Title
Resolution to Approve a Grant Agreement with the Ann Arbor Housing Development Corporation in the Amount of $180,000.00 to Support the Transition of the Green Baxter Court Community Center to a Resilience Hub ($180,000.00)
Memorandum
In August 2024, the City was awarded a $1,000,000.00 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") to create a regional resilience network and invest in three brick and mortar resilience hubs in Ann Arbor (one match funded) and one additional to-be-determined hub in Washtenaw County.
This grant had three main objectives:
1. Launch a model regional resilience network that brings together municipalities, community-based organizations, and other critical care service providers to create facilitated communication channels to assist network partners in enhancing the resilience of local and regional stakeholders.
2. Establish four additional brick and mortar resilience hubs throughout Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County (one of which is match funded).
3. Launch a resilience grant program for community-based organizations working to build the resilience of local stakeholders.
Over the last several months, major work has been underway on these tasks, with the greatest progress being made in advancing two of the resilience hubs - one at Peace Neighborhood Center and one at Green Baxter Community Center, which is owned by the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. Designs for solar and storage have been completed for both sites and energy audits completed to identify energy efficiency, lighting, and building shell improvements that will help save money while also improving occupant comfort.
Unfortunately, in April 2025, the City received notice that its award from the EPA was being terminated. The City submitted paperwork challenging this termination and is currently awaiting notice of a final ruling from the EPA.
Regardless of what is decided by the EPA, the Office of Sustainability and Innovations ("OSI") remains committed ...
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