VENTURA : Council to Seek Grant to Aid Neighborhood

The Ventura City Council tonight will consider applying for a grant to develop programs aimed at reducing graffiti and drug and alcohol abuse in the Ventura Avenue area, officials said.

The city is poised to seek $25,000 in federal money to start the $84,000 program known as the Ventura Avenue Action Project. The city and other agencies would have to contribute the rest of the project’s funding, officials said.

In an effort to raise self-esteem of Ventura Avenue residents, the project would provide education to improve parenting skills, help teen-agers resist peer pressure, underwrite public arts projects and develop a fund-raising network to keep the neighborhood program going.

It would be coordinated by city staff members, the Ventura County Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs and the Khepera Recovery House, a local group home for recovering addicts and alcoholics.

“Basically, it would upgrade intervention and prevention programs,” said Geary Ray, the city’s community services manager.

To accept the federal grant, the city would have to match the funds, dollar for dollar, officials said. City officials hope to begin the project July 1.