Federal budget includes $3M-plus for Norwalk
NORWALK – The federal budget, approved by Congress last week and expected to go to President Joe Biden for his signature this week, includes tens of millions of dollars in funding for several regional projects, including more than $3 million earmarked for Norwalk.
The spending package includes emergency supplemental funding to “better respond to increasingly catastrophic natural disasters and extreme weather events,” as well as emergency resources to support the Ukrainian people.
The package includes several measures that Congresswoman Linda Sánchez sponsored, including $28,428,707 for 15 different community projects in California’s 38th Congressional District; a bill to improve access to retirement savings for small business owners; and a bill co-authored by Sánchez and Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32) to rename the West Covina Post Office after the late Congressman Esteban E. Torres.
The projects, which are listed in alphabetical order, include:
■ $3 million for the City of Artesia. The funding will be used to transform an unused parcel of land at the Artesia Botanical Gardens into usable park space for residents to enjoy. The City of Artesia will maintain the existing forest area and enhance it with educational features to teach children and families about caring for plants and trees, California’s climate, and the benefits of preserving forestry.
■ $4 million for Foothill Transit. The funding will be used to procure double deck zero emissions buses in the San Gabriel Valley of LA County. With this capital project, Foothill Transit will continue to lead the way to cleaner, smarter transit in one of the most congested regions in the country. The buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve residents’ quality of life and access to vital resources such as medical services and groceries.
■ $500,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. The funding will support construction of 18 new-construction homes in Santa Fe Springs to be sold with an affordable mortgage to low-income families. This is Habitat LA’s contribution to the Lakeland Development project, a public-private partnership working to expand affordable housing in the area.
■ $1.42 million for the City of Hawaiian Gardens. The funding will be used to upgrade athletic facilities, fields, and concession stands at parks and sports fields across the City of Hawaiian Gardens. The goal of these upgrades is to provide safe recreational facilities for the community to enjoy.
■ $2.5 million for the LA County Department of Public Works’ South Whittier Communities Bikeways Access Project. The funding will be used for the installation of bike lanes and bike boulevards, wayfinding signage, roadway resurfacing, landscaping medians, streetlights, and more.
■ $620,000 for the LA County Department of Public Works’ Sunshine Shuttle Route C Electric Buses and Charging Infrastructure Project. The funding will be used to acquire two electric buses for the Sunshine Shuttle service, replacing existing buses that are now beyond their service life. Sunshine Shuttle provides Los Nietos and South Whittier area residents access to shopping centers, community centers, medical facilities, parks and recreation areas, libraries, job training, and employment sites for Cal-WORKS recipients.
■ $2.5 million for the City of La Mirada. The funding will be used to construct landscaped median improvements in the City of La Mirada, which will improve traffic safety, enhance the aesthetics of the streetscape, and provide ecological and environmental benefits.
■ $2,211,745 for the City of Montebello. This funding will be used to upgrade radio systems used by the City of Montebello’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and public safety agencies. Better radio communications will help ensure first responders, fire, and law enforcement professionals can communicate effectively in situations that often mean the difference between life or death.
■ $976,962 for the City of Norwalk. The City of Norwalk’s Senior Center and the Norwalk Arts and Sports Complex function as emergency, temporary shelters for those in need during emergency events. However, these facilities do not currently have generators. This funding will be used to procure and install a dedicated emergency backup generator at each of these locations.
■ $2.2 million for the Norwalk La-Mirada Unified School District (NLMUSD). One of the cornerstones of NLMUSD is the Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways and Dual Enrollment access to college-based curriculum for college credit. This funding will help NLMUSD build a virtual learning environment so that students in CTE pathways, Dual Enrollment, and other programs can have remote access to educational materials on demand.
■ $1.05 million for the City of Pico Rivera. The funding will be used to transform an underutilized and blighted bus depot into a colorful and vibrant neighborhood park that features 14 new canopy trees and drought resistant native landscaping, a grassy knoll and performance amphitheater, decorative fencing, creative solar panel shade structures, a butterfly garden, community-based artwork, children’s play areas, free Wi-Fi hotspot, and more. The PAD Park will also commit space dedicated to incubating small, home-grown businesses such as galleries, cafés, bakeries, and other vendors.
■ $2 million for the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. The funding will be used to implement a Workforce Development Program for adults and at-risk youth from disadvantaged communities (DACs) who are experiencing homelessness. Funding will be prioritized for residents of the City of Montebello’s Operation Stay Safe. The Program will provide participants with paid work experiences and supportive services, placing them on a pathway to economic security.
■ $2.2 million for the City of Santa Fe Springs. The funding will be used to bring Water Well No. 12 into operation and provide safe, affordable drinking water for residents and businesses. Water Well No. 12 was constructed in 2015 but has never been in operation due to its inability to pass state and federal drinking water standards.
■ $750,000 for the City of Whittier. The funding will be used to convert 8 acres of underutilized property at Whittier Union High School’s Sierra Education Complex into shared community recreation space. When complete, the space can be used for youth sports programs that serve more than 2,000 young people annually.
■ $2.5 million for Water Replenishment District of Southern California. The funding will be used to treat three PFAS-affected wells, helping to ensure residents of Whittier, Montebello, and La Habra have access to clean drinking water.
Meanwhile, Downey Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard secured nearly $10.6 million for 15 local projects, although none are located in Downey.
Her allocations include:
■ $300,000 for the Aquatic Center Outdoor Pool Improvements
■ $1,500,000 for the Bell Gardens Regional Aquatic Center
■ $1,000,000 for the Building Expansion for the Columbia Memorial Space Center
■ $1,482,900 for the City of Commerce -- Public Safety Building / Sheriff’s Substation (EOC)
■ $2,000,000 for the City of Paramount for the Spane Park Regional Stormwater Infiltration Facility
■ $85,000 for the Designated Exceptional Services for Independence (DESI), Los Angeles, CA for expanding access to and delivery of food for seniors, including for the purchase of equipment
■ $100,000 for the Eastmont Community Center, Los Angeles, CA for equipment and services for low-income families to reduce poverty
■ $250,000 for the Maywood Community Resilience Center Energy Storage Project
■ $650,000 for the Maywood Riverfront Park Renovation Project
■ $1,500,000 for the Solar Energy Sustainability Project
■ $707,414 for the South Central Family Health Center, Cudahy, CA for facilities and equipment
■ $100,000 for the South Central LAMP, Los Angeles, CA for support services for children and families
■ $158,000 for the University Muslim Medical Association Inc. (UMMA Community Clinic), Huntington Park, CA for equipment
■ $389,000 for the Via Care Community Health Center, East Los Angeles, CA for facilities and equipment
■ $375,000 for the YWCA Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA for expanding senior empowerment services
“This bill makes historic investments in America’s domestic, maritime, and border security while also protecting critical cyber and physical infrastructure and supporting disaster relief,” Roybal-Allard said.
“I am especially proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to provide robust funding to support asylum seekers, refugees, and other immigrants and to finally implement pay parity for our Transportation Security Officers, who ensure critical security for our nation’s transportation systems.”