Nonprofits receive funding boost from CDBG grants
There are many nonprofit organizations around town, which survive solely off of donations. A big boost comes in the form of a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Community Development Block Grant. The San Marcos City Council allocated $1,405,990 of CDBG funds to various nonprofit organizations in town at the regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday.
San Marcos Housing and Community Development Manager Carol Griffith said the CDBG Draft Action Plan will be posted for public comment for 30 days. The staff will then bring the proposals back with the comments to the city council on Aug. 5 for final consideration. The council did not make changes to the recommended funding by city staff at Tuesday’s meeting.
Griffith said that this year the city of San Marcos received $766,063 from HUD. 70% of the funding must benefit those with low to moderate income — less than 80% of the area median income, which means $536,244 of funding will be allocated to that group. No more than 15% may be used for public services, which is $114,909. No more than 20% may be used on administrative or planning, which is $152,213. The additional funding that is reallocated from previous years is $639,927.
“That’s actually more than last year, which is good news for us,” Griffith said. “San Marcos spends all of its public services and administration funding every year, so none of the funds available to roll forward can be spent on these items. They all are for projects only.”
Griffith said HUD requires that the organizations receiving funding meet certain criteria. She said this year, one application was not eligible, and there were six eligible applications for public services and five eligible applications for projects.
“Applications were evaluated on need, justification, impact and cost effectiveness, implementation and measurable outcomes, and past performance or letters of reference and council priorities,” Griffith said, adding that the requested funds totalled $1.6 million but the staff recommended funding will total $1.4 million.
Griffith relayed the requests by the nonprofits for funding allocated to services. She said Court Appointed Special Advocates requested $60,000 for partial funding for staff and utilities, and staff recommended giving $37,909. She said, “CASA trains volunteers who are voices in the courts, schools and the child welfare system to ensure representation of children and youths best interest.” The Greater San Marcos Youth Council requested $20,000 to reduce the waitlist and expand services to San Marcos families with children ages six to 17, and staff recommended giving $13,000. Hays Caldwell Women’s Center requested $49,500 to pay a small portion of two of the shelter staff and two months rent for 13 families, and staff recommended giving $28,000. The Salvation Army requested $75,000 for direct payment to people for emergency services, and staff recommended giving $12,000. Southside Community Center requested $35,000 for direct payment to people for emergency services and a small portion of one staff member's salary, and staff recommended giving $12,000. St. Vincent De Paul requested $14,000 for direct payment to people for emergency services, and staff recommended giving $12,000.
“The majority of the staff desired to fund all public service applications due to the level of need of each program in the city of San Marcos. The first three programs listed, [which are CASA, GSMYC and HCWC], provide intensive assistance to change the trajectory of peoples’ lives, and the last three, [which are Salvation Army, SCC and St. Vincent De Paul], provide emergency assistance for pressing, immediate needs.”
Griffith said the Planning and Services Department requested the 20% maximum to pay for administrative services such as staff’s salaries around the CDGB program and $280,000 to pay for home repair. Staff recommended funding 20% for administrative services and $260,470 for home repair. Swift Memorial Park project requested $127,775, which staff agreed should be paid. The Thorpe Lane Sidewalk Improvement project requested $750,000, and staff recommended $645,788. She said this project is for “design and construction of sidewalk improvements, including ADA accessible upgrades along Thorpe Lane from Robbie Lane to Loop 82.” The Outsiders Anonymous project requested $54,000, and staff recommended $45,420. She said this is an agency that requested funding for a project “for partial funding for interim housing for people in recovery from substance addiction.” SMCISD requested funding for the Barrio Pescado Fitness Trail project. The school district requested $58,414, which staff agreed should be paid. Griffith said this will be for a one mile loop on SMCISD property that will be accessible to the public.
The draft plan can be found here sanmarcostx. gov/DocumentCenter/ View/40415/webpage_ Ccl_Packet?bidId=. Residents wishing to submit comments must do so in writing to city of San Marcos, Attn: CDBG Program, 630 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, Texas, 78666. Comments can also be sent via email to cdbg@sanmarcostx.gov and must include the sender’s full name and contact information.
