Large sum to fund social services

The Bloomington Common Council unanimously recommended the allocation of more than $850,000 of federal grant funds for social service programs and physical improvements to the city Wednesday.\n"We are funding important needs in the community," said Councilman Chris Gaal. "But I encourage people to support those social service agencies in the community that we were unable to fund because they need and deserve community support."\nThe Community Development Block Grant Funds are received annually from the Housing and Urban Development Department and come with strict guidelines.\nRegulations state that at least 70 percent of the money benefit persons with low to moderate incomes. The remaining money is to go toward the prevention or elimination of blighted areas and addressing threats to the health and welfare of the community.\nHUD also directs that no more than 15 percent of the funds be spent on social service programs and no more than 20 percent be used for administrative costs. The remaining 65 percent must be used for physical improvements.\nThis year, $128,615 will go to social services, $171,487 to administrative costs and $557,336 toward physical improvements.\nBased on recommendations from two citizen advisory committees, seven social service programs received funds this year. The Community Kitchen Free Meals Program received $22,500 and Middle Way House received the most with $21,250.\nOf the money allocated for physical improvements, $216,898 will be used for housing, while $293,993 has been set aside for community- wide physical improvement projects such as the Rockport Road Subdivision Infrastructure project and public works improvements.