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'. . . . . . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------______n-_n---___----- - B. Housing and Human Concerns Committee 1998-99 Funding recommendations for the Human Services Financial Assistance (HSFA) Program; (404,304) REPORT: Parks, Recreation and Community Services Manager Gonzalez, May II, 1998 Mayor Howard said that there were very few cities in the Bay Area that provided funds for worthy service organizations in their communities, and the people of Redwood City should be commended for their caring and generosity. Sue Keely, member of the Housing and Human Concerns Committee, said that the HSFA recommendation process was not as excruciating as the CDBG decisions, "because there was more money available according to the number of projects we were asked to fund." She said the Committee was ready to respond to the Council or the community's questions regarding specific decisions. She applauded and commended the people who work in these organizations that serve the community so well and acknowledged the difficult application process. Dr. Roger Willey, member of the TEWCI Board, said that two years ago TEWCI had received $30,000 from HSFA funds, and last year $25,000 was recommended but the Council added $5,000 to bring the grant to the $30,000 requested. Dr. Willey said that this year only $15,000 was being recommended. He said that his past year, TEWCI had given - up one service, operating a triplex for low cost housing, to use the proceeds of the sale for operating costs. He said those funds would help for awhile but would not sustain its operation over the long run. Dr. Willey said TEWCI was dependent upon HSF A funding. He said TEWCI had tried to raise additional funds, operated a shop which raised a little money, and was in the process of hiring an outreach worker to go into the community to find people who could use the services at its Senior Center. Dr. Willey said that TEWCI also operated a children's playground. He said that the loss of $15,000 to TEWCI's operating budget would have a devastating effect on its ability to serve the community. He added that there was a mistaken assumption that TEWCI had $30,000 in reserves and that was not correct. In response to Mayor Howard's questions regarding the difficult decisions the Committee made about funding for TEWCI, Sue Keely said, "Over the last several years we have been considering applications from TEWCL What has become apparent to us in reading their applications and listening to their presentations is that the population they have been working with has been diminishing fairly dramatically on a yearly basis. Until this particular application process there had never seemed to be any real interest in recruiting and or fund raising which we felt would make it a healthier organization. We had given many suggestions over the years and there seemed to be a real resistance on the part of the people who spoke on behalf of TEWCI to taking any of our recommendations to heart in terms of fund raising. When we are looking at organizations one of the things we have - been told to look at is their viability as an organization. If you are at a point in your REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 MAY 11, 1998 MINUTES Page No. 463 PAGE 14