Funds Earmarked for Crime, Youth Projects

A local nonprofit agency that received $500,000 in grants from the federal government in February has earmarked most of the funds for two projects.

The Community Partnership Development Corp. will use $176,000 to help upgrade a youth center and another $176,000 to support a crime-fighting operation underway by the FBI and Los Angeles Police Department, said Frank De Santis Jr., the agency’s director.

“The rest will be used for on-site-type projects in our federal housing sites,” De Santis said.

The agency, which operates three housing projects in Los Angeles, received the funds in the form of two Safe Neighborhood grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The corporation recently completed paperwork involving the grants and to date has distributed about $3,000, De Santis said.

As more money is distributed, a youth center in Los Angeles sponsored by the LAPD’s Rampart Division and fitness guru Jack LaLanne will receive new playground equipment, a new van to transport children to activities and new computers for use in various classes to be taught, De Santis said.

Also, a new air-circulation system and showers need to be installed, he said.

“It’s kind of a shell,” De Santis said of the center. “We’re working with some of these grant funds to make it more active.”

The LAPD and FBI will receive updated surveillance and communications equipment as well as a new operations facility to support a program that instituted increased patrols in Central Los Angeles.