City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: July 8, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.F
1 of 3
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Ramon Batista, Police Chief, Police Department
Subject: Authorization to Accept Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) 2024 Grant for Homeland Security Projects
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant award in the amount of $2,498,772 from the 2024 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) for homeland security projects in the Fire and Police Departments;
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant and any subsequent grant modifications; and
4. Authorize budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report (requires 5 votes).
Summary
Each year, the Federal government allocates grant funding to enhance regional preparedness for disasters, emergencies, and other threats to homeland security. For the Urban Area Security Initiative (“UASI”) 2024 grant cycle, $2,498,772 was awarded to the Santa Monica Fire and Police Departments as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Urban Area Security Initiative Grant. The City of Los Angeles administers the UASI grant on behalf of the Los Angeles-Long Beach Urban Area, which includes Santa Monica. Staff recommends that the City accept the UASI 2024 grant funds and enter into a 2 of 3
subrecipient agreement with the City of Los Angeles for a performance period of September 1, 2024 to May 31, 2027.
Discussion
The UASI program directly supports the national priority of expanding regional collaboration within the National Preparedness Goal, which is guidance from DHS that sets forth what is required for a local community to be prepared for all types of disasters and emergencies. The UASI grant is intended to assist participating jurisdictions in developing integrated regional systems for prevention, protection, response, and recovery from natural or human-made disasters. These funds cannot be used for general purposes and must be specified at the time of application. Homeland security purchases must be pre-approved by the state and align with grant guidelines. There is no local match for the UASI program.
For the UASI 2024 grant cycle, $2,498,772 was awarded to the Santa Monica Fire and Police Departments. Of the $1,120,000 awarded to the Police Department, the major approved expenditures include:
• $1,000,000 to upgrade radios to ensure interoperability • $120,000 for the purchase of multi-utility vehicles for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high yield Explosives (CBRNE) Incident Response Of the $1,378,772 awarded to the Fire Department, the major approved expenditures include:
• $700,000 for the Regional Training Delivery model which creates and disseminates regional training on behalf of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs’ Association (LAAFCA)
• $200,000 for the Regional Training Officer who works on regional training on behalf of LAAFCA
• $181,000 for Tactical Executive Command and Control Training • $94,050 for Satellite Training Centers Sustainment and Maintenance Environmental Review
The acceptance of federal grant funds is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the 3 of 3
CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The grant funds would enhance public safety with equipment, programs, training, and exercises. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the acceptance of federal grant funds is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant totaling $2,498,772 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency for UASI 2024 to fund projects, purchase equipment, and fund training in support of overall regional goals to promote effective information gathering, sharing, and response to threats and/or acts of terrorism.
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment to the Miscellaneous Grants Fund.
FY 2025-26 Grant Budget Changes
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20190001.40428i $1,378,772 20190001.55518i $1,378,772
20180001.40428i $1,120,000 20180001.55518i $1,120,000
If modifications or renewals are awarded, budget changes will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council