Title
Office of Heat Response and Mitigation Community Canopy Grant Program (Ordinance S-49801)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into multiple grant agreements with multiple grantees to disburse funds for the Community Canopy Grant Program. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds and supplies related to this item. There is no impact to the General Fund. The aggregate expenditures will not exceed $2,000,000. Funding is available through the City's allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) from the federal government and is part of the Residential Tree Equity Accelerator and the Trees and Shade for Schools programs.
Report
Summary
Phoenix’s Office of Heat Response and Mitigation (OHRM) is leading the efforts of the City to fight the growing hazard of urban heat. OHRM focuses on both heat response (helping people cope with hot weather) and heat mitigation (including efforts to cool the city and make it more comfortable through tree planting). During all seasons of the year, OHRM coordinates programs and policies to help lower urban heat temperatures and protect public health. OHRM also tracks trends, collects data, and collaborates with other governments and organizations to share ideas and solutions when it comes to dealing with heat.
On June 7, 2022, Phoenix City Council approved the ARPA Second Tranche Strategic Plan and allocated $6,000,000 of these funds for the Residential Tree Equity Accelerator and the Trees and Shade for Schools programs. The Community Canopy Grant Program will improve the prospects of impacted residents and address economic and social disparities that have continued and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant program will assist in that effort by providing trees and supplies to community members, neighborhood groups and non-profits in neighborhoods that have been disproportionately negatively impacted by COVID-19.
To increase the tree shade canopy in neighborhoods that have been disproportionately negatively impacted by COVID-19, OHRM is seeking authorization to use $2,000,000 in ARPA funds to develop a Community Canopy Grant Program to provide funding and supplies for tree planting projects to community members, neighborhood associations and non-profits in Qualified Census Tracts. The Community Canopy Grant Program will provide funding, services, supplies and education to community members, neighborhood associations and nonprofits for tree planting projects. The OHRM Tree Equity Project Coordinator will facilitate and administer this grant program. The Community Canopy Grant Program will accept applications on a rolling basis, and all projects and funding will be spent by the end of December 2024.
Financial Impact
Funding for this program will not exceed $2,000,000. There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available through the City's allocation of ARPA.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation.