CALIFORNIA ADVOCACY • FEDERAL ADVOCACY • GRANT WRITING
Sacramento • Washington, D.C.
Northern California • Central California • Southern California
MEMORANDUM
To: The Honorable Gary Singh and Members of the City Council CC: Joan Malloy, City Manager
From Townsend Public Affairs
Niccolo DeLuca, Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Ben Goldeen, Federal Advocacy Director
Joseph Melo, Federal Advocacy Manager
Alex Gibbs, Grants Director
Carlin Shelby, Deputy Director
Kerri West, Senior Associate
Joe Hansen, Federal Legislative Analyst
Date: August 10, 2026
Subject: Summary of 2026 Legislative Efforts
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) has prepared this summary memorandum highlighting the firm's advocacy efforts and accomplishments on behalf of the City throughout 2026. This report provides an overview of the legislative, regulatory, budget, and funding activities undertaken in support of the City Council's priorities and documents the work performed to advance the City's interests before the State Legislature, state agencies, the Administration, and federal partners.
Because the legislative and regulatory landscape is constantly evolving, the City's advocacy efforts continue to adapt as new legislation is introduced, budget proposals are released, regulations are developed, and funding opportunities emerge.
Funding secured to date totals $1,556,861.
Throughout the year, TPA provided regular, in-depth, timely, and strategic updates to ensure the City Administration and City Council remained informed of key state and federal policy, legislative, regulatory, budget, and funding developments affecting the City. These efforts focused on identifying emerging issues, monitoring legislative activity, advancing the City's advocacy priorities, securing funding opportunities, and protecting the City's interests before state and federal decision-makers.
STATE EFFORTS
Throughout the 2026 State Legislative Session, TPA maintained frequent, ongoing communication with the City of Union City by providing weekly updates on legislative and regulatory developments in Sacramento. These updates kept City staff informed of key policy actions, legislative deadlines, and emerging issues that would impact municipal operations, funding opportunities, and the City's legislative priorities.
To ensure consistent coordination and strategic planning, TPA also conducted bi-weekly checkin meetings with City staff. These meetings provided an opportunity to discuss the status of priority
legislation, review advocacy efforts, identify emerging issues, and coordinate strategies to advance the City's interests before the Legislature and state agencies.
In addition to ongoing legislative tracking, TPA prepared comprehensive policy analyses on several high-profile issues affecting local governments. These included legislation related to electric bicycle safety, illegal dumping, homelessness funding, the Taxpayer Protection Act, tort reform, wildfire and fire safety initiatives, and other significant state policy proposals. These summaries provided context, assessed potential impacts on Union City, and identified opportunities for advocacy.
TPA also kept the City informed of broader statewide fiscal and policy developments by preparing detailed summaries of the Governor's Proposed Budget, the Governor's May Revision, the November General Election ballot measures, and other significant legislative and administrative actions. These updates helped ensure City leadership remained informed of evolving budget priorities, funding opportunities, and policy decisions that could affect Union City's operations and long-term planning.
FEDERAL EFFORTS
TPA remained highly engaged in advancing the City of Union City's federal priorities throughout 2026. Working closely with the City's federal partners and congressional delegation, TPA actively pursued funding opportunities, monitored federal legislation and agency actions, and advocated for the City's priorities in Washington, D.C.
A summary of these federal advocacy efforts and accomplishments is provided below.
Secured $1.1 Million in FY26 Federal Funding
TPA successfully advanced two City projects through the Fiscal Year 2026 federal appropriations process and helped secure a combined $1.1 million in federal funding, including $850,000 for the acquisition of a new fire engine and $250,000 for the City’s streetlight project. As Congress negotiated the final funding agreement, TPA coordinated Union City’s participation in a coalition of 45 California public agencies urging congressional leadership to protect Community Project Funding and Congressionally Directed Spending projects in any final appropriations measure.
Both Union City projects were ultimately included in the final Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations legislation and signed into law.
Federal Advocacy Meetings in Washington, D.C.
TPA hosted Mayor Gary Singh in Washington, D.C., during the U.S. Conference of Mayors and developed a targeted federal advocacy agenda on behalf of the City. TPA coordinated and participated in meetings with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Adam Schiff, and the office serving California’s 14th Congressional District. These meetings provided the Mayor with opportunities to communicate the City’s priorities directly to federal policymakers and discuss potential federal support for Union City projects and programs.
Helped Preserve the FY27 Fire Station 31 Funding Request TPA drafted and submitted the City’s Fiscal Year 2027 Community Project Funding application seeking $3 million for Critical Upgrades and Improvements to Fire Station 31.
The project was selected by the office representing California’s 14th Congressional District for submission to the House Appropriations Committee. However, following the vacancy, the Committee determined that it could not consider the request because the project had not been
publicly posted by a sitting Member and no House Member remained available to sponsor it. As such, the request no longer met the Committee’s transparency requirements.
In partnership with the City Team, TPA pivoted to advocating for the project’s inclusion in the Senate’s Congressionally Directed Spending process, despite the Senate submission deadline having already passed. TPA transmitted a letter from Mayor Singh explaining the circumstances and requested that the Senators advance the project. In addition, Council Member Patino utilized some of his contacts to help push forward the request. Through this advocacy and partnership, Senator Padilla included the Fire Station 31 project on his FY27 Congressionally Directed Spending list, preserving the City’s opportunity to secure the requested $3 million federal investment.
Advocacy on Major Federal Policy and Regulatory Initiatives TPA continued to advance and protect the City’s interests as Congress and the Administration considered significant changes to federal transportation, housing, and grant policy. In preparation for the next surface transportation reauthorization, TPA advocated for reforms that would strengthen local access to Surface Transportation Block Grant funding and preserve local decision-making for transportation safety, infrastructure, and mobility investments.
TPA engaged on the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, evaluating proposed reforms to the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships programs, potential incentives and penalties tied to local housing production, and new grant opportunities for housing planning and implementation. TPA worked to gather local government feedback on practical program limitations and identify potential amendments that would provide cities with greater flexibility in using federal housing and community development funds.
Additionally, TPA analyzed proposed revisions by the White House Office of Management and Budget to the federal Uniform Guidance and developed advocacy supporting efforts to streamline federal grant administration while seeking stronger protections for local governments. These efforts focused on clarifying vague standards that could affect grant eligibility, civic programming, subrecipient oversight, and the continuation of existing awards, as well as securing appropriate notice and procedural protections before an agency may suspend or terminate funding after a city has incurred costs or entered into contractual obligations.
GRANT AND FUNDING EFFORTS
TPA remained actively involved in advancing the City of Union City's grant priorities throughout 2026. Working closely with City staff, state and federal agencies, and funding partners, TPA identified and evaluated competitive grant opportunities, provided strategic guidance on funding programs, and supported the City's efforts to secure resources for priority projects and initiatives.
These efforts focused on maximizing external funding opportunities and positioning the City for long-term success. This includes helping to secure $284,142 in grant awards from applications submitted earlier in 2026.
A summary of TPA's grant assistance and funding efforts is provided below.
California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Proposition 64 Grant Union City Police Department was awarded $226,252 for the Union City Police Department Public Safety Enhancement Initiative to obtain Longeye AI Powered Evidence Analysis and Investigation Software for the five-year grant period ($121,500), as well as purchase two unmarked
enforcement vehicles to undergo discreet operations targeting illicit and dangerous criminal cannabis activity.
California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) TRIP Grant
Union City Police Department was awarded $49,100 for the Crossroads Software Acquisition project, which would enable the upload of Collision Report Data and Documents to the CHP SWITRS System to ensure accessibility to data. Funding would enable UCPD to acquire a suite of applications to analyze local-level traffic data (collisions, citations, and DUIs), queries (historical, high incidence, and monthly), and collision reports. The award also fund the report writing system on computer desktop applications.
California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) STEP Grant
Union City Police Department was awarded $8,790 for the LiDAR Equipment Acquisition project, which funds LiDAR devices and holsters that would allow the city to conduct targeted enforcement by equipping officers with updated life-saving technology to monitor auto-pedestrian collisionprone areas and respond in the event of collisions.
Union City Awarded Grant Applications to date include:
1. US Department of Energy - Energy and Efficiency Community Block Grant - Electric Vehicle Purchases - $129,020
2. California Highway Patrol – Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program – Cannabis Education and Outreach Project - $43,699
3. California Office of Traffic Safety – Office of Traffic Safety Grant - STEP: LiDAR Equipment Acquisition - $8,790 (Partial Award)
4. California Office of Traffic Safety – Office of Traffic Safety Grant - TRIP: Crossroads Software Acquisition - $49,100
5. California Board of State and Community Corrections - Prop 64 Public Health & Safety Grant Program - Union City Police Department Public Safety Enhancement Initiative - $226,252 Total Awards - $456,861