y Unidas en Salud (MAS); Operation New Hope; and California Baptist University.
The Housing and Human Services Department procured the services of California Public Policy Group to provide grant-writing assistance for the TCC Implementation Grant application at a contracted amount of $18,000. The full TCC Implementation Grant application is due September 30, 2026. The Department has assembled a grant-writing team and is coordinating with participating City departments and community partners to complete the application and all required materials by the State’s deadline.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If awarded, the TCC Round 6 grant would provide up to $27,500,000 in grant funding. Upon grant award and Council acceptance, an increase in revenues and an equal amount appropriated in the funds and accounts as listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Grant Award
Fund
Project
Account
Amount
Grants & Restricted Programs
TCC Round 6
Revenue
9412800-334100
$27,500,000
Expenditures
9412800-440210
$27,500,000
The TCC Round 6 grant requires 50% City match, representing $13,750,000 in complementary funding sources to support eligible components of the proposed project. The City intends to leverage existing and proposed investments, including HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA), Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP), tax credit and/or bond financing, including at least $7,326,183 in financing identified to support the Days Inn motel conversion project and the development of affordable senior housing. The City is also evaluating whether its 2024 Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant of $6,423,817 may qualify as a leveraged funding source for eligible transportation and mobility improvements within the TCC Project Area. Final leveraged funding sources will be confirmed in accordance with TCC program requirements and the City's grant award. Table 2 below shows the proposed City matching funding that will be submitted with the grant.
Table 2. City Match (50% of Grant Award)
Fund
Project
Account
Amount
Development Grants
HHAP 5 Grant
9351020-440210
$316,289
9351030-440210
$3,000,000
9351040-440210
$2,500,000
HHAP 6 Grant
9354530-440210
$1,509,894
Capital Outlay-Grants
Safe Streets 4 All
9282127-440127
$6,423,817
Total for 50% City Match
$13,750,000
Should the above-mentioned funding not qualify as the City match, other partners and funding sources will need to be identified to be able to satisfy the City’s 50% match. Other match funding could be substituted if necessary, at a future date.
Prepared by: Melissa Williams Project Coordinator
Approved by: Michelle Davis, Housing and Human Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Finance Director
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: James Johnson, City Attorney
Attachments:
TCC Grant Resolution
Proposed TCC Grant Projects
Proposed TCC Grant Project Area Map
SGC Pre-Proposal Feedback
Transformative Climate Communities Grant – Riverside Thrive Initiative ● Page 2