Greater Gardner Coalition members Ed Rast, Kevin Christman and Norma Mendez attended a Community Development Block Grant Program meeting on Feb. 7 on behalf of four different neighborhood associations to apply for a $2.2 million grant for street repairs. Since then, the program has recommended that the group receive $550,000. But this amount is not guaranteed until the San Jose City Council approves it, and a date has not been set for it to appear on the council's agenda.

Rast says the block grant program received $33 million worth of requests but only had $11 million to give out to more than 75 groups that applied for the funding.

While residents anticipate the city council's decision, Rast is looking for other funding options, like asking local corporations to contribute money toward the cause. This option is being considered by a Strong Neighborhood Initiative Project Area Committee subcommittee, theNeighborhood Project Funding Committee, but is only in the planning stages so far.

The Community Development Block Grant Program awards money it receives from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is administered locally by the San Jose Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services. Approximately $13 to $15 million is allocated each fiscal year.

At that February meeting, committee members told Christman, Mendez and Rast that it isn't standard practice to award community development block grants for street repair, noting that the grant is not designed for routine maintenance, but acknowledged that the streets had been neglected for too long. Rast said two other members were amazed that the group even had to ask for money for street maintenance.

The committee is composed of 10 appointed members—one city council member, a senior citizen commissioner and citizens from Districts 3, 5, 6 and 7. District 6 Councilman Ken Yeager chairs the committee.