Council Approves Distribution Of Funds
The Spokane City Council on Monday approved nearly $655,000 in federal grants to six low-income North Side neighborhoods.
The money will pay for a gamut of projects, such as helping rehabilitate run-down houses and sidewalks; feeding poor children and teaching them how to box; building parks and breaking down criminal activity.
The Community Development money is distributed by neighborhood steering committees and is intended to meet the needs of residents living in areas with high rates of poverty.
In all, the city receives nearly $6 million in federal community development block grants as well as money for new housing developments.
The steering committee in Hillyard, with the largest allocation in the city, will spend more than a third of its $189,000 money on property acquisition for future parks.
And, like many others, it dedicated a large chunk - $50,000 in the Northeast Spokane neighborhood - to rehabilitating homes. The city matches money set aside by steering committees.
Nevada-Lidgerwood sidewalks will benefit from a $60,000 allocation, more than a third of its total $153,900 fund. The neighborhood also set aside $15,000 for a child care resource center, expected to open in September as a national model.
The West Central neighborhood continued support of long-standing social service programs, including a $7,500 allocation to the Our Place emergency relief fund, a safety net for desperate families; $1,000 for the Leadership Institute, which empowers the poor to take charge of their communities; and $6,000 for youth programs at the West Central Community Center.
The Emerson-Garfield steering committee, with its $95,400, funded better sidewalks, tree replacement and housing rehabilitation. They also gave assistance to the newly formed neighborhood COPS station and a single-parent support group.
Logan residents will see $10,000 in improvements to Heath, Mission and Logan parks, damaged by winter storms.
Chief Garry Park neighborhood allocated most of its $49,500 on infrastructure improvements, including bettering sidewalks and neighborhood parks.
Each of the city’s community centers will receive operating money from the block grants.
The Deaconess Center for Child Abuse and Neglect and the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery are two of the seven charitable organizations receiving money.
Citywide, the community development department is also giving $95,000 to Habitat for Humanity and more than $130,000 to Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs.
, DataTimes