COMMENT SOUGHT ON FUNDING MEETINGS SET ON ACTION PLAN.

Byline: Daily News

LANCASTER - People can give their opinions on how Los Angeles County officials should spend $49 million in community development and housing funds targeted at low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and individuals.

A public meeting for the 5th Supervisorial District is planned for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 27 at Los Angeles County Fire Station 129's North County Training Center, 42110 6th St. W., Lancaster. Other meetings are scheduled for Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, Rowland Heights and West Hollywood.

Comments will help shape the county's annual Action Plan, which can include child-care programs, services for senior citizens, home-buyer assistance and home-repair programs, homeless services, business loans, graffiti removal, and street and sewer repairs in unincorporated areas.

Individuals who live or work in unincorporated areas, such as Quartz Hill, Lake Los Angeles, Littlerock and Acton, are encouraged to attend.

The approximately $49 million in funds originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which requires the Action Plan.

The funds come in three categories:

--More than $34 million is estimated from the Community Development Block Grant program, which funds a variety of services in low- and moderate-income communities. Funding is contingent upon congressional approval; the CDBG program has experienced funding reductions since 2002, and its future is uncertain.

--More than $14 million comes from the Home Investment Partnership program, which supplies funds for housing rehabilitation and construction in lower-income areas.

--More than $1 million comes from the Emergency Shelter Grant program, which provides temporary shelter to homeless individuals during cold and wet-winter months.

The five community meetings will solicit input from residents, community organizations, and local interest groups. Through a survey, attendees will be asked to identify community development needs of their respective communities.

The survey results will help prioritize future block-grant funding.

``We encourage residents to attend and suggest where funds should go in their community. We seek to continue our partnership. A strong turnout will help send a message about how vital these programs are to people, especially given ongoing efforts at the federal level to downsize and alter them,'' said Carlos Jackson, director of the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission.

Individuals unable to attend the community meetings can submit written comments through Oct. 26 to Raymond Webster. Comments can be sent to Webster via e-mail (Raymond.Webster(at)lacdc.org), fax [phone]) or mail to the Community Development Commission, CDBG Division, 2 Coral Circle, Monterey Park, CA 91755.