Block grants awarded to several El Cajon groups
EAST COUNTY
EL CAJON
Two programs that provide shelter for homeless individuals and several groups that look out for the needs of senior citizens will share a portion of the city of El Cajon’s community development block grants funding.
The El Cajon City Council last week made a preliminary decision on where the city’s 2020 block grants will be spent, a plan which will be finalized at the end of April.
The actual funds, which come through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, are expected to be available on or after July 1, according to the city. El Cajon expects to get about $1.36 million from HUD for block grants.
The block grant system, as stated on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website, is “a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs.” Only cities with more than 50,000 residents are eligible; groups receiving money must spend it on activities that benefit low- and moderate-income residents and/or low- and moderate-income areas.
The funding the city is expected to get in 2020 will include nearly $887,000 for public facilities or capital funding.
About $500,000 of that will help cover about 40 new street lights for eligible residential areas in El Cajon; $275,000 will go toward installing or retrofitting about 80 ADA compliant curb ramps and adjacent sidewalks; $25,000 will go for the replacement of hand and guardrails at the East County Transitional Living Center; $24,000 will go to improve facilities at the Home of Guiding Hands on South Lemon Avenue; and $21,000 will go to replace a gymnasium roof at the Boys & Girls Club of East County. An additional $47,000 will help fund the city’s Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, which helps low-income mobile home owners rehabilitate their homes.
The council also unanimously decided the city would dole out nearly $205,000 to five groups for public service programs and projects.
The bulk of the funding for public services, $100,000, will be earmarked for the East County Transitional Living Center’s Emergency Shelter Program, which provides housing for homeless individuals.