Title
Adopt a Resolution to Adopt the City of San Leandro 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommend that the City Council adopt by Resolution the City of San Leandro 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
BACKGROUND
The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and the guidelines established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) require that local jurisdictions periodically prepare a hazard mitigation plan that addresses hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities as they relate to disasters. Federal funding for disaster mitigation projects and recovery post-disaster is contingent upon adoption of a current plan.
The City has previously drafted and adopted three local hazard mitigation plans, one in 2005, a second in 2010, and the third in 2015. The 2005 plan was a stand-alone document that was specific to the City of San Leandro and the 2010 plan was a multi-agency plan done in conjunction with other Bay Area agencies and coordinated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). The 2015 plan was a stand-alone document specific to the City of San Leandro. Following additional review of the 2015 document by FEMA, it was determined that additional revisions would be needed, which culminated in the adoption of the 2017 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan at the March and a new version was subsequently adopted by the City Council on March 5, 2018.
Analysis
The purpose of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) is to serve as a long-term plan to reduce disaster impacts, identify major hazards affecting the City of San Leandro, and include mitigation strategies to protect the community and public infrastructure.
It is also important to note that the LHMP is not intended to serve as an emergency response plan, nor a rebuilding plan, and that is distinct from the adopted citywide General Plan.
Adoption of the plan commits the City to working on the listed mitigation strategies to the extent that funding is available. Adoption of the plan is also required to be eligible for certain federal aid, in particular the FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant that staff is currently preparing for submittal.
The City’s 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies nine primary hazards that pose the greatest risk to San Leandro: Climate Change, Cyberattack, Dam Failure, Earthquakes and Seismic Events, Flooding, Landslides, Severe Storms, Tsunami, and Wildfire. These hazards were selected based on updated scientific data, FEMA’s National Risk Index, regional plans, and community input, and reflect both long‑standing threats such as earthquakes, flooding, and wildfire, as well as emerging risks including cyberattacks and climate‑driven severe weather. Together, these hazards form the basis for the City’s updated risk assessment and mitigation strategy, ensuring that planning efforts address the conditions most likely to affect San Leandro’s residents, infrastructure, economy, and essential services.
The plan has been reviewed and approved by both the State of California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and FEMA, which follows upon a robust public outreach process to ensure that the document incorporated community feedback prior to its submittal for review by these agencies. The 2026 LHMP must be approved by the City, State, and Federal agencies to qualify for FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, as well as various other FEMA grant programs.
The 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan includes several important updates from the 2017 plan, reflecting both emerging risks and improved analytical methods. The new plan adopts a broader hazard set that now includes human‑caused threats such as cyberattacks, applies modern GIS‑based analysis to assess vulnerability, and integrates climate change across all hazards rather than treating sea level rise as an isolated issue. It also features significantly expanded public engagement, deeper coordination with other City and regional planning documents, and a more robust, quantitative mitigation strategy that uses a Calculated Priority Risk Index to prioritize actions based on probability, severity, warning time, and duration.
The 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan will be used as the City’s guiding framework for reducing risk from natural and human‑caused hazards and for strengthening long‑term community resilience. The plan may also be used to prioritize and implement mitigation projects, guide future capital and infrastructure investments, and support land‑use permitting and review. In addition, the LHMP positions the City to remain eligible for state and federal hazard mitigation funding
Current Agency Policies
• Support and implement programs that enhance the quality of life and wellness (of the community).
Previous Actions
• On May 23, 2016, by Resolution No. 2011-207, the City Council adopted the 2015 San Leandro Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• On March 5, 2018, the Council adopted a revised 2017 San Leandro Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in response to FEMA’s guidance.
• On July 13, 2026, City Council was presented an update regarding the 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan as part of the Council Priority Workplans presentation.
Applicable General Plan Policies
• General Plan Goal 29: Reduce the potential for injury, property damage, and loss of life resulting from earthquakes, landslides, floods, and other natural disasters.
Environmental Review
Adoption of a plan for possible future action is statutorily exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act, per California Code of Regulations section 15262.
Summary of Public Outreach Efforts
Draft versions of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan were published on the City’s website and made available to the public in hardcopy by request.
Hard copies of the draft plan as well promotions for the community outreach survey were made available at the Senior Community Center throughout the month of July 2025. Outreach materials were also posted on San Leandro’s website and social media.
Public feedback from that survey, including approximately 668 survey responses, was subsequently reviewed and analyzed and incorporated into a revised draft document. Concurrent with this work, updated maps and GIS data were also incorporated into the revised draft.
Once the revised draft was completed, it was circulated publicly for public comments. Community outreach for that public comment that took place throughout the month of July 2026 was advertised on San Leandro’s website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Next Door. Outreach to twenty (20) local stakeholders, including neighboring jurisdictions and public utilities, was also completed.
An update on the plan was also presented at the July 13, 2026 San Leandro City Council work session, and the item was publicized in advance of the meeting and open for public comment.
ATTACHMENTS
A - Resolution
B - City of San Leandro 2026 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
PREPARED BY: Elizabeth Bessman, Emergency Services Specialist, City Manager's Office