Transform Fresno Annual Reports
Baseline and Progress Report on Early Implementation of the Transformative Climate Communities Program Grant
Year 1 Report: January 2018 – June 2019
Year 2 Report: July 2019 – June 2020
Year 3 Report: July 2020 – June 2021
History
The Fresno Transformative Climate Communities Collaborative (Collaborative) began with a participatory process to identify a series of projects to invest in that will result in significant environmental and economic benefits downtown, Chinatown, and southwest Fresno. Anyone who lived worked or owned property in these areas was encouraged to participate. The purpose of the Collaborative was to promote and nurture creative project ideas, develop local criteria to define the type of catalytic and connective impact projects should have, and provide the City of Fresno with direction on the proposal of integrated projects included in the application to the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) for funding.
The Collaborative met regularly from July through September and resulted in an active, engaged, 164 member Community Steering Committee and a proposal submitted to the SGC for the $66.5 million from the Transformative Climate Communities Program (TCC).
Why are we
receiving these funds?
In November of 2016, the California Strategic Growth Council selected Fresno as one of three cities in the state to be a pilot for their new Transformative Climate Communities Program (TCC). This program was created “to fund the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple coordinated greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental and health benefits to disadvantaged communities”.
What is the purpose
of the funds?
The funds are intended to be used for “comprehensive public investments” that can effectively catalyze private and public resources to achieve environmental and economic transformation. The program allocates funds toward a few larger investments, rather than more comparatively smaller awards, in order to attract catalytic private resources and have greater transformational impact. Because these are funds from the state’s cap and trade auction proceeds, there are significant restrictions on the types of projects that can be funded.
Why Fresno?
Fresno was selected to receive 50% of the total available funds, or $66.5 million, to implement projects that have been identified through community-driven planning processes that achieve significant greenhouse gas reduction benefits, improve public health and environmental benefits, and expand economic opportunity and shared prosperity. A Final Statement of Reasons (November 2016) outlines the below justifications in more detail.
Having the highest per capita concentration of people living in the state’s most disadvantaged communities.
Significant concentrated poverty and infill development challenges stemming from suburban sprawl.
Significant local leadership, policy change, climate-smart investments, and community-driven planning processes that have prepared us to be ready for significant state investment.
Transformative Climate Communities
The California Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program empowers the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. Administered in partnership with the California Department of Conservation, TCC funds community-led development and infrastructure projects that achieve major environmental, health and economic benefits in California’s most disadvantaged communities.
California Climate Investments
TCC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.