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ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ALDERS OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,000,000 OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS, FOR THE FOOD SYSTEM POLICY DIVISION TO SUPPORT ITS CAPACITY TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPLEMENT A SERIES OF PLANS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WILL CREATE AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE, REDUCE BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND IN WHICH ALL RESIDENTS WILL EQUITABLY BENEFIT FROM THE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SOCIOECONOMIC OUTCOMES OF MORE GREEN AND GROWING SPACES.
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WHEREAS, across New Haven, 22% of the City’s residents are food insecure, - with not enough food or money to buy food - much higher than the Connecticut rate of 12% and national rate of 13%; and
WHEREAS, in two recent studies in New Haven - DataHaven’s Wellbeing Survey and CARE’s New Haven Health Survey - food insecurity impacts 1 in 3 adults in the City’s lowest income neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, urban agriculture has the potential to increase food access and food security, improve health, generate income, build skills, enhance community development, and develop connections to broader efforts to address structural causes of inequities; and
WHEREAS, food systems are particularly useful in health and community development precisely because many low-income communities have a rich heritage of expertise in food production (over 50% of refugees have agrarian backgrounds) and food business entrepreneurship and supporting this expertise is an approach to asset-based development; and
WHEREAS, the City of New Haven’s Food System Policy Division since its creation has partnered extensively with relevant residents and community organizations regarding urban agriculture and food systems initiatives across the City of New Haven.
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is offering funding through its Urban & Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grant Program to assist eligible entities with projects that support the development and stewardship of urban green and growing spaces, specifically providing funding to seek to reduce the number of people without access to nature in their communities; and
WHEREAS, the Food System Policy Division meets the priorities of this competitive grants program through its current work on co-creating, alongside residents from primarily disinvested neighborhoods, New Haven’s first Urban Agriculture Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders supports the Food System Policy Division’s efforts to create an enabling environment for urban agriculture in which all residents will equitably benefit from the positive environmental, health and socioeconomic outcomes; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDERED THAT the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven authorizes the Mayor of the City of New Haven to apply for funds offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grants Program, in an amount not to exceed $6,000,000 over five years, and to accept such funds, if offered, and to execute all documents and contracts as necessary.
BE IT FURTHER ORDERED THAT the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven authorizes the Mayor of the City of New Haven to extend the award and/or approve no cost amendments of the award.