CITY OF SAN BEN ITO PreJ'J' 1(efeaJ'e

July 10, 2018 For more information, please contact Martha McClain at 956-361-3804 Ext. 301

For Immediate Release

City considers CDBG fund usage

SAN BENITO, TEXAS - A neighborhood park with no restroom facilities that serves hundreds of
citizens is targeted for improvements in a proposed Draft Annual Action Plan that includes conveniences
for children, youth, elderly and the handicapped.
Landrum Park, a City facility with little in the way of modern-day improvements, features a
children's open play area, climbing nets, monkey bars, slides, barbecue pits, benches, picnic tables and a
gazebo, but no restrooms.
Now, the City wishes to upgrade the popular, family-friendly park with some basic
amenities... namely restrooms.
Funding for the new facilities is proposed through the federal Community Development Block
Grant Program, (CDBG), which, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) website, prOVides an "important tool for helping local governments tackle serious challenges facing
their communities".
After years of assisting various service agencies, the City of San Bento is exploring a wider variety
of uses of the funds to reach more City of San Benito residents.
"We were happy to help groups becoming established. Over the past 10 years, the City has been
generous in its assistance to service organizations and non-profit groups," City Manager Manuel De La
Rosa said. The City has awarded the following:
• San Benito Boys & Girls Club: $134,358.64
• Amigos del Valle $97,487.45
• Home Down Payment Assistance: $85,000.00
• START Center: $73,500.00
• Senior Companion Outreach: $56,000.00
• Maggie's House: $51,162.00
• CASA: $15,000.00
• Area Agency on Housing: $10,000.00
• Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas: $5,000.00
• Fuel 7Student Center: $8,000.00
• San Benito Food Pantry: $7,000.00
• Cross Community Development: $6,000.00
 Those awards total $548,508.09, and in some cases, some agencies did not claim all of their grants
as we reimburse them for their documented expenditures, as required by law," De La Rosa said.
"There is no question about it, they are all worthy, productive organizations that provide
assistance within our community. And, many of them continue to receive other outside funding, whether
it be from private foundations or additional federal and other grant programs. However, this year we are
looking inward and considering the City's own needs, which are many ... and also worthy of consideration.
Our own Master Parks Plan, which the City Commission adopted two years ago states: 'While San Benito
has a foundation for parks and recreation outlets in the city, there is a lot of opportunity for the city to
use this plan to improve existing infrastructure, identify new park options and expand existing recreational
programs to provide an adequate and easily accessible parks and recreation system that serves citizens
young and old,' " he added.
With limited funds for making such improvements based on City revenues, and considering HUD
guidelines, CDBG funds are helping improve the quality of life in San Benito, according to De La Rosa.
"HUD encourages cities to identify their needs, set priorities among those needs, decide how
much money should be allocated to each high-priority need, and suggest the types of programs to meet
those needs. This year's Draft Action Plan involves investing $20,620 of FY 2018-2019 Community
Development Block Grant funds at Landrum Park, a neighborhood public playground without restroom
facilities," De La Rosa said.
The City expects to receive a $406,237 allocation in CDBG funds. Budgeted obligations for some
City streets, water/wastewater and administration costs in FY 2018-2019 total $395,618, leaving a balance
of $10,620, to cover the combined $76,000 in funding requests, according to the proposed plan, De La
Rosa pointed out.
New itemized requests from public service organizations for the coming fiscal year are:
• Boys and Girls Club: $30,000.00
• Amigos del Valle: $15,000.00
• CAS A: $15,000.00
• Maggie's House: $8,500.00
• San Benito Housing Authority: $7,500.00
"While all of these requests are worthy, the applicants'requests are greater than the remaining
funding balance," said De La Rosa. "Therefore, we have proposed utilizing the remaining $10,620.00 for
needed park restroom facilities at Landrum Park, which would benefit the entire San Benito community,"
he said.
As per legal requirements, the City Commission approved a Draft Annual Action Plan on June 19
and published a public notice on June 22. Additionally, two public hearing were conducted with the first
held on June 26 at the Cesar Gonzalez Meeting Hall. The second Public Hearing was during the July 3 City
Commission meeting.
A 30-day comment period on the proposed action plan is now underway and concludes July 26.
"It is the City Commission that will consider the plan for adoption, and I expect they will review it at their
August 7 meeting," De La Rosa said.

--30--