Goleta votes to use grant money to help the homeless

GOLETA, Calif.

The Goleta City Council voted unanimously to allocated money from a Community Development Block Grant to help people experiencing homelessness.

The Federal funding comes from Housing and Urban Development or HUD and is usually used for housing and helping communities.

Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover said, "The city of Goleta was given additional funding, $190,000, it was really earmarked for rental assistance, but when staff did the research on it, they saw there really is millions of dollars in state and federal funding for rental assistance, and it is very important and that this money could be used for our homeless situation."

The unanimous decision also allocates $12,500 to the Organic Soup Kitchen that is taking over for an organization that is no longer in business.

The soup kitchen will deliver weekly meals to seniors in need, some who have cancer.

Mayor Pro Tempore James Kyriaco said, "We have an obligation to do everything in our power to help the most vulnerable among us until we can put this pandemic behind us."

Kyriaco believes it will save money in the long run.

"It is also the right thing to do."