HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2306-16527.Update on Pending State and Federal Legislation and Advocacy and Grant Writing
Support Activities; Consideration of Resolution Offering Comments on SB 532 - the Safe,
Clean, and Reliable Bay Area Public Transportation Emergency Act Public Comment,
Presentation
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: August 14, 2023
Report #:2306-1652
TITLE
Update on Pending State and Federal Legislation and Advocacy and Grant Writing Support
Activities; Consideration of Resolution Offering Comments on SB 532 - the Safe, Clean, and
Reliable Bay Area Public Transportation Emergency Act
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council receive an update on pending State and federal
legislation and lobbying activities. Staff also recommends that the City Council consider a
resolution offering comments on SB 532 - the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Bay Area Public
Transportation Emergency Act.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The City Council previously received a legislative update on May 15, 2023 and April 3, 2023
related to recent actions in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The League of California Cities
also participated in the May update.
For this current update, staff included a memo from Townsend Public Affairs (Attachment A)
with the current status of bills organized in the same way as the May 2023 memo. The memo is
organized in the State updates section by pulling a handful of bills to the top and including
specific Palo Alto impact information for those bills and previous positions the City has taken. It
also includes information on where the bills are in the legislative process. The memo also
includes 3 additional bills with a proposed position for the City Council to take on the bills. Two
of those bills fit within the City’s Legislative Guidelines and thus staff is only asking for Council
confirmation on the proposed positions for those 2 bills (AB 531 and SB 326).
The third bill, SB 532, is related to transportation funding and staff wanted to receive Council
direction related to this bill. Given the burden this bill could place on lower income people, staff
proposes a position of offering comments and drafted a resolution for the City Council to
consider (Attachment B). If the City Council chooses not to weigh in on this bill or chooses to
oppose or support it, staff can amend the resolution to reflect the position.
The TPA memo also lists other bills that Townsend is monitoring on behalf of the City. Staff will
continue to analyze these bills with Townsend as they progress. If desired, Council members
may also raise for discussion other legislation of Palo Alto interest that is not listed in the memo
or may recommend action on any of the bills listed on the monitoring list. Positions could also
relate to bills the Council would like to request the Governor to veto. The memo also includes
brief Federal and Grants updates.
As a reminder, the 2023 State legislative calendar (which includes deadlines and other
important dates) can be found online at: www.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2023-
01/2023_legislative_calendar_final.pdf. This calendar provides helpful context when reviewing
the bills included in the Townsend memo.
Lastly, the Legislative Ad Hoc will be convening in August and another legislative check in will
come to the City Council in the fall.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
There is no additional funding needed for this update report. The City Council budgets annually
for the legislative advocacy services and these efforts are led by staff in the City Manager’s
Office with stakeholder support across departments on key issues.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff from multiple departments are involved in the legislative process in helping to review the
impacts of bills as well as discussing grant opportunities linked to state and federal programs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City’s legislative advocacy activities are not a project under section 15378(b)(5) of the
California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (administrative activities that will not result in
direct or indirect physical changes in the environment).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: State and Federal Update Memo from Townsend Public Affairs, August 2023
Attachment B: Draft Resolution for Consideration on SB 532 (Wiener)
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager
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M E M O R A N D U M
To: The Honorable Lydia Kou and Members of the Palo Alto City Council
CC: Ed Shikada, City Manager
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager
From: Townsend Public Affairs
Christopher Townsend, President
Niccolo De Luca, Vice President
Ben Goldeen, Federal Advocacy Manager
Alex Gibbs, Grants Manager
Carlin Shelby, Associate
Date: August 14, 2023
Subject: State and Federal Legislative and Funding Updates
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) has prepared this report for the City of Palo Alto to provide a
summary of State and Federal efforts, highlight the current status of the legislative process,
identify various pieces of legislation that may be of interest to the City, and provide an update on
funding advocacy efforts.
STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
The Legislature adjourned for its Summer Recess beginning July 14 until August 14. Upon its
return, the Legislature will have one final month to complete bill consideration before the 2023
Legislative Session officially adjourns on September 14. Of the over 2,600 measures introduced
this Session, the Legislature will consider 1,231 in the final month before adjournment.
The return from Summer Recess on August 14 will feature Appropriations Committee hearings
for both houses – both with immense bill agendas to consider. Following the first week of
Appropriations Committee hearings, lawmakers will also need to get any financially significant
bills through a second suspense file before they can move to the floor for final votes. These
committees will consider a number of the City’s priority bills, including high-profile measures
relating to housing and land use, public safety, and economic development. Bills that pass the
Appropriations Committees will move to the second house floor for consideration from the entire
legislative body. Governor Newsom will then have until October 14 to sign or veto any bills that
make it out of the Legislature and to his desk.
In addition to upcoming legislative deadlines for the progression of priority measures, the
Legislature has recently undergone notable leadership changes. Following nearly a year-long
transition, Friday, June 30 marked the final day of the Session with Anthony Rendon as the
Assembly Speaker, as Robert Rivas was sworn in to serve as the 71st Speaker of the Assembly.
Representing an agricultural swath of central California, Rivas becomes the first Speaker in a
generation to hail from a rural region. His priorities as Speaker include working to address the
issues of homelessness and affordable housing.
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As Speaker, Rivas has made some changes to internal Assembly leadership, including the
Appointment of Assembly Member Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) as Chair of the Local Government
Committee. Assembly Member Carrillo previously served on the Palmdale City Council. His
tenure as Chair will impact the progression of numerous local government measures in the
coming years.
Advocacy Update
Over the last few months, the City/TPA team has been actively working on extension of the
Homekey grant project completion deadline. This effort includes strategizing and implementing a
plan of action with our regional partners including the County, neighboring jurisdictions, and their
advocates. We are working closely with our State Legislative delegation to brief them on the
interconnectivity of the projects, reasons why more time is needed, and desired outcomes;
providing input on project materials and summary documents; and driving follow up and next
steps.
Priority Legislation for the City of Palo Alto
1. Bills With City Positions
The following chart provides an overview and update as of July 27, 2023 on bills on which the
City has taken positions.
BILL SUMMARY/STATUS CITY IMPACT POSITION
AB 12
(Haney)
Prohibits tenants from having to pay more than one
month's rent as a security deposit for furnished or
unfurnished rental property.
Status: Pending final consideration on Senate Floor.
This measure adds another
tool in protecting renters
against unreasonable
housing costs. This could
benefit residents in Palo Alto
who utilize rental housing.
Support (letter
submitted in
June)
AB 1469
(Kalra)
Authorizes the Santa Clara Valley Water District to
assist unsheltered people living along streams, in
riparian corridors, or otherwise within the district’s
jurisdiction, in consultation with a city or the County
of Santa Clara, to provide solutions or improve
outcomes for the unsheltered individuals.
Status: Pending consideration from the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
This measure provides the
City with additional resources
for homelessness prevention
and regional collaboration by
authorizing the Water District
to assist homeless individuals
occupying areas within its
jurisdiction.
Support (letter
submitted in
June)
AB 1484
(Zbur)
Requires temporary employees of cities and counties
to join existing bargaining units accessible to
permanent employees. Imposes requirements on
employers with temporary employees hired to do the
same or similar work performed by permanent
employees. Requires complaints alleging a violation
of its provisions to be processed as unfair practice
charges under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act.
Status: Pending consideration from the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
This measure could impact
hiring, retention, and
collective bargaining
practices for city employees,
by grouping temporary,
retired annuitant, and full-time
employees into the same
bargaining units.
Oppose
(postiion shared
in June; letter
recently
submitted)
3
BILL SUMMARY/STATUS CITY IMPACT POSITION
AB 1505
(Rodriguez)
Authorizes the Office of Emergency Services (OES)
to dedicate Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
application funding to specified projects to augment
and support the Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft
Story Multifamily Housing.
Status: Pending consideration from the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
Seismic safety improvements
align with the Palo Alto City
Council’s 2023 Priority of
Community Health and Safety
and will help the City
progress in the seismic
improvements objective.
Support (letter
submitted in
May)
AB 1598
(Berman)
Requires DOJ to prepare a firearm-safety-certificate
study guide, separate from the current instruction
manual, explaining information covered on the
firearm safety certificate test, and to develop a new
pamphlet on the risk and benefits of firearm
ownership.
Status: Pending consideration from Senate Floor.
This measure could improve
safety related to gun handling
and violence. City support
demonstrates continued
support for Assembly
Member Berman’s legislative
agenda.
Support (letter
submitted in
June)
AB 1637
(Irwin)
Requires cities and counties that maintain a public
internet website and use public email addresses for
employees to utilize a “.gov” or a “.ca.gov” domain
name for their websites and email addresses by
January 1, 2029.
Status: Pending consideration from the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
This could present a long and
costly process for the City to
comply and could impact
constituents’ ability to
communicate with the City.
Further, the bill is without
state compliance support or
tangible security benefits.
TPA advocated for a delayed
compliance deadline, which
was recently achieved with a
recent amendment that
pushed compliance from
2026 to 2029.
Oppose (letter
submitted in
June)
ACA 1
(Aguiar-
Curry)
Proposes amendments to the California Constitution
to allow a city, county, or special district, with 55%
voter approval, to incur bonded indebtedness or
impose specified special taxes to fund projects for
affordable housing, permanent supportive housing,
or public infrastructure.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee. Not required to adhere to
typical deadlines because it is a constitutional
amendment.
This bill creates another
optional tool for infrastructure
financing and levels the
threshold between other
public agencies that already
enjoy a 55% voter threshold,
such as school boards.
Support (letter
submitted in
June)
ACA 5 (Low)
Repeals a provision in the California Constitution that
limits marriage to a “man and a woman,” and
replaces it with provisions that make the right to
marry a fundamental right.
Status: Chaptered on July 20, 2023. Pending
consideration from the state electorate as a ballot
initiative in 2024.
One of the Palo Alto City
Council Priorities for 2023 is
the equal treatment of all
individuals. This measure
removes outdated and
discriminatory language from
California’s constitution.
Support (letter
submitted in
June)
SB 2
(Portantino)
Creates a new issuing process for concealed carry
weapons (CCW) licenses following the U.S. Supreme
Court ruling in New York Rifle and Pistol Association
v. Bruen from June of 2022.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee
This measure aligns with
recent Council action taken to
restrict concealed weapons in
sensitive areas such as
government buildings,
schools, and polling places.
Support (support
shared in June;
letter recently
submitted)
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BILL SUMMARY/STATUS CITY IMPACT POSITION
SB 43
(Eggman)
Updates the definition of “gravely disabled” to include
a new focus on preventing serious physical and
mental harm stemming from a person’s inability to
provide for their needs for nourishment, personal or
medical care, find appropriate shelter, or attend to
self-protection or personal safety, due to their mental
or substance use disorder.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
One of the Palo Alto City
Council Priorities for 2023 is
Community Health and Safety
which includes some focus on
mental health. This bill aligns
with that priority.
Support (letter
submitted in
May)
SB 363
(Eggman)
Establishes a real-time, internet-based dashboard to
collect, aggregate and display information about the
availability of beds in a range of psychiatric and
substance abuse facilities.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
One of the Palo Alto City
Council Priorities for 2023 is
Community Health and Safety
which includes some focus on
mental health. This bill seems
to align with that priority. The
City would need to further
analyze the resources
required for this legislation.
Support (letter
submitted in
May)
SB 423
(Wiener)
Extends the sunset for SB 35 provisions (Wiener,
Statutes of 2017) from 2026 to 2036, relaxes
specified construction labor requirements, and
removes the exclusion of the coastal zone.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
Palo Alto has included in the
Legislative Guidelines many
principles to support local
control of land use and this
bill conflicts with that.
Oppose via
Recorded
Council Majority
(letter submitted
in June)
SB 572
(Stern)
Requires the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC) to submit a report to the Legislature, by
February 1, 2024, on the status, outcomes, and
recommendations of the agency’s investigation into
natural gas prices during winter 2022-23.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
This measure aligns with City
efforts to investigate and
prevent future natural gas
price spikes, like what
occurred in winter of 2022.
Support (letter
submitted in
June)
SB 719
(Becker)
Requires law enforcement agencies to ensure any
non-confidential radio communications are
accessible to the public.
Status: Held as a 2-year bill. May be acted upon
January 2024.
The City Council supported
similar legislation in 2022. As
of Fall 2022, the City of Palo
Alto switched routine Palo
Alto Police radio
transmissions to now be
broadcast on an unencrypted
channel. This bill in its current
form should not affect Palo
Alto operations.
Support (letter
submitted in
May)
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2. Bills With Recommended Action
The following chart features three measures that TPA advocates have identified with
recommendations for the City to take a formal position on, pending Council consideration and
approval on August 14.
BILL SUMMARY/STATUS CITY IMPACT RECOMMENDED
ACTION
AB 531
(Irwin)
Enacts the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond
Act of 2023, which places a $4.68 billion GO Bond
authorization before voters at the March 2024
statewide primary election to fund behavioral health
infrastructure.
Status: Pending consideration from the Senate
Appropriations Committee
This measure would provide funding
for the development of care facilities
for the state’s homeless. This is
likely to impact regional and City-
wide homelessness services, and
result in reductions in homeless
populations once effectively
implemented.
Support
SB 326
(Eggman)
Recasts the MHSA by, among other things,
renaming it the Behavioral Health Services Act
(BHSA), expanding it to include treatment of
substance use disorders, changing the county
planning process, and expanding services for which
counties and the state can use funds.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee
This measure is complementary to
AB 531 and would increase the
efficiency with which behavioral
health care dollars are used. This is
likely to have a positive impact on
City and regional homeless needs.
Support
SB 532
(Wiener)
Requires the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) to
increase by $1.50 the toll for each of the seven
state-owned toll bridges in the San Francisco Bay
Area and continuously appropriates toll revenues to
the Metropolitan Transportation Commission
(MTC), including revenues from the toll increase for
allocation to transit operators in the region that are
experiencing a financial shortfall.
Status: Pending consideration from the Assembly
Appropriations Committee
This measure would generate
needed operations funding,
however, funding would be
disproportionately directed to MUNI
and BART services located in San
Francisco and the East Bay. This
measure could increase commute
costs andtransit accessibility for
low-income riders.
Seek input from
Council – a
possible draft
resolution is
included in this
packet
3. Notable Bills with Recommendations to Monitor Progress
The following chart includes priority legislation TPA advocates are monitoring on behalf of the City
with active engagement with Author’s offices and staff, stakeholders, and committees.
BILL SUBJECT SUMMARY STATUS POSITION
AB 309
(Lee)
Housing and
Land Use
Creates the California Housing Authority, as an
independent state body, the mission of which
would be to ensure that social housing
developments that are produced and acquired
align with the goals of eliminating the gap
between housing production and regional
housing needs assessment targets and
preserving affordable housing.
Pending
consideration
from the
Assembly
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
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BILL SUBJECT SUMMARY STATUS POSITION
AB 557
(Hart)
Open
Meetings
Extends modified teleconferencing provisions
under the Brown Act when a declared state of
emergency is in effect, or in other situations
related to public health, indefinitely.
Pending
consideration
on Assembly
Floor.
Monitoring
AB 894
(Friedman)
Housing and
Land Use
Requires public agencies to allow proposed
and existing developments to count
underutilized and shared parking spaces
toward a parking requirement imposed by the
agency.
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
AB 965
(Carrillo)
Energy and
Utilities
Requires a local agency to undertake “batch
permitting” upon receiving two or more
broadband permit applications for “substantially
similar projects.” The bill deems approved any
such permit application that a local agency
neither approves or rejects within a
“presumably reasonable time.”
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
AB 1317
(Carrillo)
Housing and
Land Use
Adopts a pilot program that requires property
owners of new multi-family residential
properties in certain counties to unbundle the
cost of parking from the cost of the housing
unit. Includes Santa Clara County.
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
AB 1319
(Wicks)
Housing and
Land Use
Modifies how the Bay Area Housing Finance
Authority (BAHFA) may collect and expend
revenue. Provides that actions taken by
BAHFA to raise, administer, or allocate funding
for tenant protection, affordable housing
preservation, or new affordable housing
production, or to provide technical assistance
consistent with BAHFA’s purpose is exempt
from CEQA.
Pending
consideration
from the
Assembly
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
AB 1567
(Garcia) Climate
Places a $15.955 billion climate resilience
general obligation bond before the voters on
the March 5, 2024, Primary Election ballot.
Pending policy
committee
consideration.
Monitoring
AB 1633
(Ting)
Housing and
Land Use
Specifies that a local agency has disapproved
a housing project in violation of the Housing
Accountability Act (HAA) if it fails to make a
determination that a project is exempt from the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),
or fails to adopt, certify, or approve certain
environmental documents under specified
circumstances.
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee
Monitoring
AB 1657
(Wicks) Housing
Enacts the Affordable Housing Bond Act of
2024, which places a $10 billion
General Obligation bond before voters in the
March, 2024 primary election to finance
specified affordable housing and
homeownership programs
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
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BILL SUBJECT SUMMARY STATUS POSITION
SB 321
(Ashby)
Community
Services
Establishes the Local Public Library
Partnership Program in which the State
Librarian would coordinate with each local
public library to ensure each student is issued
a student success card by 3rd grade and
increase their access to a library.
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
SB 4
(Wiener)
Housing and
Land Use
Establishes that affordable housing
development projects are a “use by right” on
land owned by religious institutions or
independent higher education institutions
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
SB 440
(Skinner)
Housing and
Land Use
Authorizes two or more local governments to
establish a regional housing authority
(Authority) for purposes of raising,
administering, and allocating funding and
providing technical assistance at a regional
level for affordable housing development
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
SB 450
(Atkins)
Housing and
Land Use
Identified as the SB 9 (Atkins, Statutes of
2022) "Clean up bill." Among other things,
prevents local agencies from creating zoning,
subdivision, and design rules that do not apply
equally to all development within a particular
area.
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
SB 567
(Durazo)
Housing and
Land Use
Provides renter protections including
expanding the population of protected tenants,
limiting allowable rent increases, and closing
loopholes related to the no-fault just cause for
eviction.
Pending
consideration
from
Appropriations
Committee.
Monitoring
SB 867
(Allen) Climate
Authorizes a $15.5 billion climate resilience
bond to be placed before voters at an
unspecified election.
Pending policy
committee
consideration.
Monitoring.
State Budget Update
On June 13, Governor Newsom signed the 2023 Budget Act, SB 101, into law, four days before
the constitutional deadline of July 1. Overall, the budget reflects a $310.8 billion spending plan for
the 2023-24 fiscal year. This agreement also closes an estimated $32 billion budget deficit while
setting aside about $37.8 billion in reserves. In early July, the Governor signed into law a package
of “Budget Jr. Bills” and “Budget Trailer Bills” which amend the Budget Act and provide
implementing language for key spending programs, and reflect the final agreement on the state’s
spending plan reached between the Administration and the Legislature.
Much of the negotiations throughout this year’s budget process centered around the Governor’s
desire to include several measures to expedite large-scale infrastructure projects by, in part,
accelerating the judicial review of CEQA lawsuits and providing funding for transit
operations. Ultimately, the negotiations resulted in a concession the Governor made, to remove
the proposed Delta Tunnel water project from being eligible for expedited CEQA review. Key
accounts related to housing, homelessness, public safety, and transportation are mostly stabilized
from budget amounts in the past few years.
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Below is an overview of key spending programs included in the final budget agreement, organized
by issue area:
Housing
The housing package in the state budget includes various annual and one time funding programs.
The California Dream for All shared equity down payment assistance program for first-time
homebuyers is fully funded by rejecting the $200 million proposed cuts, as is the Accessory
Dwelling Unit Grant Program by rejecting $50 million in proposed cuts.
The budget directs $100 million to the Housing and Community Development Department’s
flagship affordable housing development program: Multi-Family Housing Program. It retains $50
million for the CalHome affordable housing retention and rehabilitation program, by partially
rejecting $100 million in proposed cuts, and $82.5 million for the Foreclosure Intervention and
Housing Preservation Program while achieving budget year savings through deferral of $345
million previously allocated to the program.
Homelessness
The state budget includes $1 billion into round five of the state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance
and Prevention program, which local officials can use for housing, outreach at encampments,
emergency shelters and more. In accordance with the Governor’s desire to see local
accountability for use of funds, the agreement includes language to require local government
recipients to incorporate more data relating to homelessness prevention goals and outcomes to
more effectively assess the efficacy of the program.
Public Safety
The state budget includes various programs for opioid overdose education and prevention, with
$3.5 million ongoing funding to county offices of education to supply opioid overdose reversal
medication, with at least two units at all middle and high schools within each county office’s
jurisdiction.
The budget also includes $15.3 million annually for four years from the Opioid Settlements Fund
to support harm reduction programs for staff and costs related to delivery of naloxone, fentanyl
test strips, overdose prevention and response training, and drug treatment provision and
navigation, in the California Harm Reduction Initiative.
Further, the budget agreement includes annual funding over the next four years for the expansion
of the Naloxone Distribution Project includes expenditure authority from the Opioid Settlements
Fund of $74.7 million in 2023-24, $35.7 million in 2024-25, and $24.7 million in 2025-26 and $24
million in 2026-27.
Transportation
The transportation budget package includes a restoration of the $2 billion from the General Fund
for the TIRCP program, as well as committing $1.1 billion in new and previously appropriated
transit funding for the newly created Zero Emission Transit Capital Program. This funding would
flow to regional transportation agencies by formula and can be used for transit capital
infrastructure or can be directed to meet the operational needs of transit agencies in their
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jurisdiction. The trailer bill language describes the process by which the regions can access their
share of these funds and includes some accountability measures regions must meet.
In addition, the transportation package requires CalSTA to establish and convene the Transit
Transformation Task Force to include representatives from transit operators, local governments,
transportation advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders, to develop policy
recommendations to grow transit ridership and improve the transit experience for all users of
those services. From this effort, a report of findings and policy recommendations are to be
submitted to the Legislature no later than October 31, 2025.
Proposed Statewide Bond Measures
The Governor’s Administration and the Legislature have proposed a number of statewide bond
measures to address issues related to housing production, behavioral health services, climate
resiliency, and the modernization of school facilities, among others. The proposed statewide
bonds feature roughly $100 billion in total funding. The state’s estimated borrowing limit is $26
billion.
The state does not impose limitations on how much it can borrow, however, in deciding which
measures to prioritize, the Legislature and Administration will weigh a number of factors. Those
include voter sentiment and the state’s economic outlook and its debt service ratio — the
percentage of the state’s general fund that is spent paying down its debt. The state’s annual debt
service from the general fund sits at $8.1 billion and is expected to grow to $8.9 billion in 2026-
27, according to estimates from the California Department of Finance.
High-profile proposed bond measures include the following. Bond measures for the March primary
ballot must be approved by two-thirds of lawmakers by the end of the legislative session on
September 14 and then signed by Governor Newsom. Items for the November election can be
voted on until early next summer.
AB 531 (Irwin) enacts the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023, which places
a $4.68 billion General Obligation Bond authorization before voters at the March 2024
statewide primary election to fund behavioral health infrastructure. These funds would be
used for the construction of care facilities throughout the state to support those struggling
with mental illness and substance abuse.
AB 1567 (Garcia) and SB 867 (Allen) both propose over $15 billion in bonds for a
comprehensive climate resiliency package. Funds would be used for drought, flood, and
fire mitigation, coastal resilience, park and outdoor access programs, and clean energy
development, among other things. The two near-identical measures are parked in the
Senate and the Assembly as a means to facilitate negotiations between both houses and
the Administration on final funding priorities.
AB 1657 (Wicks) Enacts the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2024, which places a $10
billion General Obligation bond before voters in the March 2024 primary election to finance
specified affordable housing and homeownership programs. Programs include the
Multifamily Housing Program to finance the construction of permanent and transitional
housing for lower income households, and the CalHOME program, which provides grants
to local public agencies and non-profit developers to assist individuals and households
through deferred-payment loans.
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The Governor has publicly announced his support for a behavioral health facilities capital
construction bond (AB 531) totaling $4.8 billion and is prioritizing its placement on the March
primary election ballot. In addition, he is supportive of a climate resiliency bond – even going so
far as to predicate portions of the state’s total climate budget on the passage of a future bond.
The passage of these bonds would provide for ongoing funding programs that align with many of
the City’s goals, including clean energy development, parks and recreation, affordable housing,
and transportation, to name a few.
State Advocacy Next Steps:
Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) will continue to work with the Legislature to advocate on
behalf of priority bills.
TPA will work with Legislators moving forward bond measures to identify strategies for the
inclusion of funding for priority projects and programs.
TPA will plan to meet with Staff and the City Council following the adjournment of the 2023
Legislative Session to identify funding priorities to incorporate into a budget request for
the coming year, as well as opportunities for sponsored legislation.
TPA to work with City staff to create a process for City legislative engagement, including
an updated Legislative Platform Document and/or a Legislative Subcommittee at the
direction of the Council.
FEDERAL UPDATES
Update on Congressionally Directed Spending Submittal
TPA worked in partnership with the City to draft, fine-tune, and submit a congressionally directed
spending request for infrastructure funding to help redevelop the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park.
The Park, a locally significant affordable housing resource, is in desperate need of sustainable
redevelopment, including 100% electrification. An award would assist the predominantly Latinx
and very low-income residents who call it home. This application was in partnership with the Santa
Clara County Housing Authority and the requested amount was $2 million. The request was
submitted to Senator Padilla, Senator Feinstein, and Congresswoman Eshoo.
Congresswoman Eshoo chose the project as one of her priorities to move forward. The request
was incorporated into the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and
Urban Development (THUD)’s markup in the amount of $850,000. Due to the partisan
composition of the House, Republican lawmakers received an outsized share of community
project request funding, with many Democratic lawmakers seeing funding cuts to their original
request amounts.
The House and the Senate must move forward with reconciling the differences between their
proposed spending packages. Congress must approve or extend funding for all twelve
appropriations bills by September 30 or risk a government shutdown. What’s more, the debt limit
compromise passed earlier this year includes a trigger provision that would automatically cut one
percent of all discretionary programs if Congress fails to pass all measures before the start of
2024. Republicans are advocating for significant funding reductions within the House, which can
impact action on fiscal year 2024 spending bills. Lawmakers in both chambers will use the August
break to negotiate a final package.
11
Update on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Authorization Legislation
On July 20, the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 3935, a bill to reauthorize the Federal
Aviation Administration for the next five years by a 351-69 vote. One of the amendments
incorporated into the package was offered by Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. The amendment
requires the FAA to solicit feedback from communities impacted by aircraft noise as part of the
Community Collaboration Program. The amendment was adopted by voice vote as part of a
package of amendments. If effectively signed into law, this amendment will offer additional
transparency and collaboration between communities like Palo Alto, airlines, and the FAA in
negotiating flight paths and their associated impacts.
While the House voted to pass the authorization legislation, in the Senate, progress has slightly
lagged. However, noteworthy advancements are on the horizon. A significant revelation came
from Aviation Subcommittee Chair Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) who highlighted a recent
"breakthrough." The crux of this agreement involves an extension of the commercial pilot
retirement age from 65 to 67. In tandem, there's an agreement to uphold the current rules
necessitating up-and-coming commercial pilots to log 1,500 flight hours. Notable disagreements
between airlines like Delta and United are impeding the bill's progression. A central contention
revolves around flight quotas at Reagan National Airport with endeavors to maintain within-
perimeter services and ensure operational dependability. Concurrently, there's a push to bolster
competition in the national capital area, a sticking point that's currently stalling the Senate bill's
entirety.The current FAA authorization expires on September 30.
In addition to the progress of this legislation, TPA is working with city staff to submit a comment
letter to the FAA regarding airplane noise review to articulate concerns regarding noise from
aircraft overflights. The FAA is engaging with the public and other stakeholders to learn more
about aviation noise and provide input for the agency’s consideration. Comments are due
September 29, 2023.
Federal Advocacy Next Steps:
TPA to continue to advocate for the inclusion of the Congressionally directed spending
proposal and keep the Council and City Staff updated on its progress.
TPA to continue to work with City staff on the crafting of the FAA Noise Policy review
comment letter and keep the City updated on opportunities to engage in the public
comment process.
TPA to continue to monitor updates from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) and their investigation into high natural gas prices during the winter of 2022 and
provide opportunities for the City to engage in public comment processes.
TPA to work with City Staff and the Council to identify funding priorities and federal grant
programs that match with eligible projects.
12
GRANT FUNDING UPDATES
Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) currently provides grant writing support to city staff. Since coming
onboard, TPA grant writers have provided consultation, review, editing, narrative drafting, grant
assembly, submission and advocacy for the following projects.
Grant Program Project TPA Action
Requested
Amount
Patrick Leahy
Bulletproof Vest
Partnership
Program
This program would reimburse the
City of Palo Alto's Police
Department for the purchase of
bullet proof vests for peace officer
personnel protection.
TPA provided direct consultation,
narrative drafting, technical
assistance, and submitted the
application on behalf of the City.
$30,000
Organized Retail
Theft Prevention
Grant Program
This program would support the
City law enforcement support local
law enforcement in preventing and
responding to organized retail theft
and motor vehicle or motor vehicle
accessory theft.
TPA provided direct consultation,
narrative drafting, technical
assistance, and submitted the
application on behalf of the City.
$5,103,283
FY 2024 State
Homeland Security
Grant Program
(HSGP)
This program would support the
City's law enforcement in improving
homeland security detection and
response capabilities.
TPA provided direct consultation,
narrative drafting, technical
assistance, and submitted the
application on behalf of the City.
$15,000
Total: $5,148,283
TPA currently provides a monthly grant memo to staff that covers relevant and upcoming funding
opportunities that align with municipal priorities. TPA then hosts a monthly grant meeting with
relevant departments to review and discuss upcoming grant programs and determine eligibility
and competitiveness. In addition, the TPA grant writing team regularly organize calls with staff
outside of standing calls to discuss specific projects and how best to position them for future
funding success. TPA works closely with staff to track all grant applications submitted by the city,
due dates, and if successful reporting requirements.
TPA and city staff are currently working on several grant applications for transportation
infrastructure, community resilience, recreation infrastructure, emergency preparedness and
more.
Grant
Program Project TPA Action Due Date
Approx.
Request
Amount
The Mega
Grant
Program
The Mega Program (the National
Infrastructure Project Assistance program)
supports large, complex projects that are
difficult to fund by other means and likely to
generate national or regional economic,
mobility, or safety benefits. Palo Alto is
seeking funding for grade separation
projects within the City.
TPA is actively
working with City
transportation
department staff to
formulate a
competitive project
and scope to submit
prior to the grant
deadline.
August
21,2023 $50,000,000
13
Grant
Program Project TPA Action Due Date
Approx.
Request
Amount
Strategic
Growth
Council
Community
Resilience
Center Grant
This program supports the planning and
construction of neighborhood-serving
‘community resilience centers’ that can
protect people from extreme heat and other
climate-driven extreme weather and build
community preparedness. City staff are in
the process of identifying a location to
implement a construction grant to develop a
community resilience center.
TPA is actively
working with City
staff to determine a
competitive project
location and need
that would serve
vulnerable residents
in times of extreme
climate events.
September
18, 2023
$1,000,000 -
$3,000,000
Reconnecting
Communities
Pilot Program
This program seeks to reconnect
communities by removing, retrofitting, or
mitigating transportation facilities, like
highways or rail lines, that create barriers to
community connectivity, including to
mobility, access, or economic development.
TPA is working with
City staff and
agency staff to work
toward an
application for the
rehabilitation of the
Newell Road Bridge.
September
20, 2023
$2,000,000 -
$5,000,000
Grant Funding Next Steps:
TPA to continue to work with City staff in identifying priority projects with matching
programs and advise, draft, and submit comprehensive applications on the City’s behalf.
TPA to continue post grant submittal advocacy for submitted applications and to schedule
debrief calls between the City and agency staff once award announcements are released.
TPA to continue to work on upcoming applications for City prioritiy projects, such as grade
separation funding and funding for the completion of the Newell Road Bridge.
RESOLUTION NO. ___
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
OFFERING COMMENTS ON SB 532 (WIENER) The Safe, Clean, and Reliable Bay
Area Public Transportation Emergency Act
WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Palo Alto, with respect to legislation, rules,
regulations or policies proposed to or pending before a local, state, or federal government body
or agency must have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution; and
WHEREAS, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a steep decline in public transit
ridership and revenue. The federal government provided $4.4 billion of emergency relief funds to
Bay Area transit operators, which allowed agencies to continue to deliver transit services over the
past three years. However, the operators are expected to exhaust those federal relief funds in the
coming years; and
WHEREAS, in response to this fiscal crisis facing the agencies, the Newsom Administration and
State Legislature provided $5.1 billion of transit capital and operating funding – including $1.1
billion of new funding – in this year’s state budget to give transit agencies across the state more
time to recover ridership and make adjustments to adapt to post-pandemic travel patterns. The
entire $5.1 billion was made flexible to be used to cover operating shortfalls, and all together,
allows transit to avoid any fiscal cliffs until 2027; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 532 (Wiener), introduced as a “gut and amend” bill on June 22, 2023,
would raise tolls on the seven state-owned Bay Area bridges by $1.50 effective January 1, 2024
for even more support for transit operators; and
WHEREAS, bridge tolls are already high and set to be raised again in 2025 for Regional Measure
3. The tolls are overwhelmingly paid for by non-San Francisco residents, but the funds would
inequitably go to largely fund Muni and BART operations into San Francisco which may not serve
the toll payers’ commute corridors; and
WHEREAS, in a post-pandemic world, commuters who drive a car or pick-up truck across our
bridges and paying tolls are statistically lower income and are disproportionately people of
color. Post-pandemic, we have a bifurcated society in the Bay Area of those with the luxury to
work remotely and those that cannot. Many of these bridge-crossing drivers cannot work from
home nor reasonably take transit, and the cost of providing transit to them would be prohibitively
expensive.
WHEREAS, SB 532 is a gut and amend bill that would bypass the voters to levy a bridge toll
increase on the commuters who can least afford it. It could undermine the region’s ability to raise
transit revenue at the ballot going forward; and
WHEREAS, The state budget relief package bought the region valuable time to maintain service
while transit agencies find ways to operate more efficiently, collect fares from existing riders, and
provide a more attractive service to build ridership and revenue; and
WHEREAS, The Bay Area should wait to see how transit agencies use the state budget relief
funding to improve their services to respond to rider concerns and then the region can reevaluate
new revenue options next year.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Palo
Alto hereby offers these comments as part of its 2023 State Legislative Advocacy Program to SB
532 (Wiener) that seeks to raise tolls on the seven state-owned Bay Area bridges to fund transit
operations and encourages the Legislature to explore other ways to financially support the transit
agencies. There are clear benefits and drawbacks to this legislation and more effort should be
focused on equity for low-income workers if the legislation continues to move forward.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO this [DATE] by the
following vote:
AYES:X COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES:X COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT:X COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSTAIN:X COUNCILMEMBERS:
APPROVED:
From:Bill Hough
To:Council, City
Subject:Back public comment regarding item #7 on 8/14/2023 agenda
Date:Monday, August 14, 2023 9:17:35 AM
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Council should adopt a resolution opposing SB532's toll increase.
Bay Area residents are already nickel and dimed to death.
In addition to the already high bridge tolls, voters in Santa Clara County have passed multiple
tax and fee increases including gas taxes, the Caltrain Measure RR tax, two bridge toll
increases, three VTA sales taxes, Santa Clara County’s Measure A 1/8 cent sales tax, the state
prop 30 ¼ cent sales tax and the 2010 Measure B Vehicle Registration Fee of $10.
Additionally, we’re on the hook to pay back numerous state bond issues including high speed
rail, the Proposition 1 water bond and the infrastructure bonds of 2006.
All this nickel and diming contributes into making the Bay Area a horribly expensive place to
live, especially for people of modest means, who must pay the greatest percentage of their
income in these regressive taxes and fees. Each increase by itself does not amount to much,
but the cumulative effect is to add to the unaffordability of the region.
State and Federal Legislative Update
August 2023
August 14, 2023 www.cityofpaloalto.org
1
OVERVIEW OV
E
R
V
I
E
W
August 14, 2023 www.cityofpaloalto.org
•Providing an update on State Bills from TPA (TPA will also briefly include a Federal
and Grants Update)
•On State Bills, we are seeking:
•Council Action on the Bills with Recommended Action (AB 531, SB 326, SB 532)
•Feedback on the Monitoring List
2
Slide 3
WWW.TOWNSENDPA.COM
SACRAMENTO • WASHINGTON, DC
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA • NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
State and Federal Legislative
and Funding Update
August 14, 2023
WWW.TOWNSENDPA.COM
SACRAMENTO •WASHINGTON DC
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA •CENTRAL CALIFORNIA • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Slide 4Slide 4
Presentation Overview
1 Overview of 2023 State Legislative Session
2 Overview of State Advocacy Efforts
3 Recommended Legislative Positions
4 Overview of Federal Advocacy Efforts
5 Overview of Grant Funding Efforts
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Slide 5Slide 5
State Legislative Overview
The City of Palo Alto has formally engaged with 14 measures, ranging from housing and land use, to homeless prevention, to energy and utilities, and climate resiliency.
Townsend Public Affairs has actively engaged with 47 measures on behalf of the City of Palo Alto.
August marks another massive hurdle for Legislation in the Second House.
Legislature adjourns September 14. Governor has until October 14 to sign/veto legislation.
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Slide 6Slide 6
Priority Bills with City Positions
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Energy and Utilities
SB 572 (Stern):Natural Gas Prices Report.
Requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)to submit a report to the
Legislature,by February 1,2024,on the status,outcomes,and recommendations of
the agency’s investigation into natural gas prices during winter 2022-23.
City Position:Support
Slide 7Slide 7Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
ACA 5 (Low):Marriage Equality
Repeals a provision in the California Constitution that limits marriage to a “man and a
woman,”and replaces it with provisions that make the right to marry a fundamental
right.
City Position:Support
Priority Bills with City Positions
Equality and Inclusion
Slide 8Slide 8
Priority Bills with City Positions
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Homelessness and Behavioral Health Services
AB 1469 (Kalra):Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Authorizes the Santa Clara Valley Water District to assist unsheltered people living along
streams,in riparian corridors,or otherwise within the district’s jurisdiction,in consultation
with a city or the County of Santa Clara,to provide solutions or improve outcomes for the
unsheltered individuals.
City Position:Support
SB 43 (Eggman):Behavioral health.
Updates the definition of “gravely disabled”to include a new focus on preventing serious
physical and mental harm stemming from a person’s inability to provide for their needs for
nourishment,personal or medical care,find appropriate shelter,or attend to self-protection
or personal safety,due to their mental or substance use disorder.
City Position:Support
SB 363 (Eggman):Facilities for inpatient and residential mental health and
substance use disorder:database.
Establishes a real-time,internet-based dashboard to collect,aggregate and display the
availability of beds in a range of psychiatric and substance abuse facilities.
City Position:Support
Slide 9Slide 9
Priority Bills with City Positions
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Housing and Land Use
AB 12 (Haney):Tenancy:security deposits.
Prohibits tenants from having to pay more than one month's rent as a security deposit
for furnished or unfurnished rental property.
City Position:Support
AB 1505 (Rodriguez):Seismic retrofitting:soft story multifamily housing.
Appropriates $250,000,000 for the purpose of implementing the Seismic Retrofitting
Program for Soft Story Multifamily Housing.This funding was originally incorporated
into the 2022 State Budget Cycle;however,the funding was omitted from the
Preliminary Budget submitted to the Legislature in January 2023.AB 1505 aims to
replace that funding on an urgency basis.City Position:Support
SB 423 (Wiener):Land use:streamlined housing approvals:multifamily housing
developments.
Extends the sunset for SB 35 provisions (Wiener, Statutes of 2017) from 2026 to
2036, relaxes specified construction labor requirements, and removes the exclusion of
the coastal zone.
City Position: Oppose via Recorded Council Majority
Slide 10Slide 10
Priority Bills with City Positions
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Internet and Technology
AB 1637 (Irwin): Local Government: Internet Websites and Email Addresses
Requires cities and counties that maintain a public internet website and use public
email addresses for employees to utilize a “.gov”or a “.ca.gov”domain name for their
websites and email addresses by January 1,2029.Provides no reimbursement for
associated costs from the State.
City Position:Oppose
Slide 11Slide 11
Priority Bills with City Positions
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations
AB 1484 (Zbur):Temporary Public Employees.
Requires temporary employees of cities and counties to join existing bargaining units
accessible to permanent employees.Imposes requirements on employers with
temporary employees hired to do the same or similar work performed by permanent
employees.Requires complaints alleging a violation of its provisions to be processed
as unfair practice charges under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act.
City Position:Oppose
SB 719 (Becker):Law Enforcement Agencies.Radio Communications
Requires law enforcement agencies to ensure any non-confidential radio
communications are accessible to the public in real time,no later than 2024.
City Position:Support
Slide 12Slide 12
Priority Bills with City Positions
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Public Safety
AB 1598 (Berman):Gun Violence.Firearm Safety Education.
Requires DOJ to prepare a firearm-safety-certificate study guide,separate from the
current instruction manual,explaining information covered on the firearm safety
certificate test,and to develop a new pamphlet on the risk and benefits of firearm
ownership.
City Position:Support
SB 2 (Portantino):Firearms.
Creates a new issuing process for concealed carry weapons (CCW) licenses
following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in New York Rifle and Pistol Association v.
Bruen from June of 2022.
City Position: Support
Slide 13Slide 13Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry):Local government financing:affordable housing and
public infrastructure:voter approval
Proposes amendments to the California Constitution to allow a city, county, or special
district, with 55% voter approval, to incur bonded indebtedness or impose specified
special taxes to fund projects for affordable housing, permanent supportive housing,
or public infrastructure.
City Position: Support
Revenue, Taxation, and Economic Development
Priority Bills with City Positions
Slide 14Slide 14Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
AB 531 (Irwin)and SB 326 (Eggman):Behavioral Health Infrastructure and Policy
Reforms.
Both measures represent a comprehensive package to reform the State’s behavioral
health care continuum.
•AB 531 enacts the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023,which places
a $4.68 billion GO Bond authorization before voters at the March 2024 statewide
primary election to fund behavioral health infrastructure like residential care facilities.
•SB 326 recasts the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)by,among other things,
renaming it the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA),expanding it to include
treatment of substance use disorders,changing the county planning process,and
expanding services for which counties and the state can use funds.
City Impact:Both measures are likely to provide funding and policy reform to
increase the efficiency with which behavioral health care dollars are used.This
is likely to have a positive impact on City and regional homeless needs.
Recommended Position:Support
Recommended Legislative Positions
Slide 15Slide 15Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
SB 532 (Wiener):San Francisco Bay area toll bridges:tolls:transit operating
expenses.
Requires the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA)to increase by $1.50 the toll for each of the
seven state-owned toll bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area and continuously
appropriates toll revenues to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC),
including revenues from the toll increase for allocation to transit operators in the region
that are experiencing a financial shortfall.
City Impact:This measure would generate needed operations funding;however,
funding would be disproportionately directed to MUNI and BART services located in
San Francisco.Accessibility to transit for low-income riders is a concern related to
this bill.
Recommended Position:Seek input from Council (starting place draft resolution
available in packet)
Recommended Legislative Positions
Slide 16Slide 16
Looking Forward: State Advocacy
Upcoming Bond Proposals: Climate, Behavioral Health, and Housing. Work to identify strategies for priority funding.
Ongoing advocacy through the end of the 2023 legislative session and beyond.
Ongoing advocacy on Project Homekey Implementation.
TPA to provide implementation guidance on various statutes following the end of Session.
Meetings with Council Ad Hoc and Staff to identify policy priorities, potential sponsored legislation, and ideas for 2024.
Work with City staff to streamline legislative engagement –i.e., legislative platform development and/or a Legislative Subcommittee.
Preparation for State Advocacy Trips in 2024.
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Slide 17Slide 17
Federal Advocacy Updates
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023
Congressionally Directed Funding Request
Submitted request for the rehabilitation of Buena Vista Mobile Home Park in tandem with Santa Clara County Housing Authority.
Congresswoman Eshoo selected the project and successfully inserted it into the THUD Appropriations Bill in the amount of $850,000.
Slide 18Slide 18
Federal Advocacy Updates
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Authorization Legislation
House Passed legislation, pending consideration in Senate.
New amendment proposed by Congresswoman Eshoo requires FAA to solicit local feedback regarding aircraft noise.
TPA working with staff to craft comment letter articulating airplane noise concerns as part of the agency’s Noise Policy Review comment period.
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023
Slide 19Slide 19
Looking Forward: Federal Advocacy
Ongoing advocacy for Congressional Funding Request inclusion in final appropriations agreement.
Continue to work with City staff on the crafting of the FAA Noise Policy review comment letter and advocate for local input policies in FAA reauthorization legislation.
TPA to monitor updates from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and their investigation into high natural gas prices during the winter of 2022 and provide opportunities for the City to engage in public comment processes.
Work with City staff to identify funding priorities and federal grant programs that match with eligible projects.
Prepare for Federal Advocacy Trips in 2024.
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Slide 20Slide 20Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Townsend Public Affairs (TPA)currently provides grant writing support to city staff.Since coming
onboard,TPA grant writers have provided consultation,review,editing,narrative drafting,grant
assembly,submission and advocacy for the following projects.
Grant Funding Updates
Grant Program Project TPA Action Requested
Amount
Patrick Leahy Bulletproof
Vest Partnership
Program
This program would reimburse the City of
Palo Alto's Police Department for the
purchase of bullet proof vests for peace
officer personnel protection.
TPA provided direct consultation,
narrative drafting, technical assistance,
and submitted the application on behalf
of the City.
$30,000
Organized Retail Theft
Prevention Grant
Program
This program would support the City law
enforcement support local law enforcement
in preventing and responding to organized
retail theft and motor vehicle or motor
vehicle accessory theft.
TPA provided direct consultation,
narrative drafting, technical assistance,
and submitted the application on behalf
of the City.
$5,103,283
FY 2024 State Homeland
Security Grant Program
(HSGP)
This program would support the City's law
enforcement in improving homeland
security detection and response
capabilities.
TPA provided direct consultation,
narrative drafting, technical assistance,
and submitted the application on behalf
of the City.
$15,000
Connect and Protect:
Law Enforcement
Behavioral Health
Response Program
This program would support the City’s law
enforcement personnel through cross-
system mental health supportive services.
TPA provided direct consultation and
technical assistance on the grant
submittal and advocacy process.
$500,000
Slide 21Slide 21Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
TPA and city staff are currently working on several grant applications for transportation
infrastructure,community resilience,recreation infrastructure,emergency preparedness and more.
Grant Funding Updates
Grant Program Project TPA Action Due Date Approx. Request
Amount
The Mega Grant
Program
The Mega Program (the National
Infrastructure Project Assistance program)
supports large, complex projects that are
difficult to fund by other means and likely to
generate national or regional economic,
mobility, or safety benefits. Palo Alto is
seeking funding for grade separation
projects within the City.
TPA is actively working with
City transportation department
staff to formulate a competitive
project and scope to submit
prior to the grant deadline.
Funds would be used for the
Meadow and Charleston Road
grade separation project.
August
21,2023 $56,700,000
Strategic
Growth Council
Community
Resilience
Center Grant
This program supports the planning of
neighborhood-serving ‘community resilience
centers’ that can protect people from
extreme heat and other climate-driven
extreme weather and build community
preparedness. City staff are in the process
of identifying a location to obtain planning
funds for a grant to develop a community
resilience center.
TPA is actively working with
City staff to determine a
competitive project location
and need that would serve
vulnerable residents in times of
extreme climate events.
September 18,
2023 $500,000
Reconnecting
Communities
Pilot Program
This program seeks to reconnect
communities by removing, retrofitting, or
mitigating transportation facilities, like
highways or rail lines, that create barriers to
community connectivity, including to mobility,
access, or economic development.
TPA is actively working with
City transportation department
staff to determine feasibility for
the rehabilitation of the Newell
Road Bridge.
September 20,
2023
$1,000,000 -
$2,000,000
Slide 22Slide 22
Looking Forward: Grant Funding
Continue to work with City staff in identifying priority projects with matching programs and advise, draft, and submit comprehensive applications on the City’s behalf.
Continue post grant submittal advocacy for submitted applications and to schedule debrief calls between the City and agency staff once award announcements are released.
Provide strategic support and augment staff capacity by attending grant webinars and briefings hosted by state and federal agencies and report back to City staff on priority project eligibility and competitiveness.
Continue to work with City Staff to streamline internal systems for tracking pending and successful grant applications and address required administration.
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Slide 23Slide 23
Questions?
Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: August 14, 2023
Niccolo De Luca
Vice President
NDeLuca@TownsendPA.com
Carly Shelby
Associate
CShelby@TownsendPA.com
Ben Goldeen
Federal Advocacy Manager
BGoldeen@TownsendPA.com
Alex Gibbs
Grants Manager
AGibbs@TownsendPA.com
RECOMMENDATION REC
O
M
M
E
N
D
A
T
I
O
N
AUGUST 14, 2023 www.cityofpaloalto.org
•Bills with Recommended Action (Including Confirmation to Oppose SB 423):
•AB 531 (Irwin) –recommended support
•SB 326 (Eggman) –recommended support
•SB 532 (Wiener)–recommended for Council discussion
•Confirm the Monitor List or any changes to it or other bills the Council would like to
discuss and opine on
24