California is funding a handful of new community centers aimed at helping the state respond to climate change. The California Strategic Growth Council has approved $93.6 million in grants to fund 24 projects across the state, which will be used to build climate resilience centers in neighborhoods most impacted by extreme heat and other climate-related issues.
The investment in community-level climate resilience infrastructure comes at a critical time when California is facing increasing threats from extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and other climate change impacts. By focusing on vulnerable communities, the state intends to provide resources where they will provide immediate assistance.
The council is awarding this round of funding as part of the Community Resilience Centers program, which supports the creation of neighborhood-level centers that serve as emergency response facilities during climate-related hazards and offer public resources.
A grant of $10 million was awarded to St. John’s Community Health for the Avalon Health Resilience and Access Center in South Los Angeles. This project will establish a community center in one of the most under-resourced areas of Los Angeles County, providing shelter and resources during emergencies and ongoing community services. The center will feature solar panels, water retention systems, HVAC upgrades, and will offer medical, dental, and behavioral health care services.
Going from densely populated Los Angeles to one of the most rural parts of the state, another $10 million grant was awarded to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California for the Hung A Lel Ti t’ába káŋa “Bear Cave” Resiliency Operations Center. This center will be established in Alpine County, California, the state’s least populated county. Located in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain range, the region is especially prone to wildfires and drought. The project involves renovating and expanding three community structures to create new facilities, including a gym, fire station, and education center.
Receiving nearly $4.8 million, the Center for Food, Youth & Community by Ceres Community Project in Sonoma County will provide year-round resources to increase preparedness for an area that has been devastated by wildfires in recent years. The facility will include an advanced microgrid system, drought-resistant landscaping, and offer programs focused on nutrition, public health, and disaster relief services.
Other funded projects span across the state, with grants to cities in the southern desert including Coachella and Banning, as well as mountainous areas in Central and Northern California including Madera County and Nevada County. These projects range from building new community resilience campuses to revitalizing veterans’ halls for use as centers.
A detailed list of the project selections is available through the SGC’s website.
Photo by Ross Stone on Unsplash
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