A plan to build a community resiliency center at the North Richmond Farm was just awarded over $19 million in funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a statement from U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
The project, called the North Richmond Community Resilience Initiative, will create a center to serve the community in the event of an emergency or disaster, and to provide community services during normal operations.
The project will also add to efforts to increase North Richmond’s urban tree canopy, planting 65 new trees along the Verde Elementary schoolyard. The installation of trees aims to shield students from pollution generated by a new distribution center, Sen. Padilla’s office stated.
A separate, state-funded effort is creating a similar community resilience hub at Harbour-8 Park in Richmond’s Iron Triangle neighborhood.
The $19 million awarded to the North Richmond Farm project were part of a total $216.5 million awarded to 15 California projects that aim to “reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience and strengthen workforce development,” according to Sen. Padilla. The funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act as part of the Community Change Grants Program.
