Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Jasneet W. Sharma, Director, Sustainability Department
Subject: Resolution Authorizing the North Fair Oaks Transformative Climate Communities Grant Application
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing the County of San Mateo to apply for, accept, and administer funding from the California Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities Program for community-prioritized projects in the North Fair Oaks Community.
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BACKGROUND:
Through the North Fair Oaks Community-Led Vulnerability Assessment, an effort supported by a coalition of community-based organizations, reducing exposure to climate risks, particularly extreme heat and accompanying community vulnerabilities, emerged as some of the community’s highest priorities. A multi-year engagement process involving more than 99 community members identified three community projects for near-term advancement: Cooler Homes, Speak for the Trees, and a Mobile Resource Market. Together, these three projects address both climate risks and the household and neighborhood conditions that affect residents’ ability to prepare for and respond to extreme heat.
The California Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program supports community-led, neighborhood-scale investments that advance climate resilience and provide public health, environmental, economic, and social benefits. The Round 6 Project Development Grant provides up to $5,000,000 to move community-driven projects from planning toward project development in disadvantaged communities. Because substantial community participation and planning have already occurred, the grant would allow the County and community partners to secure funding to translate identified priorities into tangible neighborhood investments. The Sustainability Department is preparing the application as Lead Applicant; the full application is due September 30, 2026. The Lead Applicant must provide evidence of a passed, formal resolution authorizing the agency to apply for and accept a TCC grant and granting authority to execute all related documents, if awarded.
In addition to authorizing the Sustainability Department to apply for this grant, this Resolution will authorize the Department to administer any grant funding received by negotiating and executing agreements and other documents necessary to carry out the proposed projects without further Board approval, subject to the Grant’s terms and conditions, applicable County policies, budget authority, and legal requirements.
DISCUSSION:
North Fair Oaks experiences disproportionate amounts of extreme heat, pollution, limited canopy coverage and rising food insecurity. The proposed application pairs County grant management with community-based leadership around priorities identified by North Fair Oaks residents. The Sustainability Department would serve as Lead Applicant, with Coastal Quest as co-applicant, and community-based organizations with existing relationships and expertise in North Fair Oaks would lead or support the three demonstration projects. Residents and community partners would continue to inform project development and implementation. The three projects described below will be implemented in Census Tract 6081610500 and 06081610601 in the unincorporated community of North Fair Oaks, which qualify as disadvantaged communities based on CalEnviroScreen (CES) 4.0 scores.
1. Cooler Homes: Climate Resilient Communities, in partnership with organizations like GRID Alternatives, El Concilio, and WestLight Energy, would support home improvements and installation and maintenance of systems such as air conditioning units to reduce indoor heat exposure and improve household safety during extreme heat events.
2. Speak for the Trees: Urban forestry non-profit Canopy would help expand tree canopy in high-heat, low-canopy areas to increase shade and improve outdoor conditions through community-led tree planting and stewardship.
3. Mobile Resource Market: Fresh Approach and Climate Resilient Communities would bring fresh food, including the potential for recovered surplus food, and essential community resources directly into the North Fair Oaks neighborhood and provide resources during emergencies and extreme heat events.
Initial site identification uses climate exposure and community conditions to direct investment where need is greatest. Speak for the Trees and one of the Cooler Homes pilot areas are proposed in Census Tract 6105, where analysis identifies high heat exposure and social vulnerability, low tree canopy, and older housing stock. A second Cooler Homes area is proposed in Census Tract 6106.01, where analysis identifies older housing, heat exposure, social vulnerability, and comparatively lower home upgrades for electrification permit activity. The Mobile Resource Market would rotate across North Fair Oaks to bring food and other resources closer to residents.
Together, the projects are intended to provide near-term benefits while building a foundation for longer-term community investment. The grant would allow the County and community partners to test approaches at a neighborhood scale, strengthen community-based implementation capacity, and position North Fair Oaks for additional implementation funding from the TCC Program to expand successful models.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the resolution and agreement as to form.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
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Measure |
FY 2026-27 |
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Funding secured |
Grant awarded and partnerships established with a minimum of three community-based organizations for implementation |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The project originates from priorities identified by North Fair Oaks residents and directs investment based on climate exposure and community vulnerability. The three projects would improve household cooling, expand neighborhood shade, and bring fresh food and emergency resources closer to residents. Community-based implementation and continued resident participation are intended to improve access, keep community priorities and leadership central, and build capacity for future investment.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Sustainability Department will administer any grants awarded under the Transformative Climate Communities Program for FY 2026-27, 2027-28, and 2028-29. There will be no new Net County Cost incurred.