MANSFIELD — Seven groups have requested Community Development Block Grant/HOME funds this year.
At its recent meeting, city council heard each request, which collectively total close to $300,000. The eight CDBG requests amount to $276,228.40, and the sole HOME request is for $20,000.
According to Sharon May, community development and housing director, there is $115,000 available in CDBG public service funding and approximately $200,000 in HOME funding through the city.
CDBG grants are administered by local governments and used for eligible activities that must meet at least one national objective, including assistance to low to moderate income individuals as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development; eliminate slum and blight as defined by HUD; and meet an urgent community development need.
HOME grants are administered by local governments and designed to create affordable housing for low-income households.
Culliver Reading Center
The Culliver Reading Center is requesting $45,000 to fund its programs, which target students in the Mansfield City School District and surrounding areas to help improve math and reading skills and to provide enrichment activities.
Board president Demone Shoulders said 80 percent of those served are low- to moderate-income.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity was the only organization to request HOME funding. The group has asked for $20,000.
Veronna Drane, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Richland and Crawford Counties, said the organization will rehabilitate a house at 560 Warren Road, which it currently owns.
The home will be sold to a qualified applicant at zero-percent interest with a 25-year mortgage.
Mankind Murals, Inc.
Mankind Murals asked for $60,000 for home revitalization and $20,000 for a public mural program.
The home revitalization program would offer a service line for exterior painting of 15-20 homes within the low-to-moderate census tract in the city as a way to address blight. The program would offer largely subsidized, but not entirely free services to the client.
Mankind Murals has participated in several public mural projects.
“The multiple projects that we’ve done include the revitalization of the bike trail, Johns Park, South Park, as well as mural outside of the Richland County Foundation, and in downtown Shelby,” Director Luke Beekman said.
In 2017, the organization helped create over 13 public mural projects in Mansfield, including a mural at Fork and Fingers.
According to May, the two requests are not eligible, as they do not currently fit within the city’s five-year consolidated plan.
“However, we are in year five (of the plan),” she said. “We will have the opportunity next year, if this is something council feels very strongly about, that’s something we could look at in the next five-year plan.”
North End Community Improvement Collaborative
NECIC is seeking $51,428.40 to support the coordination of the Community Garden Network and administration of the Community Garden Grant Program.
Funds would be used for a garden organizer, filled by Rochelle Jones, and grant program to promote startup, expansion and sustainability of local community gardens in the city.
NECIC’s support for community gardens began in 2008 when the organization awarded a grant to the Atherton Avenue Community Garden. Since then, the Community Garden Network has grown to 28 community and school gardens in the county, 22 of which are in the city.
Deanna West-Torrence, executive director, said the community garden program started as a way to address blight and food insecurity.
Parks and Recreation Department
City parks and recreation department manager Mark Abrams requested $12,800 to staff the department’s summer recreation program that will take place at Ocie Hill, North Lake Park, Prospect Park and South Park.
The money will be used to hire 10 interns paid at $10 an hour from July 1 to Aug. 3.
Abrams said the department is also going to apply for a grant from the Richland County Foundation to fund 18 total interns working for the full nine-week program from June 3 to Aug. 3.
Richland County Transit
RCT is requesting $70,000 to support the door-to-door, complementary para-transit service that is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This service is utilized by the elderly and disabled individuals.
“They are not able to use the regular fixed route bus, perhaps because they’re physically not able to walk to the bus stop, stand and wait for the bus, perhaps they’re not able to learn how to use the regular fixed route system because of a cognitive disability, for whatever reason if they have a disability or are elderly and qualify to use the door-to-door service,” explained Kathy Adams, RCT fiscal officer.
Riders using the service are going to work or school, shopping, taking care of medical needs, and so on.
In the last 12 months, 11,640 trips have been supported by the project.
This service is also funded by the Federal Transit Administration and rider fares, but there remains a requirement to have some local matching funds in order to get other grants, Adams said.
Without funding, the fares would likely double for the door-to-door service, Adams said, “which would make it a hardship for the folks that are using this service.”
Richland Outreach Center
Richland Outreach Center is seeking $2,000 for its Head to Toe Pantry and $15,000 for its after-school program, Kidz ROC.
The pantry has absorbed the city’s diaper bank program, and the $2,000 in requested funds will help provide diapers to low-income families that may need assistance.
Kidz ROC is a program for local youth that includes after-school events and recreational activities.
“We have between 30 and 50 children at each of our groups, and we do provide hot meals for all of them,” said president Dawn Hite.
She said the volunteer-run organization is looking to expand its programming through the week and into the weekend, “so that the kids have something every day after school for activity or after any of their learning programs.”
Moving forward
The city’s Office of Community Development will recommend which applicants should receive funding by March 6. The recommendation will be sent to council’s public affairs committee for review.
City council is slated to vote on the funding requests on Tuesday, April 3.
“You all touched my heart with these projects,” said Fifth Ward Councilman Jason Lawrence. “This is a tough choice, like we said before, $115,000 goes really quick to slice that pie up evenly, so I wish you all the best.”
