This week, the City Council approved grants to organizations that benefit lower-income residents in the community.
The grants, known as Community Development Block Grants, are part of a federal program that distributes money to eligible cities and counties so they can improve life for lower income families.
The City of Carlsbad applies the grants to programs that help address such needs as affordable housing — including shelter for the homeless — food, clothing, after-school care and health care.
The money can also be applied to projects that help improve the lives of residents in lower-income neighborhoods.
Social service organizations apply for the Community Development Block Grants, and a seven member advisory committee creates funding recommendations for City Council consideration. Staff then recommends a list of recipients to the City Council, which makes a final decision. The grant amounts are determined by a formula and vary from year to year.
The City Council awarded grant funds to the following organizations for public services:
Brother Benno Foundation, Brother Benno Center — $15,000
Catholic Charities, La Posada de Guadalupe homeless shelter — $22,000
Interfaith Community Services, emergency rental assistance — $20,061
Women’s Resource Center, alternatives to abuse domestic violence shelter — $20,000
Casa de Amparo, the only children’s shelter in North County San Diego, received $166,968 in public facility grant funding to support the development of a new teen wellness center located in San Marcos. The facility will provide residential care for the increasing number of local children and teens who require physical, mental and emotional care.
In addition, the city will use $221,828 for future affordable housing in Carlsbad and $82,199 for program administration, and the Legal Aid Society of San Diego will receive $20,550 to provide fair housing services to Carlsbad residents.
Every project proposed for the CDBG program must meet at least one of three national objectives, which are:
Providing direct benefits to lower income persons.
Aiding in the prevention or elimination of “slums or blight.”
Meeting other community development needs where existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community, but where no other financial resources are available to meet such needs.
Even More Information
Visit the city’s website
Contact Management Analyst Courtney Pene, 760-434-2812, courtney.pene@carlsbadca.gov
