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Lawndale council moves CDBG money from senior activities to street resurfacing, approves general‑fund backfill for services
Summary
The council unanimously approved a staff recommendation to reallocate Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds originally earmarked for senior activities to street resurfacing after new federal documentation requirements, and directed the city to use general‑fund dollars to continue senior services.
The Lawndale City Council on July 20 voted unanimously to reallocate CDBG funds designated for senior activities toward street resurfacing projects and to cover senior program staffing with the city general fund.
Staff said recent federal and administrative changes require participating cities to document household U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status for direct-benefit programs, including some public-service elements of senior programming. Faced with those documentation requirements for the senior nutrition program, staff recommended moving the federal CDBG allocation to street resurfacing and using general-fund dollars to continue existing senior services.
At the meeting, Community Development staff explained the change would preserve the senior programs for residents while avoiding the administrative burden that would arise from certifying participants’ immigration or citizenship evidence for CDBG eligibility. Councilmember Pat Kearney and Councilwoman Bernice Suarez asked for clarifications about the scope of the reallocation and whether the staffing backfill would cover lunches and other senior activities; staff confirmed the adjustment would fund the staff portion of the senior nutrition program and related senior services that previously were partly covered by CDBG.
Mayor Pro Tem Cuevas made the motion to adopt the staff recommendation; Cuevas’s motion was seconded and the council voted unanimously in favor. The staff report and council discussion referenced a roughly $37,000 staff‑time backfill (staff noted the report lists a larger figure that may reflect two fiscal years). Council members said they wanted clarity on amounts and requested staff to provide a detailed breakdown in follow-up materials.
The action sends the amended CDBG roster and the recommendation to reallocate the identified federal funds to street resurfacing; the city will continue senior services in the interim using general‑fund resources while staff returns with further budget detail. The council recorded no dissents and the motion passed unanimously.
Next steps: staff will finalize the amended CDBG roster and return with any contract or budget adjustments needed to complete the repaving projects and to document the general‑fund commitment to senior programs.
