The City of Ventura, a participant in the Institute for Local Government and Strategic Growth Council’s BOOST pilot program, has been selected to receive a Proposition 84 Wildfire Resiliency and Recovery Planning Grant for nearly $200,000. The city recently experienced a wildfire threat from the Thomas Fire, which caused more than $2.2 billion in damage. The Prop 84 grant will ensure the city is better equipped to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters and be able to address the increasing wildfire threats brought on by climate change.
The BOOST pilot program was jointly developed by the Institute for Local Government (ILG) and the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) to help local governments address California’s climate change and equity goals. As part of the program, ILG has been able to support participating cities and regions with capacity building and technical assistance support with a number of activities related to climate action and sustainability. Funding from the Prop 84 grant will allow Ventura to create a Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) that the city will develop in conjunction with its General Plan Update.
“This grant will help our local government leaders build on lessons learned from the Thomas Fire and engage our community in a meaningful way,” said Joe Yahner. “We are thankful to our partners, CA– USE, the Housing Authority for the City of San Buenaventura, and the Institute for Local Government, for helping support our small, dedicated team navigate the grant application process. Without their support we would not have been able to compete for these critical funds.”
The CARP will build on lessons learned from the Thomas Fire and focus on innovative and comprehensive planning and preparation efforts to enable the city to better protect its residents, infrastructure, and economy.
“The Institute for Local Government is proud of the BOOST program and is so excited to see our technical assistance and capacity building partnership deliver results for the City of Ventura,” said Erica L. Manuel, CEO and Executive Director of ILG. “We have seen firsthand the devastating effects wildfire and other climate events can have on California’s communities and we commend Ventura’s efforts to become a more resilient community. This funding will help ensure that the City of Ventura is more prepared and able to recover from future wildfire events.”
The Institute for Local Government (ILG) is the non-profit training and education affiliate of the League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association, which represent 1000s of local agencies across the state. ILG helps local government leaders navigate the constantly changing landscape of their jobs by offering training, technical assistance, written resources and facilitation services specifically designed for local agencies. From leadership to public engagement to housing and workforce, ILG helps local leaders address a wide range of complex issues. Visit www.ca-ilg.org to find out more.
The BOOST pilot program is a partnership between the Institute for Local Government and the California Strategic Growth Council (SCG) to help local governments across the state address climate change and equity goals. The BOOST Pilot Program helps communities: Build awareness of funding opportunities to address climate action; Organize projects to be best positioned to meet its goals; Optimize existing resources and build more capacity; Strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and identify new opportunities for regional engagement and collaboration; and Transform their approach to addressing climate action. SGC supports BOOST with funds from California Climate Investments – Cap-and-Trade dollars at work. Find out more at www.ca-ilg.org/BOOST.
