A citizen-led committee has presented its recommendations to the Saratoga Springs City Council on how best to spend federal grant money on local non-profits.
The allocation of more than $300,000 in federal funding is being guided toward housing and urban development projects in the Spa City.
Brian Straughter is Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Community Block Grant.
“The highest priority is trying to identify permanent housing for individuals of low and moderate income. Whether it be permanent housing, rehabilitation shelters, just trying to figure out how do we make it so that individual in our city have a roof over their head and a place to stay. There’s also a small percentage of the funding that can go for public services,” Straughter said.
With a limited amount funding available, Straughter said the hardest part of his job is turning organizations down.
“So we’ve received in total requests this year $588,000. We are awarding $329,000. So we’ve had to say no to organizations. We’ve had to reduce allocations for requests. The biggest challenge for us is the fact that there is a huge, huge need out there but there’s not enough money,” said Straughter.
Maggie Fronk is CEO of Wellspring, a non-profit that provides human services to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. She says she sympathizes with the difficult decisions the committee has to make.
“So, I often come to them with something that’s like ‘I really want to address this now so I don’t come to you later with a much bigger ask.' Which helps to alleviate some of that ‘we don’t have enough money to fund everyone' is to be doing things preventatively,” explained Fronk.
Wellspring is set to receive $18,000 to hire a new support advocate and to pay for repairs at one of its shelters.
Housing nonprofit Rebuilding Together, which serves residents of Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties, will receive about $60,000 in block grant funds. Community Relations Manager Clarice Eaton says the money will help at-risk residents complete home repairs.
“This CBDG grant funding would allow us to continue to help those who have a critical need to stay in their homes for a longer period of time. Ideally, as long as they stay safe, warm, and dry, we’re doing our mission. And, with those funds, it allows us to continue that mission for those who are in those critical points within our city limits,” said Eaton.
AIM provides vital services and independent living opportunities to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Chief Development and Communications Officer Bo Goliber says the $60,000 they’re requesting would go into improving the living conditions of clients in Saratoga Springs.
“We have 11 residents that live there and we have made some renovations to the kitchen, but as of right now, we would love to make the kitchen even more accessible as our residents continue to utilize that space for gathering, for cooking. And so we wanted to get some new countertops and new cabinets and just update the kitchen so that it can feel a lot more homey for the folks who live there,” said Goliber.
Goliber says Straughter and the rest of the committee provide often overlooked residents with much-appreciated support.
“So, our ability to be able to connect with community partners and community representatives who can actually amplify our voice to the next level is incredibly helpful not only to get people to help us create a more inclusive community, but to help us reach access to those funds and help people thinking about a population that might not otherwise be on top of mind,” said Goliber.
RISE Healthy Housing and Support Services Executive Director Sybil Newell says the roughly $50,000 her organization has requested would go toward preserving housing affordability through purchasing a building that RISE currently rents most of the rooms in.
“That’s really what RISE and what the folks we serve struggle with, is finding truly affordable apartments in the Saratoga Springs area near transportation and near services. So, this is an opportunity for us to be able to just ensure that those units do stay affordable long term,” explained Newell.
A vote by the Saratoga Springs City Council to disburse the funding is expected in May.
