Thursday, April 01, 1999
Federal grants may be reduced
Agencies that aid poor would be affected here
BY DAN KLEPAL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It's the routine things — vacuuming or taking laundry to the basement — that make Theresa Lounds feel like a whole person.
A single mother who was left partly paralyzed by an aneurysm, Ms. Lounds needed a little help from People Working Cooperatively (PWC) to feel whole again.
The agency, which is partially funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money doled out by the city and county, installed rails in Ms. Lounds' North Avondale home to help her get around.
But the future of PWC and other agencies that depend on the federal block grant money is a little less certain today.
The U.S. Senate passed a budget resolution last week that would slash more than $3 billion from the current $8.8 billion for CDBG, economic development and disaster relief programs.
“It's important for people with physical challenges to be as independent as possible, because it makes us feel good about ourselves,” said Ms. Lounds, 47. “We're struggling to feel like we are of use to somebody.”
Hamilton County is expecting $3.5 million in block grant money for fiscal 2000, and Cincinnati is counting on more than $16 million.
It is impossible to say what effect the proposed cuts would have locally.
“This isn't trimming around the edges, it's a very big cut,” said Dan Domis, director of Hamilton County Community Development. “It's hard to say what will happen, but the community development program is certainly at risk.”
The CDBG program in Hamilton County was established in 1975, when it received just under $1 million. Since then, more than $87 million has been spent by the county to provide, among other things, affordable housing, food and clothing for poor people.
Tom Neyer Jr., president of the Hamilton County Commission, said CDBG is a way for local people to see their federal tax dollars come home. “It matters,” Mr. Neyer said. “Those grants touch every jurisdiction in the county. CDBG dollars have a great ripple effect, and there's no other source to replace that money.”
Chris Owens, development manager for PWC, said $1.6 million of the agency's $5 million budget comes from block grants. PWC performs more than 4,600 home repairs for the poor every year.
Meanwhile, a Housing and Urban Development spokeswoman said the proposed cuts would be devastating nationwide, including:
• 18,000 fewer vouchers for the homeless and 15,000 fewer vouchers for the low-income elderly.
• 10,000 fewer affordable housing units.
• The denial of rental assistance to about 1,300 families.
“That type of cut would mean a lot of low-income people who receive services would have to do without,” Mr. Domis said.
“There's too many people out here who need help,” Ms. Lounds said. “That's what we're supposed to be all about — helping people.”
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