Rules for spending the climate resiliency fund

(a) All expenditures from the climate resiliency fund must be consistent with Charter § 9-204.4. (b) Moneys in the climate resiliency fund may be used: (1) To finance a grant program for preventive and ameliorative measures relating to the experienced and anticipated effects of climate change, including but not limited to rising sea levels, heavier rainfall, flooding, extreme weather events, disruption of ecosystems, and potential impacts on human health due to changing climate patterns. Preventive and ameliorative measures include cesspool conversions and the installation of new lateral sewer connections for unsewered properties that were not previously serviced by a public sewer main. Grants from this program may not exceed $50,000 and may only be awarded to households with a total household income under $100,000; (2) To contract with non-profit entities to support and advance climate resilience activities that leverage State, federal, or private funds. Such programs include but are not limited to extreme weather protection upgrades, cesspool conversions relating to experienced and anticipated effects of climate change, addressing an over-dependence on imports for food and energy, and providing climate-related energy and water retrofits for households earning 80 percent and below of the area median income in the city as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and (3) For the payment of principal, interest, and premium, if any, due with respect to bonds issued after enactment of this article and pursuant to Charter §§ 3-116 or 3-117, in whole or in part, for the purpose enumerated above and for the payment of costs associated with the purchase, redemption, or refunding of such bonds. (c) At any given time, no more than 5 percent of the moneys in the climate resiliency fund may be used for administrative expenses. During any fiscal year, up to 50 percent of the moneys appropriated from the climate resiliency fund may be allocated for grants and loans implementing climate resilience community projects with partners and households external to the city. (d) Any balance remaining in the climate resiliency fund at the end of any fiscal year will not lapse and must remain in the climate resiliency fund, accumulating from year to year. The moneys in the climate resiliency fund may not be used for any purposes except those listed in this article. (e) The appropriations to the climate resiliency fund may not substitute for, but must be in addition to, those appropriations historically made for the purposes stated in this article.