Thread by @jdmendez

Hey folks, apologies for the post-Council radio silence; last night got a bit wooly as they wound down, so let's get into how the CDBG item shook out.

First, to recap, CDBG funding is federal grant funding, made available by HUD. Qualifying cities can disburse up to 15 % of their total CDBG money to programs that — boiling it down — help low- and moderate-income folks. (Other CDBG cash goes to sidewalks/housing/curbs, etc.)

Last month, the Council selected 6 agencies that applied for grant money:
•1736 Family Crisis Center, $11013, domestic violence support
•Salvation Army Meals on Wheels, $6700, meals
•South Bay Family Health Care, $9000, free/low-cost dental services
(con't)

•Disability Community Resource Center, $3500, disability/elderly resources
•St. Paul's United Methodist Church, $5500, meals/homeless services
•First United Methodist Church, $5500, meals/homeless services

Total: $41,213.

But residents near the food programs are angry.

Last night, members of the Redondo Beach Residents Action Committee said that believed homelessness-related problems in Redondo Beach (drug use, public urination, threats of violence) are exacerbated by programs such as First United's Shared Bread dinners.

Councilmembers @todd4rbcouncil, @RedondoNils and Mayor @BillBrandRB have met with angry residents in recent weeks to listen to their concerns.

United, the three said that they would not approve of any CDBG plan that gave Shared Bread a grant. Brand promised a veto if one passed.

Further, @RedondoNils said that he didn't want to grant money to St. Paul's, because he doesn't want to continue attracting people experiencing homelessness to Redondo Beach with free meals. His motion, 2nd by @todd4rbcouncil, blocked the churches.

Councilwoman @LauraEmdee backed St. Paul's, saying she knows that church's program helps a number of low-income single moms. A substitute motion, driven by Brand's veto threat, added St. Paul's, but left out First United.

That motion passed, 3-2, with Loewenstein and Nehrenheim against.

The members of RBRAC rejoiced.

First United wasn't aware of the decision until I called this morning. (The church has been difficult to reach for comment, and apparently in communicating with the City, according to last night.)

Pastor Molly Vetter: "We’re sorry that this grant has been declined, that the city has not elected to serve Federal money to serve people in our community...it’s not going to stop our commitment to serving hungry people on Wednesday nights."

I'll get into more in print/online this week. But Vetter said it feels like the church is being held responsible for there being homelessness in the community.

"But it's a shared problem that the recent homeless census makes clear is a countywide problem," Vetter said.

So: Nearly all of the CDBG grants were approved. Two in question churches serving the homeless. One, in N.Redondo, was given the grant.

The church in S.Redondo, opposed by a residents group, lost its grant. That money will now go to a mobility access/emergency repair program.