COUNTYWIDE : $5.6 Million Targeted for County Projects

Cities and community groups in the county will get more than $5.6 million for projects ranging from sidewalk repaving to homeless shelters under a plan reviewed Tuesday by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

The funds, already allotted to the county by the federal government, are part of the Community Development Block Grant Program. Under the program, Orange County will receive roughly the same amount as last fiscal year.

The funds to be distributed total $5.62 million. Requests from local cities and agencies totaled $25.47 million, officials said.

The block grants are aimed at combatting urban blight by targeting redevelopment funds for low- and moderate-income people. County officials consider the funds vital for undertaking key projects in the area.

“This gives us an opportunity to make some neighborhood improvements in areas where it’s unlikely we would be able to otherwise,” said John Sibley, chief deputy director of the Environmental Management Agency, which oversees the program. “The money just wouldn’t be there.”

At Tuesday’s board meeting, the supervisors voted 5-0 to direct staff to move toward finalization of this year’s allotments by responding to concerns from groups seeking more funds and scheduling a final public hearing. The final plan is expected to be approved at a May 12 meeting.

Nearly two dozen people--most representing community groups aided by the block grant program--addressed the board at Tuesday’s meeting, and nearly all thanked the supervisors and county staff for their continued support.

But several groups voiced concern over their allotments and urged the board to give them more funding in light of what one person called “these painful times.”

The supervisors agreed to have staff review the requests from groups that felt shortchanged. “All we’ve got to do now is find more money,” said Supervisor Don R. Roth.

The most common use of the funds will be for providing loans and grants to low-income people for rehabilitating their homes.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars are also set aside for senior citizen shelters, battered women’s programs, tutoring, graffiti removal, street and sidewalk repair, and other programs in response to specific requests from cities, unincorporated areas and nonprofit groups in the county.