Council Weighs Grant Allotments to Area Nonprofits

The Murrieta City Council took a pause Tuesday night in how it will dole out shrinking federal funds meant to benefit low- and moderate-income residents.

The Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Murrieta receives its share of CDBG money through a Riverside County-administered HUD program. For fiscal year 2011/2012, Murrieta received $319,980.

The majority of the funds must be used for public improvement and facilities projects. This year, $225,037 was put toward an expansion of the while $50,000 went to installing handicap-accessible play equipment at . Fifteen percent--or $44,943--was allotted to public service programs.

St. Martha's Food Pantry will receive 50 percent of that--or $22,472--this fiscal year. Three other programs were allotted equal shares of 16.7 percent, or $7,490. Those include Michelle's Place, a breast cancer resource center; Operation School Bell, a program through Temecula Assistance League that provides school clothes for low-income children; and SAFE, a valley-wide organization that combats domestic violence.

The task before the Council on Tuesday was to decide whether the pro rata allotments should remain the same in 2012/2013. According to Community Development Director Mary Lanier, money for public services will shrink to a little more than $40,000 next year.

"It is federal funding, so it is a very limited source of funding we have going forward," Lanier said to the Council. "...What we look to you for are what the needs might be in the coming years."

Mayor Pro Tem Doug McAllister said he was not convinced the allotments should remain the same as last year, as staff recommended. He suggested 100 percent of the public service money go to food pantries.

"This might be a year we might consider reducing our focus to the most basic of needs and that is people need to eat," McAllister said. "Every organization is worthy and every organization is being hit but the one thing everyone needs to do is eat."

Lanier said staff will begin the process of going through applications from various local organizations in November. Final decisions have to be made by December for submission to the county. Then in May they are approved by the county and funding becomes available in July.

The Council opted not to make a decision until it was imperative to. The extra time will be used to solicit insight into the depth of the needs each organization is facing.

"A lot can happen between now and then," said Councilman Alan Long. "I would like to hear the applicants closer to that date."

Councilman Rick Gibbs motioned--and it was accepted--to do away with the previous year's pro rata, but keep the same priorities. He said divvying up the money each year is one of the hardest things the Council does.

"Each and every one of these agencies who comes before us deserves their chance to be heard because the situations are unique for each one of them..." Gibbs said. "We really need to listen to what they have to say and have them come up here for presentations."