NEWS

From the County of San Bernardino

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 18, 2000

For more information, contact

County Public Information Officer David Wert

(909) 387-4082

dwert@cao.co.san-bernardino.ca.us

Supervisors recognize a quarter century of block grants

Whether it’s badly needed funding for an aging community center or support for a shelter serving victims of domestic violence, for 25 years the Community Development Block Grant program has been there for the people of San Bernardino County.

So on Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors honored the program that over the years has brought $223 million in funding for projects serving the county’s seniors, young people, park-goers, motorists and blighted neighborhoods by declaring April 24-30 “National Community Development Week 2000.”

San Bernardino County has received an average of $7.7 million in Block Grant funding each year for the past quarter century. This year, the county will receive $8.6 million and on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors approved a plan to allocate that money.

“The county Board of Supervisors and 14 cooperating cities have used this program to revitalize neighborhoods, fund public services, repair and preserve housing and provide jobs to low- and moderate-income households, senior citizens and the physical or developmentally challenged,” said Tom Laurin, the county’s director of Economic and Community Development, which oversees the distribution of block grant funding.

“Block grant funding has made a real difference in our communities,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jon D. Mikels. “It’s exciting to allocate this funding and watch how it improves life in San Bernardino County neighborhoods.”

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Block Grants

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The Community Development Block Grant program was established by passage of the federal Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. This law consolidated several categorical programs into one program serving 116 urban counties nationwide and administered at the local level by counties and cities.

The reasoning was that leaders at the local level have the best understanding of local needs. Community Development Block Grants are now recognized as one of the most successful and important federal resources available to our nation’s cities and counties.

Since the money began flowing in 1975, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has approved the use of more than $223 million in block grant funding for more than 14,000 worthy projects in local communities, including:

• $12 million for 88 senior citizen center projects.
• $12 million for more than 180 recreation projects.
• $12 million for more than 100 youth and community center projects.
• $5 million for more than 100 fire station projects.
• $17 million for more than 150 street projects.
• $8 million for 50 water and sewer projects.
• $13 million blight abatement, historic preservation, code enforcement activities and other urban beautification projects.
• $30.6 million to rehabilitate more than 13,000 homes.

The Board of Supervisors has also used block grants to support legal aid programs for the poor, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and business development programs.

Business loans made with CDBG funding have created 1,398 new jobs and saved more than 141 existing jobs in San Bernardino County.

The resolution approved by the Board of Supervisors today expresses the board’s support for the Community Development Block Grant program and desire for continued funding in the future.

Several county cities are expected to pass similar resolutions.

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