Garden Grove : Relocations to Proceed Despite Loss of Subsidy

Although new federal regulations may prevent many Buena Clinton residents from applying for shares of $2 million in available rental subsidies, city officials say they are committed to relocating about 100 families living in the blighted neighborhood.

A law, which goes into effect July 30, will require cities to check residency status on anyone applying for the Section 8 federal funds, city Housing Manager Cathy Baranger said. More than half of the predominantly Latino area’s 6,000 residents are believed to be illegal aliens.

Garden Grove’s plan for redeveloping the 39-acre area between Buena and Clinton streets south of Westminster Avenue calls for an eight-acre industrial park north of Keel Avenue and rehabilitation of dilapidated apartment buildings to the south. Armando Morales, the city’s real property agent, said a contract for the industrial park calls for the land to be conveyed to developer Stan Smolin by next February. About 100 families must still be relocated before buildings can be demolished.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), who helped win the $2-million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development last October, is proposing that the requirement be exempted in relocation cases. His proposal is scheduled to be considered in Congress Wednesday.

However, Morales noted that even if the waiver is granted, it won’t take effect immediately, so the city will have to use other sources to pay for relocation in the industrial sector, including redevelopment funds. He noted that last year’s grant providing funding for 55 families was earmarked for Buena Clinton and can still be used for qualifying families.