Subscriber Comments for
Community Development Block Grants

Most recent Comments first | (reverse order)

COMMENT 338183	2012-11-01 07:48 PM
Sorry 796, that's not how it works. The federal government disburses CDBG funds to cities based on a formula. Cities have discretion as to how they want to spend that money to revitalize blighted urban areas. It's not a city tax, it's federal tax monies given to cities to spend as they wish on projects that would halt or turn around urban decay.
COMMENT 338178	2012-11-01 07:37 PM
I'm with 796.
COMMENT 338145P	2012-11-01 06:01 PM
How can you find out who would be an "eligible applicant"? I went to the website & couldn't find anything about the current grant process. I thought I searched thoroughly but apparently missed it so if anyone can post a page link that would be great.
AGENTSME	2012-11-01 09:24 AM
well said 796
COMMENT 337828P	2012-11-01 09:08 AM
Been domiciled? Is that grant-speak?
COMMENT 338183	2012-11-01 08:19 AM
Lovely list. However, out of $700k in human services funds, homeless inc walked away with 50% or more. Big winners: Casa Esperanza $100k and Transition House with $48k. Pacific Pride? Planned Parenthood? Should federal monies meant to eradicate 'neighborhood blight' really be spent on this stuff???? How about fixing up our blighted parks, city? How about investing in economic development = JOBS? Helping the homeless isn't much use unless they can get a job. What about helping our kids? The committee turned DOWN an applicant that would have helped kids get glasses and eye surgery that needed it to succeed in schools. Sorry, but this is a boondoggle, and that committee (some of whom are related to non-profits getting the $) needs to be overhauled. Invest in our community, please, not non-profits catering to out-of-area-transients.
COMMENT 337828P	2012-11-01 07:50 AM
OK, great. I think all those non-profits are great, and the Community should be supporting the ones they want to directly through volunteerism and direct financial contributions. I see no reason that the City needs to collect taxes and then redistribute them to these groups, with a system that requires most successfully taxpayer funded organizations to dedicate much staff time and effort to preparing grant applications, and requires the City to review stacks of grant applications then discuss, winnow, and make decisions around who gets how much taxpayer money. The City could instead simply encourage Citizens to donate time and money directly to the organizations of their choice.
YIN YANG	2012-10-31 06:45 PM
Human services serve more than the homeless. Now I understand why people say "just saying"... I'll just sigh at the thought that anything in life is so simple. Information is a GOOD thing. Here's some more info, you can just skim the table of contents: http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/811C3072-D361-4C57-9CD0-B85718AC5A74/0/20122013FundingRecommendationFINAL.pdf Here's a partial listing: Sarah House Casa Serena Community Action Commission - Long term care ombudsman & sr. lunch program Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Domestic Violence Solutions Foodbank Legal Aid Pacific Pride Neighborhood Clinics Rape Crisis Center Unity Shoppe YMCA City Parks & Rec Center for Successful Aging CALM Child Abuse & Listening Mediation Family Service Agency Friendship Center Planned Parenthood Independent Living Resource Center Rental Housing Mediation Task Force DA's Sexual Assault Response Team Storyteller Police Activities League Visiting Nurse and Hospice Boys & Girls Club I've used quite a few of these resources myself. I've been domiciled in SB for 50 years.
COMMENT 337724	2012-10-31 06:26 PM
I wonder why 682P says we'll have to learn Mandarin. Are we hiring construction workers from China or something?
COMMENT 338183	2012-10-31 05:35 PM
This is a huge giveaway where city staff line up all their favorite homeless non-profits and shower money on them. The sad thing is that CDBG money was meant to fix blight, improve neighborhoods, and invest in economic development to help struggling urban areas. In Santa Barbara-land, it's a free-for-all for Homeless, Inc and all their subsidiaries. Too bad the city won't use it for families, the elderly, children, and economic development - things we could really use.
COMMENT 337682P	2012-10-31 04:52 PM
Yup, that about covers it. Keep piling on the debt until we all have to learn Mandarin.
COMMENT 337675P	2012-10-31 04:39 PM
More free stuff for homeless and low income that the people that go to work every day will pay for.
COMMENT 337665	2012-10-31 04:18 PM
I have no clue what this government-speak means...can anyone please explain in layperson's terminology?

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