LEARNING CENTER LOGS ON TODAY AT HOUSING PROJECT.

Byline: Jeannette DeSantis Daily News Staff Writer

The first federally funded Computer Learning Center at a government housing project in California was to open today at San Fernando Gardens in Pacoima with seven high-speed Pentium-powered computers.

The center, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is the brainchild of HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, as part of the initiative called the ``Campus of Learners'' which aims to develop computer learning centers at housing communities throughout Los Angeles.

Open to virtually anyone who knows how to use the computers, the center is the first of seven in the Los Angeles area to focus on employment skills, GED preparations, after-school tutoring and educational enhancement for residents.

``It puts more people on the job market,'' said HUD spokesman George McQuade. ``Residents here are at a disadvantage to start - not everyone has a computer - and we just want to bring them into the 21st century.''

The center will be primarily for residents, but officials said no one will be excluded and even have invited Los Angeles Unified School District officials to bring classes to the centers.

Long before today's grand opening, word of mouth about the cutting-edge computers to be made available to the more than 2,000 residents spread swiftly.

``Once the residents found out, kids, parents and even seniors have stopped by and wanted to sign up for classes,'' said Mario Matute, director of the San Fernando Gardens Community Center.

``The adults want to know about job search assistance, but the kids just want to play with the Internet,'' Matute said.

One resident was so excited about the center that she applied for, and got, a job as an assistant at the center.

Charmeon Smith, 28, who dreams of owning her own computer business for kids, has lived at the Gardens for almost two years. She went through the Housing Authority's job training program last year and took several classes in computers before she got the job.

``I have loved computers ever since junior high,'' Smith said. ``But these are way different than the ones we had then. These aren't hard to learn.''

Officials said they will continue to encourage residents to work as assistants.

``They tend to make better employees,'' McQuade said. ``They are more dedicated and take more pride in it.''

At San Fernando Gardens, children must be 7 and older to use the computers and those who are not computer literate must practice their keyboard skills on several older Apple and Macintosh computers before moving to the faster and more powerful Pentiums.

Matute is conducting a door-to-door survey of the complex to determine what hours the center will be open and what classes will attract residents most.

McQuade said $458,000 has been budgeted from a HUD grant, the Drug Elimination Program and the Family Investment Center to set up all seven centers, including William Mead Homes, Imperial Courts, Rose Hills Courts, Aliso Village, Jordan Downs and the new Family Investment Center.

But because of the squeeze on federal funds, continuing funds for the centers will have to come from other resources.

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