The San Diego City Council will soon consider a package of federal-funds allocations to community organizations following a recommendation made today at a special committee meetiner. Council members heard from numerous representatives of the groups pleading for their part of a shrinking pool of money.
Council members are charged with distributing more than $12 million of federal Housing and Urban Development funding to community groups around the city.
Several hundred people appeared at today's meeting to ask for a piece of a smaller pie. City staffers said they can only estimate the amount of HUD money that will be available this year, and they believe that figure will be anywhere from 10 to 25 percent less than in 2010.
"This is a rougher year than ever to make recommendations,'' Councilman Todd Gloria said. "There's very few applicants I don't want to fund.''
Councilman Carl DeMaio said he was stunned that organizations like senior centers, interfaith shelters and Barrio Station, which operates a youth center in Barrio Logan, might miss out on funding this year.
DeMaio asked city staff to "shake the trees'' to find more money for needy organizations.
Council members are scheduled to vote on final approval of the list of recipients on March 21.
