To: Board of Supervisors, County of Sonoma
Department or Agency Name(s): Emergency Management
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jeffrey DuVall / 707-565-1152
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
2025 Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Memorandum of Understanding with County of Sonoma
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Emergency Management to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the cities of Oakland and San Jose, the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and the City and County of San Francisco for continued participation in the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative Approval Authority.
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Executive Summary:
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a Homeland Security Grant Program, which includes the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Program. This program addresses the unique planning, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density “Urban Areas” and assists those areas in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from threats and acts of terrorism. This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is renewed by the Bay Area Approval Authority periodically. The previous MOU term was for four (4) years and the new MOU is for a term of five (5) years.
Discussion:
This Board Item is to adopt the new Master MOU so that County of Sonoma will remain a voting member on the Bay Area Initiative Approval Authority (Approval Authority). As a party to the 2025-2030 Master MOU, the County of Sonoma will continue its partnerships with other cities and counties in the Bay Area to build an enlarged and sustainable local and regional capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from threats, acts of terrorism, and natural disasters such as earthquake and wildfire.
The purpose of the Approval Authority is to provide effective direction and governance for UASI grant programs under its jurisdiction, and to coordinate a regional approach to prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery for homeland security threats and hazards in accordance with UASI grant guidelines. The Department of Emergency Management currently serves as the County of Sonoma's Primary Representative on the Approval Authority. Any expenses associated with this role is already included under the departmental budget.
The County of Sonoma has been a party to the MOU since 2011. Within the Bay Area UASI governing documents, the County of Sonoma serves as the voting member for the County of Napa also.
The current MOU, adopted in 2021, expired on November 30, 2025. Because of this, it is necessary for the member agencies to enter into a new MOU. The Bay Area UASI Management Team prepared a 2025 MOU and presented at the September 18, 2025, meeting of the Approval Authority of the Bay Area UASI. The Approval Authority unanimously approved the proposed 2025 MOU to be forwarded to all member agencies’ governing bodies for approval and execution.
The proposed 2025 MOU provides governance structures and procedures for application, allocation, and distribution of federal UASI grant funds to the Bay Area Urban Area, as well as other grants that are managed by the Bay Area UASI. The fiscal agent of the Bay Area UASI, under the proposed MOU, continues to be the City and County of San Francisco. The term of the proposed MOU is December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2030.
The Bay Area UASI’s distribution of $122,488,106 from FY2021-FY2024 in awarded funds to the Bay Area Urban Area have allowed the building of a significantly stronger region. By participating in the MOU, our agency benefits from coordinated regional trainings, grant funding, and planning programs aimed at engaging security, preparedness, and response capabilities. Additionally, it allows us the ability to coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions and share resources when preparing for large high-traffic events, such as sporting events, concerts, etc.
Since the inception of this agreement, starting in FY 2006/2007, Sonoma County has received over $4,075,000 in grant funds/property transfers from the UASI Program. Additionally, the County has benefited from studies addressing Resilience, Public Information & Warning, Continuity of Government Operations, Sheltering, etc., while participating in UASI funded exercises validating plans and concepts related to terrorism, emergency management, and recovery.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Resilient Infrastructure
Goal: Goal 2: Invest in capital systems to ensure continuity of operations and disaster response.
Objective: Objective 1: Strengthen critical communications infrastructure, interoperability, and information technology tools relied upon during disasters.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
12/10/2024: Memorandum of Understanding with the City and County of San Francisco for the Distribution of FY24 Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative Grant Funds.
Sonoma County has been a member of the Bay Area UASI Approval Authority since 2011 and has received grant funding since Fiscal Year 2006/2007.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are no fiscal impacts related to entering into the Memorandum of Understanding. Entering into the MOU allows the County of Sonoma to continue to be eligible for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Urban Areas Security Initiative program grant funds as they become available annually.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
1. Resolution
2. 2025 UASI Governing Memorandum of Understanding
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.