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Community Action Board recommends $80,000 in public-service grants; committee forwards recommendation to full council
Summary
The Community Development Committee voted 7-0 to forward the Community Action Board's recommendations for allocating $80,000 in CDBG public-service funds to the full City Council. The CAB prioritized housing and food programs from $217,532 in requests.
The City Council Community Development Committee on Sept. 2 unanimously voted to forward the Community Action Board's recommendations for allocating $80,000 in Community Development Block Grant public-service funds to the full council.Approved recommendation to the full council followed discussion of more than two dozen applications totaling $217,532 in requests and the CAB's effort to prioritize housing and food programs.
The CAB's recommendation, presented to the committee by city staff, allocated the available $80,000 across multiple local programs after ranking applications and discussing organizational missions. "We have received the most applications for this program this year than we have received since I've been here in 2019," a city staff member told the committee, explaining the review process and the CAB's focus on housing and food needs.
Why it matters: The committee is recommending how to spend limited federal CDBG public-service funds on local nonprofits and programs. The committee's vote sends the CAB's allocation plan to the full City Council for final approval at the council's next meeting.
Committee discussion centered on allocation philosophy and prior funding. Committee members noted the limits of the $80,000 pool compared with the total requests and discussed whether to direct more funds to housing and emergency services or to spread support across youth and food programs. One alderman said some groups, including an Eastside youth football program, had received substantial recent funding from other public sources and argued for prioritizing organizations with fewer recent awards. Another alderman urged continued support for Harbor House's direct services to victims of domestic violence.
Staff clarified program details on request: the Salvation Army submissions referenced two different programs (a homeless-prevention program and a family empowerment/childcare program); some awards include supplies and materials for youth programming; one award would support a basic-needs closet stocking items from feminine-hygiene supplies to laundry detergent.
Action taken: Alderman Osanga moved to recommend the CAB allocations to the full City Council; Alderman Prude seconded. The committee approved the recommendation on a roll-call vote of 7-0 and will present the package at the next council meeting.
Next steps: The full City Council will consider the CAB-recommended allocations at its upcoming meeting. If approved, staff said the city would execute awards and work with each nonprofit on the terms of the assistance.
