Over the years, the project has seen $660,000 in city funding, $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and on Tuesday, will likely benefit from another $250,000 in discretionary funding from county Supervisor Michael Antonovich’s office.
The money represents the last of the supervisor’s discretionary homeless support funds, which were appropriated to each district in 2006, said Helen Berberian, Antonovich’s deputy in charge of social services.
The Salvation Army’s grant — which is expected to be approved by the full county board on Tuesday — falls in line with Antonovich’s credo of public-private partnering to address community issues, his aides said.
“Because who knows better than the community what the community needs?” spokesman Tony Bell said.
Even with the county contribution, Salvation Army Glendale must await approval from headquarters for an additional $35,000 in reserve funds to finally close the gap, Army Capt. Rio Ray said.
“I’m really waiting for that approval,” he said.
If the latest reserve expenditure is approved, the Salvation Army will have contributed $600,000 to the project, which would effectively double its transitional housing stock.
Unlike the majority of Glendale’s transitional housing programs, formerly homeless tenants at the Chester Street Project would not face a deadline by which to get their finances and life skills in order before reentering society as independents.
Having already completed the initial, more intensive help stages, the families would receive case management and life skills training and move out only after they have “time to get on their feet and stable again,” Ray said.
The Housing Authority has praised the design of the complex for maximizing the odd wedge-shaped lot without being overbearing.
While the entire complex will be built to accommodate those disabilities, one unit will be completely wheelchair-accessible.
All plans and specifications have been approved, and while waiting for the final funding pieces to fall into place, Salvation Army administrators have been organizing volunteers to help with demolition of the existing building and other site plans to cut back on costs.
Jess Duran, assistant director of the Community Development and Housing Department, said Salvation Army officials would not need to bring back the project for any more city approvals.
In essence, once the funding’s in place, the project is ready to go, he said.
JASON WELLS covers City Hall. He may be reached at (818) 637-3235 or by e-mail at jason.wells@latimes.com.
