Clemmens Lane sidewalks selected for CDBG funding

The design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction of sidewalks along Clemmens Lane has been selected for 2015-16 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.

The adoption of the County of San Diego's 2015-16 annual funding plan for Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships, Emergency Shelter Grant, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS programs includes $288,341 of CDBG funding for the sidewalks and associated improvements along Clemmens Lane between South Mission Road and Old Stage Road. The annual funding plan was approved on a 5-0 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote April 7.

"We're glad that the board supported our recommendations and look forward to implementing those projects," said Todd Henderson, the director of the county's Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

CDBG projects are intended to revitalize lower-income communities. The proposals were selected based on criteria which include benefit to lower-income residents, health and safety considerations, the ability to leverage block grant funds into additional revenue, and availability of alternate funding sources. The allocations are based on 2015-16 entitlement figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides funding for the programs.

"We'll put it to good use," Henderson said.

The Board of Supervisors funded 11 CDBG projects in the unincorporated county (the county also administers CDBG funding for small incorporated cities in San Diego County; that money is earmarked for specific cities and its allocation is determined by those city councils), including two regional projects.

The total 2015-16 CDBG funding for the unincorporated area is $1,573,869 including $50,000 for the regional city/county reinvestment task force and $10,000 for various revitalization committees throughout the county.

The $288,341 for the Clemmens Lane sidewalk project includes $274,000 for design, right-of-way, and construction costs along with $13,700, or five percent, to cover HCD oversight expenses and $641 for environmental review required by HUD. Although the construction will likely be exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review, the federal funding makes it subject to National Environmental Protection Act review which could include a finding of no significant impact. In addition to the sidewalks, the project will construct curb, gutter, and pedestrian ramp improvements along Clemmens Lane between South Mission Road and Old Stage Road.

The sidewalk improvements will enhance pedestrian safety while facilitating access to nearby shopping facilities and to North County Transit District bus stops. The census tracts which will be served by the project have a total population of 13,305. A low-income and moderate-income population of 8,165 provides a 61.36 percent lower-income concentration which makes the project eligible for CDBG funding.

The county's Department of Public Works expects to use road fund money to leverage the CDBG award. The sidewalk improvement project has a June 2016 completion estimate.

The funded projects also include $228,141 for a Type VI fire engine to be housed at the Palomar Mountain station; the San Diego County Regional Fire Authority (SDCRFA) is expected to receive the new fire engine by June 2016. An additional $228,141 will allow the SDCRFA to acquire a Type VI fire engine for the Jacumba station. A Type VI fire engine is a smaller vehicle which provides better response to medical or small fire calls in areas where larger vehicles have difficulty maneuvering.

The requests for CDBG funding also included one for improvements to Clemmens Lane Park, but that project was determined to be ineligible. In addition to the requirement that a project meet federal low-income and moderate-income concentration guidelines, HUD requires that the CDBG funding be spent within 18 months of receipt, so projects which are not yet ready to fund are also considered ineligible.