Grants May Be Offered for Home Repairs

City government is looking into the possibility of giving outright grants, rather than low-cost loans, for home repairs.

City staff is researching the matter after Councilwoman Eva Miner Bradford suggested it.

Like most other cities, La Palma annually gets money from the federal government that is earmarked for helping low- and moderate-income families. The money is called Community Development Block Grants.

La Palma this year is getting $85,000 in federal block grants. City staff had proposed that $30,000 be devoted to loans to low- and moderate-income residents for housing rehabilitation.

But during a public hearing on how to spend the money, Bradford noted that La Palma has had few people seeking the housing-repair loans. She said this is despite the fact that many moderate-income families, including senior citizens, need housing repairs.

“If we gave grants instead of loans, I think we’d get more applicants and help more people,” Bradford said. The rest of the City Council unanimously agreed and directed city staff to research the matter.

City Manager Daniel E. Keen said he will deliver a report to the council by early December.