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Dale Whitney Honored
CDBG FY 2014-2015:
world problems and opposition to the violations of human rights by the U.S. government. He was a volunteer chaplain at Long Beach Community Hospital for more than five years. Many would say his most outstanding quality is his deep compassion for others. “Dale is a remarkably compassionate and gentle man,” said Walter Miller, who previously served on the boards of Centro Shalom and Harbor Area Farmers Markets with Whitney. “His leadership and contributions to hunger issues have been a marvelous and direct reach to the poorest of the community. He always puts his helping hands to work in his community and I’m honored to have worked with him.”
Going Down, Down By Lyn Jensen, Carson Reporter
In FY 2013-2014, the council provided CDBGs to six recipients, plus the Housing Rights Center, from a pool of 15 applicants. The city is expected to issue a public notice this November or December of a request for proposals from public services. Those that meet the eligibility criteria are scored according to a set of evaluation guidelines that have been adopted and periodically updated by the city council. The highest rated applicants are invited to make presentations on their programs at a series of public Citywide Advisory Commission hearings. The commission makes a recommendation to the city council on the programs to be funded and amounts to be allocated. The council considers the commission’s recommendation in a public hearing at a regular council meeting in the spring, after which it adopts its Annual Action Plan — the city’s application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The deadline for the city submitting the Annual Action Plan to HUD is May 15, for the CDBG program year beginning July 1, 2014.
Centro Shalom
Centro Shalom provides pathways to health and self-sufficiency to the underserved and impoverished of greater Long Beach and the surrounding communities. Since its inception in 1977, Centro Shalom has served thousands of clients seeking assistance with community advocacy, legal aid, housing, food, clothing, and other basic needs. For details visit www. centroshalom.org.
Dale Whitney established the farmers market in San Pedro. He is pictured with one of the fruit vendors in 1990. File photo.
Harbor Area Farmers Markets
Since 1980, Harbor Area Farmers Markets has provided fresh local food and supported numerous programs for its low-income neighbors. Convenient locations include downtown Long Beach, Southeast Long Beach, Bixby Knolls, Cerritos, South Gate and Huntington Park. For details visit www.goodveg.org or www. facebook.com/HarborAreaFarmersMarkets.
The Local Publication You Actually Read
Carson is about to start the process of allocating community development block grants for the fiscal year 2014–2015 cycle. Dollars available for public services are expected to decrease once again, continuing a trend of the past five years. This means that perhaps as few as five social programs may be funded. Keith Bennett, Federal & Intergovernmental Programs Administration, Community Development Department, City of Carson provided the below information: The CDBG program assists local governments in supporting programs that improve the quality of life for residents, primarily those of low and moderate income. In allocating the funding, those recipient local governments are bound by law to allot no more than 15 percent for public services and no more than 20 percent for program administration. The remainder (65 percent) is for physical development including streets and curbs. The Dominguez Park pool is another example of CDBG funds being used for public facilities. Within the past five years overall funds available have trended downward from $1,103,520 in FY 2009-2010 to $734,063 in the current fiscal year. Projections for FY 2014-2015 range between $662,935 and $697,360. That computes to between $99,440 and $104,609 being available for public services. CDBG regulations also mandate that recipient local governments operate a fair housing program, which the City of Carson meets by contracting with a fair housing services provider (presently the Housing Rights Center, for $32,240). Rather than consider this contract part of administrative costs, the city has shifted it to the public service allotment. This reduces the remaining funding expected to be available to local service providers to around $70,000. When available funding was larger, the city typically awarded funding to as many as 17 social programs per year, out of 25 or more applicants. The council some years ago adopted a guideline that set a minimum of $10,000 to each recipient.
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