Despite approval by the City Council, Simi Valley's proposal to use $100,000 in federal funds to build the Metrolink Memorial Plaza has been denied by federal officials.

In May, the city received $195,479 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The city proposed using $100,000 of the allocation to fund the memorial, which is estimated to cost $151,500.

City staff believed the shovelready project was eligible for the funding because it is located in a low- and moderate-income area near a transportation hub, would provide an investment in infrastructure with longterm community benefit, and would generate much-needed local jobs.

But the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) disagreed.

According to Assistant City Manager Laura Behjan, HUD felt that although the project site at the Simi Valley train station is located in a lowerincome area, the memorial itself would not be of benefit to lower-income individuals.

"We did believe that it was qualified under the CDBG requirements, but as the HUD staff looked at it further, they were of the opinion that it would not meet the national objectives of benefitting low and moderate-income people," Behjan said.

Besides putting $100,000 toward the memorial, the city also allocated $50,000 for the building of an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant walkway between the senior center and the civic center courtyard, and $45,479 for the Minor Street Rehabilitation Project.

Simi Valley is now following HUD's advice to remove the Metrolink memorial from consideration and use the $100,000 in grant money for the city's street repair program, which will improve and replace deteriorating sidewalks and gutters within lowand moderateincome neighborhoods.

Mayor Paul Miller said he disagrees with HUD's "narrow interpretation," and that the agency's decision would not slow the memorial project down.

"In my opinion, I thought it was the perfect project for (those funds)," Miller said. "I'm never surprised when bureaucrats make bad decisions . . . we just roll with the punches. The bottom line is we're going to make it happen."

Miller said he's confident the project will be completed by Sept. 12, the first anniversary of the crash.

Initially, when it was hoping to use CDBG funds for the project, the city planned to generate the $51,500 balance of the cost through community fundraising. The Simi Valley Community Foundation established a Metrolink Memorial Plaza Fund to which individuals and organizations can donate.

Last month, the council also authorized a $51,500 short-term loan from its Community Development Agency to ensure that construction could move forward while the private donations accrued.

Although city staff is looking into other public funding options and will continue to front the project through CDA funds, the private contributions from community members and service clubs will continue to be solicited.

Mayor Pro Tem Barbra Williamson agrees that the funding for the memorial should come from private enterprise and nonprofit organizations. Even though the project was denied the grant, Williamson said there's a silver lining in the fact that the funds would now be used to fix streets—a move that will benefit all residents.

"Heaven knows there are some roads in our community that are in desperate need of repair," Williamson said. "There are hard times out there for a lot of people and I want to make sure that when we spend that $100,000 that it is put in the very best possible place that we can put it."

Editor's Note: If you would like to make a donation toward the memorial by subscribing to the Simi Valley Acorn, please see our voluntary subscription drive form on page 4.