City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 30, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Accept 2024 State Homeland Security Program Grant Funds 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 awarded in the amount of $60,875 from the federal Department of Homeland Security for the 2024 State Homeland Security Program grant on behalf of the Fire Department and to accept all future grant renewals;
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary grant agreement required to accept the grant and any subsequent grant modifications; and
4. Authorize a 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. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, awarded the Santa Monica Fire Department a grant totaling $60,875 from the 2024 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP). Staff recommends that the Council authorize the City Manager to accept the 2024 SHSP grant funds and to execute the subrecipient agreement with the County of Los Angeles for a performance period of September 1, 2024, to May 31, 2027. The 2024 SHSP grant funds are administered by the County of Los Angeles on behalf of the Los Angeles-Long Beach Urban Area, which includes the City of Santa Monica.
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Discussion
The State Homeland Security Program is focused on enhancing regional preparedness and capabilities in major metropolitan areas. The Santa Monica Fire Department received funds to support the Fire Department’s core public safety mission as well as regional homeland security goals. The following are the 2024 SHSP focus areas and national priorities:
1. Enhance information and intelligence sharing and cooperation with federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (National Priority)
2. Enhance the protection of soft targets/crowded places (National Priority)
3. Enhance cybersecurity (National Priority)
4. Enhance community preparedness and resilience (National Priority)
5. Combat domestic violent extremism (National Priority)
6. Strengthen emergency communications capabilities through planning, governance, technology, and equipment
7. Enhance medical and public health preparedness
8. Strengthen information sharing and collaboration (non-Fusion Center)
9. Enhance multi-jurisdictional/inter-jurisdictional all-hazards/whole community incident planning, response, and recovery capabilities
10.Protect critical infrastructure and key resources (includes food and agriculture)
11.Enhancing election security (National Priority)
The SHSP grant is 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and managed through the State of California’s Office of Emergency Services.
There is no requirement of a local match. The City of Santa Monica has received over $20 million in federal homeland security grant funding since 2003. These funds have been used to purchase necessary interoperable communication and infrastructure equipment, supplies, and training in direct support of overall regional goals to promote effective information gathering, sharing, and response to threats and/or acts of terrorism. 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.
The 2024 SHSP grant will fund the following projects:
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• Urban Search & Rescue training ($58,500)
• Regional Unified Response to Violent Incidents instructor certification and training ($2,375)
The grant has a performance period of September 1, 2024, to May 31, 2027, and is reimbursement-based.
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 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.” Grant funding would be used to support public safety, specifically for fire department training. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant totaling $60,875 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency for 2024 SHSP to fund projects and training courses in the Fire Department.
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment to the Miscellaneous Grants Fund.
FY 2025-26 Grant Budget Amendment
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20190001.40429E $60,875 20190001.55517E $60,875
If modifications or renewals are awarded, budget changes will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval. 4 of 4
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Written Comments