For the first time in 30 years, San Benito County may be ineligible to apply for the federal community development block grant due to changes in the requirements by the state, which administers the grants. This year, the state implemented a rule that counties or cities that have received a grant in 2012-13 will not be eligible to apply for an additional grant in 2013-14 unless they have spent and completed 50 percent of the current year’s grant before the notice of application is released.
“The (San Benito County) Health and Human Services Agency has been receiving the CDBG grant for 30 years,” said Enrique Arreola, the deputy director of Community Services and Workforce Development, at Tuesday’s board meeting during the department head announcement period. “This year, the county will not be able to pursue the grant because of the 50 percent rule.”
This year’s grant of $500,000 provides funding for job training, the winter homeless shelter and the Emmaus House domestic violence shelter. Though San Benito County received notice that they had been awarded $500,000 in September, the funds were not disbursed until January, giving agencies just a few months to use the money and complete projects.
Arreola had talked with supervisors about the 50 percent rule last year and said with the agencies incurring expenses in advance of receiving the funds, he believed they would be able to spend 50 percent of the funds by the time the new application was released.
“We have worked with our partners and sub-recipients,” Arreola said. “We are estimated to spend $267,000, but the definition says the work must be 50 percent completed, too.”
Arreola, who works with staff and community members to put together the grant each year, discovered after further discussion with state officials that 50 percent of the money has to be spent and 50 percent of the work has to be completed as well. The guideline is especially difficult in some areas in which San Benito receives funding, such as job training where the programs last 9 to 12 months.
Supervisor Margie Barrios asked if other counties or cities were also in the same situation.
“It almost appears they made the timeline by design,” she said. “Is there any way of teaming up or partnering with other communities to make a statement or letter?”
Arreola said other communities are in the same situation.
“I encourage anything we can do to make it happen,” Barrios said.
Supervisor Anthony Botelho requested County Administrative Officer Ray Espinosa to put the item on the agenda for discussion at a future meeting.
