Laserfiche WebLink
Public °ewe,,, Hearing Draft <br />Persons experiencing homelessness are more likely to suffer respiratory infections, which are <br />exacerbated by extreme heat. Persons experiencing homelessness and who are on <br />medication are also at greater risk from extreme heat because some medications interfere <br />with the body's ability to maintain a safe internal temperature during times of extreme <br />temperatures. <br />Households in poverty are less likely to live in air-conditioned buildings or those that have <br />effective insulation, increasing their exposure to extreme heat. During extreme heat days, <br />uninsulated or poorly -insulated homes may reach unhealthy temperatures. Households in <br />poverty may not have access to medical services, which means that they are more likely <br />to have medical conditions that can be exacerbated by extreme heat. <br />Aging can impair muscle strength, coordination, cognitive ability, the immune system, and <br />the ability to regulate body temperature, making elderly populations, especially those with <br />limited income or mobility, at a higher risk of health impacts from extreme heat events. 42 <br />Medications that seniors may be taking can also limit their ability to maintain a safe internal <br />temperature. In general, seniors are more likely to suffer medical complications or death <br />during extreme heat events than other members of the population. <br />Extreme heat can regularly cause power outages due to a combination of mechanical <br />failure of electrical grid equipment, heat damage to the wires themselves, and high <br />demand for electricity as a result of cooling equipment, all of which causes stress on the <br />grid. As extreme heat events become more frequent and intense, disruptions in service are <br />likely to become more frequent. Although high temperatures in the City may not damage <br />energy services, transmission lines going through inland areas can be damaged or not <br />function properly due to extreme heat. <br />Additional vulnerabilities include outdoor recreation, as people may be deterred from <br />recreating outdoors in high temperatures, and aquatic and wetland habitats, whose water <br />quality may decline as temperatures increase. <br />Flooding <br />As explained by the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment, California's water <br />system is structured and operated to balance between water storage for dry months and <br />flood protection during rainy seasons. Although climate change is likely to lead to a drier <br />climate overall, risks from higher frequency, more intense rainfall events can generate <br />more frequent and/or more severe flooding that upsets this managed balance between <br />storage and protection. <br />Climate change forecasts for the San Leandro region predict more intense rainfall events, <br />more frequent or extensive runoff, and more flooding. According to Cal -Adapt, historically, <br />intense rain events occurred an average of 2 times per year; they are projected to <br />Page 52 San Leandro 2021 Climate Action Plan <br />