Council to Allocate Community Grants

The City Council Monday will try to decide what to do with more than $1 million in community development grants from the federal government.

Thirty-five community organizations--including homeless services groups, a food pantry and several anti-gang efforts--have asked the city for some of the Community Development Block Grant money given annually by the federal government to cities with populations of more than 50,000.

This year, the city will receive $849,000. Simi Valley officials also have $187,815 of grant money left over from previous years.

However, the city would need almost $2 million to fund all the requests made by the community groups, which include the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley and the Simi Valley Historical Society. On Monday, council members must choose which groups to fund and decide how much each will receive.