Funding for Seavey Circle - a win for racial & health equity!
Back at the November 29th Sac City Council meeting (apologies for how late we are on reporting this news!!) there was a big win for Marina Vista and Alder Grove public housing communities!
Apartment row at Marina Vista pictured below
THANK YOU to Councilmember Valenzuela and the entire D4 team for their efforts in pushing this item through and allocating $2.5 MILLION of Measure U funding towards improving the quality of life for our neighbors living in this historically neglected community!
So what's this all about?
In the agenda item's meeting document it states:
In the wake of the November 2021 shooting in the Marina Vista/Alder Grove Community that claimed the life of a child, Councilmember Valenzuela’s office, the City of Sacramento, and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) began to look at measures to increase the safety and security of families in the area.
Following this horrible tragedy, a plan was set into motion to improve the safety and security of the families residing within this community.
What will this plan accomplish?
There are quite a few projects that now have funding allocated to them - they are listed below:
Broadband Infrastructure Project - $1.4 million allocation to SHRA (Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency)
For context: there is an enormous amount of digital inequity in California, with 25-30% of the population having only marginal access to the internet - this most significantly impacts rural communities and communities of color
The proposed plan will utilize funds to build broadband infrastructure with no cost to users for at least five years
Project partners are also working on finding funding to extend access past the initial five years, as well as for the acquisition of laptops/tablets and the provision of digital literacy classes
Muir Way Park Improvements - $400,000 allocation to YPCE (City of Sacramento Department of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment)
The YPCE will be working with the Housing Authority on a community planning process for a nearby park space, and to subsequently carry through improvements to the park that will encourage residents to make use of it
Youth Programming During School Breaks - $252,775 to YMCA
This funding will be used to ensure that there are recreational and educational programs available for students at Leataata Floyd Elementary School during school breaks during the 2023 and 2024 school years - regular programming of this nature did not previously exist for these students
Sports and After School Programming for Youth Street Soccer-$105,000, Ball Out Academy- $168,000
This money will be used fully fund the soccer and basketball programming that already exists within the community
Parent Support Groups - Ball Out Academy - $72,000
This funding will be used to provide supportive programming to parents and guardians of students at Leataata Floyd Elementary School in the form of bi-monthly sessions that will serve as a safe space for the expression of their concerns and needs
School Support for Additional Programming - $102,225
This funding will be used for community events, fundraising, donation drives, and activities that will support the families of the Leataata Floyd Elementary School
The severe consequences of digital inequities were made even more glaringly apparent during this pandemic. We have learned a lesson, and we can't continue to let these inequities persist in the future.
This a win! It's a very positive development and a good example of how to use funding to push for racial, health, education, and digital equity. Let's see more of this in the future!
