Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Citizen advisory committee recommends FY2025–26 CDBG grants, cuts graffiti abatement request and funds women’s business center
Loading...
Summary
The South Gate Citizen Advisory Committee heard five CDBG applicants, recommended funding public‑service requests within an estimated $165,000 cap by reducing the graffiti abatement allocation to $100,000, and approved a separate $12,000 nonpublic grant for a women’s business center in a unanimous roll‑call vote among members present.
The South Gate Citizen Advisory Committee on March 18 reviewed fiscal‑year 2025–26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications and voted to recommend funding most applicants as requested while trimming the Graffiti Abatement Program’s ask to fit an estimated $165,000 public‑service cap.
Committee members heard presentations from five applicants: the Family Violence Prevention Program (South Gate Police Department), the Graffiti Abatement Program (Public Works), the South Gate Police Explorers, Southern California Rehabilitation Services’ home modification program, and a women’s entrepreneur program from the South Gate Chamber of Commerce. Staff also announced that the California Latino Leadership Institute withdrew a $33,000 application for a chamber internship program.
The Family Violence Prevention Program’s coordinator, Laura Maldonado, told the committee the locally run domestic violence program has operated for more than 25 years and serves roughly 250–300 unique clients annually. Maldonado said the program uses CDBG funding to contract a part‑time master’s‑level therapist and provides case management, support groups, emergency motel placements and court accompaniment. "We make contact with every single victim that comes through our station," Maldonado said, describing outreach and referral sources including the national domestic violence hotline.
Public Works Superintendent Ocea Rell described the Graffiti Abatement Program’s operations: six single‑person crews, seven‑day coverage, five specialized trucks and a target to remove graffiti within 24 hours of notification. Rell showed before‑and‑after photos and said the program had abated more than 1,000,000 square feet of graffiti in recent years. Commissioners pressed on prevention and outreach; Rell said the team conducts school visits, participates in Earth Day outreach, supports mural and cabinet wrap projects to deter tagging and uses hydroblasting, chemical removal and paint depending on the surface. On budget, Rell said rising materials costs and the city’s decision to expand weekend service drove a request for roughly a $50,000 increase to maintain seven‑day operations.
Field training officer Jose Gonzales and explorer corporal Edo Mero described the South Gate Police Explorers program, which Gonzales said operates as a nonprofit supported by donations and CDBG funds and covers costs such as radios (about $3,500 each), competition fees (about $11,000) and vests. Mero and other youth speakers described the program’s academy and training as formative.
Anna Ramirez of Southern California Rehabilitation Services outlined the home modification program, which distributes minor accessibility equipment—items Ramirez listed for FY2025–26 included lifts, rollators, adjustable beds, manual and power wheelchairs, shower chairs and grab bars—to eligible South Gate residents. Anna Elisa Arras, director of the South Gate Chamber of Commerce, requested a separate nonpublic‑service grant of $12,000 to staff a pilot entrepreneurs' program for women; Arras said a short pilot reached about 12 attendees and helped four participants open brick‑and‑mortar businesses in South Gate.
During public comment, one resident urged the committee to prioritize a home revitalization program and to invest in resident prosperity, and later criticized parks project delays after a recent large allocation to the parks department.
On the budget math, staff and commissioners noted applicants requested roughly $238,000 while the estimated public‑service CDBG pot available for recommendation to city council is $165,000. To fit within that cap, committee leadership proposed funding most applicants at their requested amounts and reducing the Public Works Graffiti Abatement allocation from the requested $140,000 to $100,000, with a note to prorate downward if final city CDBG receipts are lower or to add funds back to graffiti abatement if additional funds become available. The committee agreed that the South Gate Chamber’s women’s program should receive the requested $12,000 from a separate nonpublic‑service allocation.
Committee member Mary Castillo moved to accept the funding recommendations as proposed; Anthony Cepeda seconded. A roll‑call vote recorded "yes" from Committee member Castillo, Committee member Savala, Committee member Martinez, Committee member Janer, Vice Chairperson Zepeda and Chairperson Gonzales. The motion passed unanimously among members present.
The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to city council for final allocation decisions and any required prorations. Committee staff noted that if the final CDBG allotment changes, allocations will be prorated and that any additional funds that become available would be directed to the graffiti abatement program per the committee’s note.
The committee closed the meeting after final public comments and expressed appreciation to staff for preparing the materials.
