DOWNEY - The city of Downey has less federal money to support local non-profits and public service programs heading into the next fiscal year, according to a spending plan approved by the City Council on Monday. City officials expect to receive about $1.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant monies, down from approximately $1.7 million last year. The decrease in federal grant funds means an across-the-board reduction of 16.5 percent for a collection of local non-profits that receive support from the city each year. The only organization to see an increase in funding is True Lasting Connection Family Resource Center, which is budgeted to receive $5,000 next fiscal year, up from $3,400 in 2010-11. TLC was originally scheduled to receive $2,839, but at the request of council members Mario Guerra and Fernando Vasquez, $2,161 was shifted from the adult literacy program's allocation and transferred to TLC. Other programs and organizations set to receive federal funding via the city include the senior paint and fix-up program ($415,341); code enforcement ($160,000); community and senior center ($85,285); Arc ($9,603); Aspire ($29,032); 10-20 Club ($25,885); Southern California Rehabilitation Services ($1,670); First Monday for seniors ($12,525); Rio Hondo Temporary Home ($14,613); and the HUD Section 108 loan program ($446,063). Separate anticipated funds from a Home Investment Partnership Grant will be used for housing rehabilitation ($752,627) and affordable housing ($455,000). In all, the city expects the federal grants to fund 33 housing rehabilitation loans, 32 senior paint and fix-up projects and 30 lead paint housing abatements, in addition to helping five homeless families secure accommodations at a transitional housing facility. The funds will also be used to help finance 11 affordable housing units at The View housing project downtown. -Eric Pierce, city editor

********** Published: June 16, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 9