Santa Monica Daily Press, May 14, 2009

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Volume 8 Issue 163

Santa Monica Daily Press

ST. MONICA WINS LEAGUE SEE PAGE 3

We have you covered

THE EPIC LENGTH ISSUE

City Hall wants to give cash to families losing homes BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer

know that she’s there for her kid. What mother wouldn’t, but this season is unlike others in recent memory. It has been years since Samohi has produced a player of this caliber. Athletic Director Norm Lacy calls Tyler Skaggs the finest ballplayer to come from the school since former Dodger Tim Leary took the hill for the Vikings in the mid1970s. That praise has come from all directions. Opposing coaches are glad when

CITY HALL Santa Monica families who are about to lose their homes should think twice before returning their keys. City officials are preparing to launch a new program that will give financial assistance to struggling local families on the brink of homelessness, using anticipated incoming funds from the federal stimulus package. The Homeless Prevention and Rapid ReHousing Program will be available to residents whose household income is at or below 50 percent of area median income, which is considered to be very low to low income level, receiving temporary aid for up to 18 months. The money can be used to pay for rent, utility bills, housing relocation, stabilization and legal services. Other purposes, including mortgage, child care, food, travel and home furnishings is forbidden. The City Council on Tuesday authorized its staff to submit plans for the program to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for review and approval. Once accepted, City Hall will receive the money from HUD and begin the program, which is expected in September. The funds, estimated to be more than $553,000, will need to be spent in three years, Julie Rusk, the human services manager for City Hall, said. The focus of the program will be on housing families who are close to being homeless. “We want to keep them housed,” she said. In addition to financial assistance, the program will also include counseling and other support services. The Santa Monica Housing Authority will process the applications for financial assistance and distribute payments to the landlords. City officials have yet to finalize the

SEE SKAGGS PAGE 11

SEE HOUSING PAGE 13

Morgan Genser news@smdp.com

QUICK DRAW: A group of Major League Baseball scouts clock Samohi pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ velocity during a game earlier this season.

All eyes on him Tyler Skaggs has seen it all during his senior season BY DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor

SAMOHI “Come on, Ty!” The voice rises above the din of the crowd. “Pick your spot, don’t give this guy anything.” A cadre of professional baseball scouts raise their radar guns to clock the lanky lefthander’s next pitch, a pitch that some say is worthy of a first round pick in the Major League Baseball draft in June. The ball pops into the catcher’s mitt,

the umpire yells “strike!” “That’s how you do it, keep it at your pace, Tyler.” This has been a typical scene at Santa Monica High School baseball games this season as senior Tyler Skaggs prepares to make the jump from local hero to professional athlete. His mother, Debbie Skaggs, who is also the school’s head softball coach, is always the loudest cheerleader in the stands when her boy takes the field. She chirps it up with the best of them and she isn’t afraid to let everybody in attendance

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