Dear Editor,
An issue has been brought to my attention regarding money that
is allocated for City of Gilroy Community Development and was
REDIRECTED to pay for a study for downtown building owners who need
to have their buildings retrofitted to be safer in case of an
earthquake.
Dear Editor,
An issue has been brought to my attention regarding money that is allocated for City of Gilroy Community Development and was REDIRECTED to pay for a study for downtown building owners who need to have their buildings retrofitted to be safer in case of an earthquake.
At the Council meeting when this was voted on and approved unanimously by the Council, Mr. Gabriel Duenas addressed the council about social service agencies not having the opportunity to claim some of the “leftover” money. As an employee of MACSA here in Gilroy, he explained how the money would be used from the City Community Development Grant to run the Youth Center on Railroad Avenue. Mr. Duenas thought there should be some protocol on how to apply for “leftover” grant money by agencies that run very tight budgets. This money could have been used to fund much needed programs at MACSA and other community agencies.
I am not an expert on Gilroy Community Development Grant allocations. Some funds are used in the Eigleberry neighborhood for dumpsters for cleanup days, and for Daniel Chavez who is contracted by the city to assist in our association activities. This is very appreciated because he is a very valuable resources who contributes a lot to our events. I also support those downtown merchants 100 percent who are struggling to stay in business. If the city is going to make retrofitting a requirement, I think building owners and their businesses are going to lose either way. The select few who can afford this requirement are going to raise rents and force longtime merchants out of business. Those that can’t afford the retrofit will be forced to sell. So who is really going to benefit from the city’s $100,000 offer for the study?
Development grant money should be used to redevelop neighborhoods. How about putting a resource/computer center in one of these neighborhoods so residents get needed services and the youth can have an alternative place to go. The one MACSA runs on Railroad Avenue is a good model on how to keep kids busy after school, but we need more.
Money is needed to put a sidewalk in front of three houses from 7051-7031 Eigleberry where disabled residents in wheelchairs are forced to be in the street because there no sidewalk exists. Crosswalks are also needed, and better signs to let motorists who are speeding down Church Street (Between Second and Ninth Streets) know that there are a lot of children crossing the street coming from school. So while we are waiting around for the next big one, take the time to look around and “talk” to community residents on how to better use “leftover” money.
Arthur C. Barron, Gilroy
