Board divvies up grant money

Angelique Flores

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- Students, mothers, seniors and the ailing may all be

able to receive needed support if the City Council passes the funding

plan approved by an advisory board last week.

The Housing and Community Development Advisory Board voted March 1 on the

allocation of funding for public service programs.

Ten of the 11 requests from service agencies were favored in the

recommendation, including Adult Day Care Services of Orange County, the

Women’s Transitional Living Center, Huntington Beach Community Clinic,

Fountain Valley School District and the Boys & Girls Club of Huntington

Valley.

Individual grants range from $2,000 to $10,000. The only applicant not

included in the recommendation is the Laguna Playhouse.

As a first-time applicant, representatives from the playhouse didn’t

present a clear plan of how they would use the grant and who would

benefit from it, said Chris Corbin, the city’s housing coordinator.

Last year, 12 of the 15 agencies that applied received funds. Many of

these agencies receive money year after year from the annual grant.

Applicants were selected according to the type of services they provide

and which serve the greatest number of city residents. Although not all

agencies that applied are located in the city, they serve residents,

Corbin said.

“We want to get the best bang for our buck,” said Andy Perea, the city’s

planning manager.

Only $65,100 from the $434,000 Community Development Block Grant is

allocated for public service agencies. The other 85% of the grant,

received by the city in January from the U.S. Department of Housing and

Urban Development, will be used for housing rehabilitation and

neighborhood revitalization projects.

The City Council will vote on the recommendations at the April 18 council

meeting. The funding cycle for the grant begins July 1.