Title
a. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the County Administrative Officer or designee to apply for and accept grant funds for the Transformative Climate Communities Program from the California Strategic Growth Council in the amount of $27,500,000 to fund the implementation of climate action projects; and,
b. Authorize the County Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute, and deliver all grant application documents subject to review and approval of the Office of the County Counsel as to form and legality.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the County Administrative Officer or designee to apply for and accept grant funds for the Transformative Climate Communities Program from the California Strategic Growth Council in the amount of $27,500,000 to fund the implementation of climate action projects; and,
b. Authorize the County Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute, and deliver all grant application documents subject to review and approval of the Office of the County Counsel as to form and legality.
SUMMARY:
Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt this Resolution to allow the County Administrative Officer or designee to apply for and accept grant funds for the Transformative Climate Communities Program from the California Strategic Growth Council as well as enter into, execute and deliver all related grant agreement documents subject to review and approval of the Office of the County Counsel, per the grant requirements as stated in the TCC Round 6 Grant Guidelines page 113 attached to this report.
This Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Implementation grant application focuses on the community of Pajaro and some of the surrounding low-income designated census tracts of north Monterey County including Las Lomas. The grant scope will include multiple projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve well-being, safety, and quality of life consistent with the co-designed community recommendations from the recent TCC Planning grant conducted from July 2023 to July 2026 titled Climate Prosperity for Pajaro Valley.
DISCUSSION:
The State of California, Strategic Growth Council issued a Grant Application Guide on April 29, 2026, under the Transformative Climate Communities program. These funds are intended for local jurisdictions to fund neighborhood-level projects that include multiple, coordinated activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve community benefits. The Grant Application guide relates to the guidelines for the competitive funding for these grants. To apply for this award, the County must submit a Resolution adopted by the County Board of Supervisors to the Strategic Growth Council.
The goal of the multiple and coordinated projects will be to increase access to key services, access to healthy and affordable food, build a safe and walkable community, while also promoting economic empowerment, sustainable energy and nature-based climate solutions. All projects to be proposed in the grant application are consistent with priorities and ideas co-created through an extensive community engagement and capacity building process carried out during the TCC Planning grant process over the last three years.
The TCC Planning grant found strong desires for improved health and safety outcomes related to the local transportation infrastructure, perceived lack of sufficient street lighting, access to green space, and access to healthy and affordable food. Additionally, economic empowerment, affordability, and improved transportation options were key issues identified by the community. While subject to change during the application process and after potential grant award, the application proposes to address these needs through multiple projects.
The Strategic Growth Council estimates that award decisions will be made in Summer of 2027. If awarded, staff will return to the Board through appropriate committees to enter into agreement with the State and accept the award.
Project Concepts
Infrastructure Improvements: Staff have coordinated with the Transportation Agency of Monterey County (TAMC), Pajaro Sunny Mesa Community Services District, and engaged Mobycon Inc to propose active transportation improvements to Salinas Rd., the Porter St/Main St bridge, and implement Safe Routes to School improvements at Pajaro Middle School. These improvements aim to increase safety and comfort of all road users in a key community corridor where residents frequently feel unsafe crossing the street and vulnerable community members are exposed to speeding traffic to get to the local schools and Pajaro Park. Staff will also conduct a luminosity study to identify where to place an additional ten solar powered streetlights. These projects expand on the projects proposed and partially implemented in the TAMC North County Safe Routes to School report and G12 study. Additionally, staff are including funding for the Pajaro Community Plan in coordination with Housing and Community Development.
Transportation connectivity: TCC Planning grant outreach found that access to additional transportation options besides owning a car was desired in the community due to the cost savings, health benefits, increased freedom of movement, and environmental friendliness.
Community members reported that they would bike more if they felt safer on the street and there are already community members organizing group bicycle rides between Pajaro and Watsonville. To improve biking as a transportation option, the application proposes partnering with Ecology Action to develop a bike lending library based out of Pajaro Park in coordination with Pajaro Sunny Mesa Community Services District and to implement a series of workforce development train-the-trainer programs with residents to boost bike skills and confidence in the community. The application also proposes partnering with Monterey-Salinas Transit to increase frequency for Route 29 from Salinas-Watsonville from a three-hour headway to a 30-minute headway, greatly increasing the viability of taking the bus as a transit option.
Access to healthy and affordable food: Despite agricultural labor being a significant component of the Pajaro community experience, many community members reported feeling unable to access healthy and affordable food. To address this need, the application proposes working with Esperanza Community Farms to assist them in the purchasing of farmland that would enable the expansion of their Community Supported Agriculture box program to provide low-cost access to healthy produce to the community. Esparanza Community Farms already operates this program in Pajaro under a pay-what-you-can donation model and built a strong connection to the community. If awarded, staff would undertake the real-estate acquisition process to assist Esparanza Community Farms to purchase the land and work with a land trust to secure an agricultural easement to guarantee the conservation of farmland and continued public benefit of the land. Depending on the property, this partnership also aims to make space for community gardening and gathering for important cultural and ceremonial occasions.
Neighborhood beautification and increased greenspace: Residents reported strong desires for increased beautification and greenspace upgrades in Pajaro. Current tree canopy is sparse and tree cover and additional vegetation has been requested to provide cooling, air pollution, and aesthetic benefits to the community. Watsonville Wetlands Watch has been identified as a project partner due to their relationship with the community and on-going work on the Pajaro River to provide tree planting services, shade plans for local schools, and workforce development training for tree trimming and floodplain restoration. This dynamic partnership aims to meet community needs while also developing the nature-based climate solutions workforce that will be needed to meet broader climate goals throughout the County. Watsonville Wetlands Watch will also partner with Hartnell Community College for a series of intern placements and Watsonville Works to provide direct work experience to community members.
Affordability: In addition to transportation affordability programming mentioned above, the application proposes partnering with Central Coast Energy Services to provide a mix of energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy upgrades in 100 homes in Pajaro. Central Coast Energy Services has a proven track record of leveraging additional State and federal funds to expand their scope to include remediation work to address mold and some home upgrades. This provides affordability, air quality, and quality of life improvements while also offering an attractive program to homeowners and landlords. Staff have also coordinated with MidPen Housing to explore programming for the future Las Lomas affordable farmworker housing development. Unfortunately, the development does not qualify for direct funding under the TCC program due to restrictions under the Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities program, but the programming proposed under the application would directly benefit future residents of the development and improve affordability outcomes. Staff will continue to work with MidPen Housing seeking additional opportunities for partnership.
Community building: During the TCC Planning grant, residents expressed the need for additional community gathering space and access to key services. Staff have been working to rehabilitate the Porter Mansion library to serve as a community center and library that would enable direct service provision from County departments and community-based organizations to residents, as well as increased greenspace and shaded landscaping for the community. There is a significant funding gap of $1,400,000 to provide these upgrades, so staff have included this as a project under the TCC Strategy Health Equity and Well-Being.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT/COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
Staff have coordinated with Public Works, Facilities, and Parks to include funding for the Porter Mansion and to review concepts related to street improvements. Housing and Community Development have collaborated with Housing and Community Development to ensure long-term alignment and to fund the Pajaro Community Plan effort. Potential Co-Applicants and Leverage Partners that staff have collaborated with include Central Coast Energy Services, Community Action Board, Ecology Action, Esperanza Community Farms, Hartnell College, MidPen Housing, Monterey-Salinas Transit, Pajaro Sunny Mesa Community Services District, Regeneracion Pajaro Valley, Transportation Agency of Monterey County and Watsonville Wetlands Watch.
If awarded, staff will return to the Board to finalize the relationship between Co-Applicants and the County through individual agreements or a Memorandum of Understanding.
FINANCING:
Adoption of this Resolution will allow the County to apply for a $27.5 Million award under the Transformative Climate Communities Implementation Grant Program. There is a match requirement for this application of 25%, reduced from 50% because the project area qualifies as a Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community. The grant guidelines allow staff to claim investment in the project area that is in alignment with the recommendations of the previous TCC Planning grant and the proposed activities of this Implementation grant application from September 30, 2025 and onwards as either direct matching funds or “stand-alone” matching funds. Using these rules, staff are able to demonstrate meeting this match requirement of $6,875,000 through a combination of already spent and committed County and partner funds through the on-going work to rehabilitate the Porter Mansion library, recently completed G12 improvements to Salinas Rd including painted bike lanes, and the Purchase Sale Agreement for MidPen Housing to purchase the Las Lomas housing development property. Therefore, if awarded, this $27.5M grant award would not require additional budgetary impacts for match funding.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
This project supports the following Strategic Plan Goals: Well-Being and Quality of Life, Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future, Safe and Resilient Communities, Diverse and Thriving Economy by proposing a variety of programs and infrastructure improvements. This includes improving transportation infrastructure in Pajaro and connectivity for more sustainable transportation options that will improve health and safety outcomes. Additionally, the proposed programs directly invest in homes, public spaces, and food access for low-income community members, reduces heat and air pollution vulnerability, and invests in community economic empowerment through workforce development and decreasing community costs for energy, transportation, and healthy food.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Plan Goals
__X__ Well-Being and Quality of Life
__X__ Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
__X__ Safe and Resilient Communities
__X__ Diverse and Thriving Economy
Link to the Strategic Plan:
<https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showdocument?id=139569>
Prepared by: Cora Panturad, Sustainability Program Manager, x5338
Approved by: Nick Chiulos, Chief Assistant County Administrative Officer, x5145
Attachments:
Draft Resolution TCC Implementation Grant
TCC Round 6 Grant Guidelines