$894,000 in grants to be awarded

Greg Harman

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 | 9:55 a.m.

Henderson officials are preparing to distribute $894,000 in federal grant money to area government and charitable agencies.

The U.S. Housing and Urban Development block grant will be used partly to renovate two local women's shelters sponsored by Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and to make improvements to streets and sidewalks in the Pittman area.

The grant also will boost the year-old Henderson Police bicycle patrol with $20,100 for new bicycles and equipment. The money will allow the unit to upgrade from Metro Police hand-me-downs to brand-new $900 mountain bikes.

The old bikes "have been through a lot of good use," Sgt. James Green said.

The annual distribution of the block grants, expected to be approved by the Henderson City Council tonight, also will fuel numerous other fair-housing and rehabilitation programs, such as Westcare Nevada's substance abuse services and Christmas in April's housing rehabilitation project.

Skeet Fitzgerald, Henderson's manager of housing and grants, said the HUD money increases moderately each year in proportion to the rise of the city's population and the increasing age of area housing.

At least 15 percent of the block grant must be used for public services such as pro bono legal work, and 20 percent is budgeted for administrative costs. The remaining 65 percent goes into capital improvement projects.

Other nonprofit agencies receiving HUD funds include Nevada Fair Housing Center Inc.; Classroom on Wheels; Giving Life Ministries; Henderson Allied Community Advocates; S.A.F.E. House Inc.; and St. Rose Dominican Hospital.