$20M in federal grants coming to Clark County

Dozens of local projects can advance now that $20.2 million in federal grants will be funneled to local governments in Southern Nevada.

U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., announced the award this week, which Clark County will share with the cities within it.

Titus in a statement said the funds ensure “the most vulnerable residents of Southern Nevada have roofs over their heads, food on their plates and opportunities to succeed.”

The award comes from multiple federal grant programs for affordable housing and homeless prevention, as well as the Community Development Block Grant program local governments rely on heavily to fund public projects.

The CDBG program, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, could have its funding slashed under the budget proposal from President Donald Trump.

The $8.7 million of CDBG funding being doled out to Clark County will go toward park improvement projects and a senior center expansion.

In all, Clark County is getting $12.2 million from three federal grant programs. Grant dollars for North Las Vegas are bundled with the county’s share, Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa said.

Once Clark County’s HUD contracts are signed and returned to the federal agency, the dollars are expected to be released, Pappa said.

More than $1.2 million in CDBG money is slated for a public library renovation in North Las Vegas, and thousands of dollars are headed for Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s Meals on Wheels program, the Salvation Army’s Career Corner and The Shade Tree emergency shelter for abused women and their children.

The Shade Tree just launched a $2.3 million fundraising campaign aimed at reopening its transitional housing program, which was slated to close Friday.

HELP of Southern Nevada’s Shannon West Homeless Youth Center is slated to receive about $94,000 of the county’s Emergency Solutions Grant, which can go toward shelter operating expenses, like utilities. The center moved in July to a much larger location near UNLV. HELP President and CEO Fuilala Riley called federal dollars like these essential to help cover costs that “keep the lights on and the water running.”

The city of Las Vegas gets the other $8 million through four grant programs, including $1.3 million for housing and other support for low-income people with HIV/AIDS.

The Las Vegas City Council signed off on the city’s HUD Action Plan in May, with funding headed for agencies helping homeless people living on the street, like the Salvation Army, Lutheran Social Services and The Shade Tree.

The city’s recommended recipients of CDBG dollars also include programs for youth and seniors through the Discovery Children’s Museum, The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada and St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.

Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @JamieMunksRJ on Twitter.