Mystified about grants

The Sept. 30 article about inattentive grant management by various city departments truly has me mystified. I manage small, very small, housing for persons with special needs. We are a nonprofit.

For over 20 years we have managed a small federal grant through the city of Spokane to provide housing for homeless mentally ill singles. We were approved, in a national notification, for renewal of this grant in June 2014. On Oct. 1 we still had no contract signed with the Community, Housing and Human Services department. I cannot ask for reimbursement for expenses we have incurred in their name since July 1.

In my inquiry to them for speed, I get a lot of sympathy, but, of course, none of the delay is their fault, so they declare. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) didn’t send their official letter until sometime in August, they say, when pressed for an answer.

The national notice went out in June. One wonders that the contracts couldn’t have been prepared in advance, as the staff waited for the official letter.

I don’t know how the city can mishandle government contracts when they cannot prepare them in a timely fashion and have yet to hand out any money.

Debbie Detmer

Spokane