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Committee releases $813,188 in reserve to fund 10 environmental justice grants
Summary
The committee approved releasing $813,188 from reserve to fund 10 environmental justice grants and department staffing, after staff outlined outreach, a two-stage RFP and leveraged funds for neighborhood projects including solar installations in Bayview.
The Budget & Finance Committee approved a reserve release of $813,188 to fund 10 environmental justice grants and associated staffing costs, a mayor's office representative said during the hearing.
A presenter identified in the transcript as Darren (addressed as "Mister Blomemfel") described the program's track record. He said an audit conducted in 2006 showed the program served more than 10,000 people and employed more than 340. He said the program had facilitated roughly 40 to 60 solar-panel installations in the Bayview neighborhood and had completed an extensive RFP and two-stage grant process culminating with commission approval, subject to the committee's release of reserve funds.
"We have, have done a huge amount with this program ... It had served more than 10,000 people, employed more than 340," the presenter said, summarizing program impacts and outreach to more than 300 community groups. He said the program had leveraged approximately $13,000,000 and raised an additional $1,600,000 to support environmental justice mitigation work and listed named community recipients including Asian Neighborhood Design, Alameda Residents Gardens, Willie Brown Academy Garden and Global Exchange.
Committee members had no public comment on this item and the release was approved "without objection," per the transcript. The approval authorizes the department to proceed with contracting to implement the grant awards and staffing necessary to administer the program.
Committee members asked for technical follow-up and contracting details; the mayor's office staff said contracting would begin pending final approvals.
This action moves the environmental justice grant awards from reserve toward implementation, obligating the identified funds for the approved list of community organizations.
