Council OKs plan to obtain housing funding

Thursday, May 8, 2003 | 10:11 a.m.

The Las Vegas City Council Wednesday unanimously approved a Clark County and Las Vegas Housing and Urban Development 2003 Action Plan it hopes will bring more than $11 million in federal and state funds for housing and community development activities.

To receive the funding the city and county must submit the action plan to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department no later than May 15.

The plan lays out the amount of funding to be allocated to each local jurisdiction in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The bulk of the programs that will benefit from the funding were approved by the council in March. Community Development Block Grants make up more than $4.2 million of the money, followed by $3.4 million in federal and state Home Investment Partnership funds and Low Income Housing Trust Funds.

A program called "Grants to Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS" will mean at least 12 local programs helping people with AIDS will split more than $900,000. At least 12 local agencies such as Catholic Charities, Shade Tree and the Salvation Army will split $144,000 in funds from the Emergency Shelter Grant for homeless programs.

Also Wednesday the City Council instructed staff to negotiate and execute a consulting contract with Wenk & Clarion Associates to help conduct an open space plan for the northwest region.