Title
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Capital Budget to Appropriate $289,000 in Grant Funds to Capital Improvement Program C66300 (EV Charging);
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute All Necessary Documents with California Department of Transportation to Accept $1,237,000 in Grant Funding; and
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Second Amendment to the Agreement with It’s Electric for up to $397,200 for the Public EV Charging Program.
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities), 15303 (New Construction and Conversion of Small Structures), and Section 15304 (Minor Trenching). (Planning, Building and Transportation 26541642)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Gerry Beaudin, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On May 28, 2026, the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) awarded a $289,000 grant to the City of Alameda (City) to deploy 14 public curbside EV chargers as part of Alameda Public EV Charging Pilot Program, which serves to expand public EV charging opportunities for residents who rent, live in homes without driveways or garages, and those who live in multi-family apartments. Staff recommends that City Council amend the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Capital Budget to appropriate $289,000 to Capital Improvement Program (CIP) C66300 (Public EV Charging) for the public EV charging program.
This grant complements a $1,237,000 grant award from Metropolitan Transportation Commission through California Department of Transportation (MTC/Caltrans) accepted by City Council on May 6, 2025 to further implement the public EV charging program by deploying 20 public EV chargers. Staff recommend that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to execute an agreement with Caltrans to implement the grant.
Staff also recommends City Council approval to amend the agreement with It’s Electric to implement both grants and proceed with installation of public EV chargers throughout the City.
BACKGROUND
Expansion of public EV charging is a priority established by the City Council and documented in the Alameda 2040 General Plan, CARP, and City Council Strategic Plan (Project CC2). The City launched the Public EV Charging Pilot Program to expand the availability of EV chargers for residents who rent, live in homes without driveways or garages, and those who live in multi-family apartments. Key actions include selecting two providers (It’s Electric and Blink) through a competitive process, forming an interdepartmental working group, and entering no-cost agreements for site evaluation and installation. City Council has adopted policies and agreements to enable implementation, including approving a Master Licensing Agreement and an ordinance enforcing EV-designated parking. Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) amended their Rules and Regulations in June 2026 to allow installation of curbside chargers associated with adjacent buildings and launched a new rebate program for public EV chargers in August that provides up to $50,000 in rebates for the installation of public Level 2 charging stations.
In September 2025, It’s Electric deployed the island’s first two building-powered public curbside chargers in partnership with the Alameda Housing Authority (AHA) at Everett Commons (2477 Eagle Ave.). Fifteen additional sites, representing a total of 21 chargers, have signed agreements with It’s Electric, including the Mastick Senior Center (1155 Santa Clara Ave.) and the California Historical Radio Society (2152 Central Ave.).
Additionally, It’s Electric has 11 properties in the “site visit” stage and 2 properties in the “contracting” stage. Many of these properties came to It’s Electric through outreach via the City’s Facebook page (August 2024 and January 2026). City staff is confident that we have a strong pipeline of opportunities that will result in a successful deployment of 34 curbside chargers in 2026 and 2027. We have reason to believe they will be well-utilized: 136 current EV drivers and 49 aspiring EV drivers have signed up to receive cables when a charger is installed close to their home (within 0.5 miles).
It’s Electric hardware utilizes “spare” capacity from nearby buildings, paired with a detachable cable, which will be distributed to drivers for free by It’s Electric. This approach sidesteps the barrier of grid limitations and creates community buy-in by sharing the charger revenue with property partners, who have been solicited via extensive community outreach.
In April 2026, City Council was presented with a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Readiness Award from the California New Motor Vehicle Board recognizing Alameda for demonstrating leadership in fighting climate change, contributing to Californians’ health and economy, and reducing harm to the community by becoming ZEV-ready.
DISCUSSION
ACTC grant - 14 curbside chargers
The 2026 ACTC grant will deploy 14 curbside electric vehicle (EV) chargers at 11 sites in partnership with It’s Electric (Map 1). Seven chargers at six sites are in the Air District’s Priority Area for low-income communities as defined by AB 1550. Site host agreements have been executed for 12 chargers at nine sites, and It’s Electric will simultaneously proceed with design and permitting at the contracted sites upon execution of the agreement amendment. Of the remaining sites, one is in the “contracting” stage, and one is in the “site visit” stage.
Map 1: Map of ACTC funded curbside charging locations. AB1550 area shaded. Excludes sites with pending site host agreements.
MTC/Caltrans grant - 20 curbside and/or City lot chargers
The MTC/Caltrans grant provides funds for public EV chargers. The City is seeking to enter into an agreement with Caltrans to execute the grant in two phases. The design phase has been authorized by Caltrans and includes $108,200 for the design phase for 20 chargers. The construction phase will be authorized for up to $1,128,000 following completion of the design phase.
Amending It’s Electric Agreement
Staff recommends City Council approve a second amendment to It’s Electric’s agreement, increasing the not-to-exceed amount to $397,200, which includes the ACTC grant ($289,000) and the design phase of the MTC/Caltrans grant ($108,200). Staff will seek City Council authorization in the future to further amend the It’s Electric agreement to include construction phase costs.
ALTERNATIVES
• Adopt the resolutions as amended.
• Do not adopt the resolutions or amend the It’s Electric agreement and direct staff to proceed with a different approach. This alternative is not recommended because it will either require General Fund dollars to support some of the capital expenses or cause delays in implementation of the program until other funds can be identified.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The proposed budget resolution increases the budgeted revenue to reflect the $289,000 from the ACTC grant and appropriates the corresponding expenditure budget in Project C66300 (Public EV Charging Program) by $289,000.
Table 1: Budget Request
|
Budget Request |
Revenue/ Expenditure |
Fund Number |
Fund Description |
Project Number |
Project Name |
Budget Amount |
|
New Grant Award (ACTC) |
Increase Revenue Budget |
220 |
Grant Fund |
C66300 |
Public EV Charging Program |
$289,000 |
|
New Appropriations Request |
Increase Expenditure Budget |
310 |
Capital Fund |
C66300 |
Public EV Charging Program |
$289,000 |
The City Council previously accepted the MTC/Caltrans grant and approved a $1,237,000 budget appropriation.
City Council approved an agreement with It’s Electric on June 2, 2024, which was subsequently amended on September 12, 2024. The proposed second amendment for $397,200 will be funded by both ACTC and MTC/Caltrans grant funds
As is common with grant-funded programs, It’s Electric will incur expenses and seek reimbursement from the City, which will do so with MTC/Caltrans and ACTC grant funds. Staff time is not included in this grant amount; however, permit fees paid by the providers will offset Public Works Department and Permit Center costs for permit processing.
Without these grants, the City would need to allocate General Fund or seek alternative funding sources to implement the pilot program. The ACTC grant utilizes state vehicle registration funds.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Adoption of the proposed resolutions and amendment of the It’s Electric agreement are consistent with adopted City policies in the 2023 Strategic Plan and CARP. Installing public EV charging is consistent with the Alameda 2040 General Plan. Specifically, General Plan Policy CC-6 supports increasing the supply of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in Alameda. In addition, Strategic Plan Project #CC2 identifies the need to expand EV charging availability across the City. Furthermore, Strategy T6 of the CARP (2025) calls for increasing the availability of EV charging stations citywide. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301, 15303, and 15304, each on a separate and independent basis. Operation and minor alteration of existing facilities and vehicle operations are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA under Section 15301 - Existing Facilities. Installation of EV chargers and ancillary utility equipment is exempt from CEQA under Section 15303 - New Construction and Conversion of Small Structures. Lastly, the project is exempt under Section 15304 Minor Trenching. None of the exceptions to the CEQA exemptions apply.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Supporting the adoption of EVs will help the City meet its goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by shifting gas-powered vehicles towards 100% clean electricity provided by AMP. The City’s 2022 GHG Inventory found that on-road transportation accounts for 54% of the City’s GHG emissions, and that expanding EV adoption for those trips that cannot be shifted to walking, biking, or transit is paramount to reducing transportation-related emissions.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Capital Budget to appropriate $289,000 in grant funds to Capital Improvement Program C66300 (Public EV Charging), adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with California Department of Transportation to accept $1,237,000 in grant funding; Authorize the City Manager to execute a second amendment to the agreement with It’s Electric for up to $397,200 for the public EV charging program; and finding the project exempt under CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301, 15303, and 15304.
Respectfully submitted,
Abby Thorne-Lyman, Interim Planning, Building, and Transportation Director
By,
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. It’s Electric Agreement
2. It’s Electric Amendment 1
3. It’s Electric Amendment 2