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Transform Fresno
A historic process to identify and implement investments which will catalyze economic and environmental transformation in Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno.
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 $70 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”.
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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 was Fresno chosen?
Fresno was selected to receive 50% of the total available funds, or $70 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.
Concentrated poverty
Having the highest per capita concentration of people living in the state’s most disadvantaged communities.
Suburban Sprawl Challenges
Significant concentrated poverty and infill development challenges stemming from suburban sprawl.
Community-Driven Planning
Significant local leadership, policy change, climate-smart investments, and community-driven planning processes that have prepared us to be ready for significant state investment.