The Signal Hill City Council voted on Tuesday to use funds it will receive from a federal grant to continue distributing food to seniors and to improve street and sidewalk accessibility.
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are given to cities by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop urban communities and expand economic opportunities for low-income and moderate-income residents, according to the HUD website.
According to Community Services Manager Alison Dobay, the Los Angeles County Development Authority has estimated that Signal Hill will receive $86,180 from the grant.
Of the $86,180, City staff recommended that Signal Hill use $17,238 to continue its food distribution program for seniors. This program provides groceries for 35 seniors in need once a month.
City staff recommended that the remaining $68,952 be used to improve the accessibility of streets and sidewalks to better comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
According to Dobay, City staff identified 10 locations that need ADA-compliant ramps in the residential neighborhood east of Cherry Avenue between 19th Street and 20th Street.
Dobay said City staff anticipates putting out a call for bids for the project, so that contractors can submit their proposed prices to complete the sidewalk and street improvements. The City would then choose the cheapest contractor that can responsibly finish the work, Dobay said.
Dobay said she believes all the CDBG funds will be used this year. However, if any of the money is left over at the end of the year, it will become unallocated funding that can be used on future city projects.
The Signal Hill City Council unanimously voted to approve city staff’s recommendations for CDBG funding.
Signal Hill City Council is held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m. To watch a live stream of City Council meetings, visit https://cityofsignalhill.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. To watch recordings of previous city council meetings visit http://cityofsignalhill.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2.
