Orinda business owners can now apply for up to $30,000 apiece to upgrade their storefronts under a new city-funded pilot program, the most visible step toward downtown revitalization since a court order paused the city's broader planning effort nearly two years ago.
The City Council approved the $75,000 grant pool in June, and the city's Downtown Revitalization and Planning Subcommittee met Wednesday, July 15, as the program works its way toward final adoption. The Planning Commission was also scheduled to review the enabling ordinance on Tuesday, July 14.
How the grants work
The program uses a tiered structure. For projects costing under $10,000, the city covers the full amount with no business match required. For larger projects, the city provides the first $10,000 outright, then matches up to $20,000 in additional spending by the business, capping the grant at $30,000 per applicant.
Either property owners or tenants may apply, though tenants must show written authority from the property owner. Eligible improvements include paint, signage, awnings, permanent outdoor seating, windows, doors, exterior lighting, landscaping, ADA upgrades, and permit fees not waived by the city.
City Manager Linda Smith told the council in June that the no-match tier for smaller projects was shaped by feedback from the business community. "Part of the reason why we had a no match to start at that first level is because some feedback we received from the business community about where their level of interest was and we wanted to make sure we could capture people that may be interested in some minor modifications like awnings," Smith said.
Staff said the city drew inspiration from similar programs in Alameda, Oakland, Dublin, and other Bay Area cities, according to a presentation by Cole Haselip, Assistant to the City Manager.
Why now
The facade grant pilot represents Orinda's most visible downtown improvement effort since the City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 9, 2024, to set aside the Downtown Precise Plan. That action followed a Contra Costa Superior Court writ of mandate requiring the city to revise portions of its environmental impact report for Plan Orinda.
City officials said at the time that downtown revitalization had been "put on hold pending the conclusion of the litigation."
The pilot program runs July 2026 through June 2027. The enabling ordinance must still clear the Planning Commission and return to the City Council for final adoption before grants are issued. No date for the council's final vote has been publicly scheduled.
