The Latest News from TPA

City of Buena Park Receives $358,000 Grant for Park Project

Townsend Public Affairs is proud to announce that long-time client, the City of Buena Park, has been awarded a Housing-Related Parks Program Grant through the California Department of Housing and Community Development!

Funded by proceeds from Proposition 84 (2006 Park Bond Initiative that TPA participated in drafting), the City will receive a total of $358,975 for the renovation of Bellis Park, a 22.5 acre community facility. The HRP seeks to increase the overall supply of housing affordable to lower-income households by providing financial incentives for the creation, expansion, or renovation of community park and recreation amenities. TPA congratulates the City on this great win, and also extends kudos to Cori Williams, TPA Senior Associate, for her key role working with City staff on this successful grant application.

City of Walnut Creek Parking Legislation Driven Into Law

TPA is proud to announce that Governor Brown signed AB 451 (Bonilla) that was sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek, a TPA client!

The legislation will enable cities and counties to adopt parking ordinances that best facilitate economic activity in their jurisdictions. Specifically, this bill clarifies the ability of cities and counties to authorize the regulation of private parking facilities by their owners and managers.

TPA worked closely with Assembly Member Susan Bonilla to lead the coalition on this bill in order to secure the Governor’s signature.

“I am very pleased that the Governor has signed AB 451and am grateful for Assemblymember Bonilla’s leadership, thus enabling Walnut Creek to continue with its highly successful public/private partnership that has made thousands of parking spaces available to the general public that would have otherwise not been available, and this means that Walnut Creek’s leadership in this area will benefit other communities in the State.” – Bob Simmons, Mayor of Walnut Creek

Thank you Assembly Member Bonilla for your leadership and hard work to transform this bill from an idea into state law. Congratulations to the City of Walnut Creek. And finally, congratulations to TPA Senior Director Niccolo De Luca and TPA Associate Alex Gibbs for your hard work to get the job done for our clients!

Cities of Fullerton and Brea Fire Protection Legislation Blazes Into Law

TPA is pleased and proud to announce that earlier today Governor Brown signed SB 354 (Huff) that was sponsored by two of our long-time clients: the Cities of Brea and Fullerton. The legislation will provide a technical fix that was identified by CalPERS in order to implement SB 1251 (Huff) that was signed into law last year, which allows both cities to form a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and transfer employees to that JPA yet still allow them to maintain their existing retirement formulas. (SB 1251 was also sponsored by Brea and Fullerton and guided through the process by TPA.)

TPA worked closely with Senator Bob Huff to coordinate the efforts of Brea and Fullerton to pursue this critical amendment to state law so that the cities can finally establish their JPA to create efficiencies and other significant financial savings while continuing to provide the best fire protection services in North Orange County.

Thank you Senator Huff for your leadership and hard work to transform this bill from an idea into state law. And congratulations to the Cities of Brea and Fullerton for your tenacity to ensure this important JPA can become a reality. And finally, congratulations to TPA State Capitol Director Casey Elliott and TPA Senior Associate Cori Williams for your vigilance to get the job done for our clients!

Townsend Public Affairs Ranks as Top Ten Lobbying Firm in California

Townsend Public Affairs is excited to announce that once again we have been ranked among the top ten lobbying firms in the State of California. The Secretary of State officially ranked TPA as the ninth (9th) largest advocacy firm during the current legislative session according to revenues reported for the first sixth months of 2015. Our achievement was noted in the Sacramento Bee, www.sacbee.com.

TPA is proud to serve public entities and nonprofit organizations throughout California on key policy issues and grant funding opportunities, and has secured over $914 million in competitive funds for our clients!

City of Duarte

Townsend Public Affairs is proud to highlight a new client, the City of Duarte. Duarte has approximately 21,000 residents and is located in Los Angeles County just south of the San Gabriel Mountains. The City is known as the “City of Health,” as it contains well-known medical centers, and many of its earliest pioneers came to the area in the mid-1800s for their health. Located along historic U.S. Route 66, Duarte has a rich history, which it ardently strives to preserve.

The City of Duarte is currently focused on a three-year plan to improve and enhance the City. Townsend Public Affairs will partner with the City to achieve its goals of improving its infrastructure and facilities; identifying long-term revenue resources; enhancing programs, services and involvement of its youth and families; developing improved communication strategies internally and in the community; and improving the environment.

We are excited to work with the City of Duarte to seek funding for its priorities and projects, advocate on behalf of its issues to State and federal officials, and provide strategic consulting and strategy development. Visit their website, www.accessduarte.com.

City of Emeryville Receives $478,000 Grant for Park Project

TPA and long-time client the City of Emeryville, worked together to secure $477,950 in grant funds through the Housing Related Parks Program (HRP) administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). HRP grant funds will be used for the construction and improvement of the City’s upcoming recreation facility, Emeryville Center for Community Life (ECCL). The ECCL project is a revolutionary joint use partnership between the City and Emery Unified School District, which incorporates an elementary, intermediate and high school facility with a library, health clinic and other public entities. The ECCL serves as a multi-use city-school campus and community center offering K-12 education, continual learning, recreational, health and social services for Emeryville citizens. The grant funds will also help with the continued construction of the Center’s gym, sports field, dance studio and pool. This gives an opportunity for low-income residents who do not have easy access to these types of amenities a public space to gather, interact, socialize and learn. Overall, this great public space will contribute to the community’s social, economic, cultural and environmental health.

TPA played a key role in securing the grant funds. TPA coordinated with the City’s leadership to create and implement a strategy that met the City’s goals and financial needs. As a part of our strategy development, we worked to assist the City in crafting an application for funding, advocating to the HCD about the long-term benefits the project would achieve, and ensuring all the necessary requirements were met by the City.

TPA is proud to have taken part in garnering the HRP grant funds, which in turn will further enrich the daily lives of Emeryville’s residents. We extend our congratulations to the City of Emeryville! http://www.emeryvillecenter.org/