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-Editorial
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that more than $52 million in federal grant funding will be distributed statewide to support community revitalization efforts and homelessness services, benefiting 53 counties through 90 projects.
The funding includes allocations from the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and 2024 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG). Both programs are administered in California by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
According to state officials, the 2024 CDBG awards will support 38 projects in 20 counties and are expected to benefit more than 160,000 Californians. The projects include improvements to sewer and street infrastructure, construction or rehabilitation of public facilities, and expanded recreational opportunities in low- and moderate-income communities.
In addition, $14.3 million in ESG funding was awarded to 52 projects serving 25 counties. The grants are intended to support regional approaches to homelessness by providing resources for outreach, emergency shelter operations, rapid rehousing, and homelessness prevention.
CDBG awards this year include 18 public service grants totaling $4.6 million. Funded activities include advocacy services for children in court systems, operation of shelters for survivors of domestic violence, housing and shelter navigation for people experiencing homelessness, behavioral health support for veterans, nutrition programs for seniors, and assistance for food banks, transportation, and utilities.
Examples of funded CDBG projects include a $1.5 million economic development grant to support a business assistance loan program in Crescent City and a $1.5 million homebuyer assistance program in Ukiah. Public facility improvement grants totaling $18 million were awarded for projects such as parks and community centers in Capitola, Corning, Eureka, Firebaugh, and Oroville, as well as in Imperial County. Infrastructure projects totaling $9.9 million will fund sewer and street improvements in Dinuba, King, and Marysville. In comparison, $2.5 million in planning and technical assistance grants were awarded to communities including Clearlake, Shasta Lake, Weed, Willows, and counties such as Imperial and Solano.
Imperial County submitted two applications that were fully funded. The projects support the county’s colonias, rural communities near the U.S.-Mexico border that lack adequate water, sewer systems, or housing. One grant will fund the installation of backup generators and improvements to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems at community facilities to allow them to operate during extreme weather and power outages. The second grant will support an update to the county’s Colonias Master Plan to identify infrastructure and public facility needs across nine colonias communities.
State housing officials said the ESG funding will support 52 awards serving 36 counties and totaling $14.3 million. Eligible uses include engaging individuals and families experiencing homelessness, improving emergency shelters and essential services, rapidly rehousing people without stable housing, and preventing households from becoming homeless.
The Newsom administration said the grants are part of broader state and federal efforts to address housing shortages and homelessness in California. State officials noted that California has increased investments in housing production, behavioral health treatment, and homelessness services in recent years, while emphasizing accountability for local governments receiving state and federal funds.
Further details on the CDBG and ESG awards are available through the Department of Housing and Community Development.
