County seeks safe house funding

Glenn County is seeking grant funding to buy a home to house victims of domestic violence, and a second dwelling for transitional housing for the homeless.

Supervisors gave Human Resource Agency Director Scott Gruendl permission to pursue the project Tuesday.

The HRA will submit two applications for a grant totaling $1 million through its Community Action Agency division.

If funding is approved, the county will purchase a home as a safe house for those leaving domestic violence situations, Gruendl said. The county would contract with the Westside Domestic Violence Shelter to run this home.

The second property would be used by Unity in Recovery to provide a place for homeless individuals to stay while they seek permanent housing.

Both organizations are nonprofits based in the Orland area.

Gruendl said two homes have been found and will be put into escrow while the applications are submitted.

However, the purchases would be contingent upon the grant funding being approved by the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

The money would come from its Emergency Housing and Assistance Program's capital development deferred loans project, Gruendl said.

Loans would be 10 years with low interest rates and they could be forgiven at the end of the decade if the county successfully maintains the homes for these programs, he said. It would then gain title to the properties.

There will be title, escrow and appraisal costs to the county, but these fees will come from HRA accounts not associated with the county's general fund, Gruendl said.

Glenn County's Planning and Public Works Agency also is collaborating on the project, and its Director John Linhart told the board it was well received by the county's facilities committee.

Gruendl added surrounding counties have received these funds for similar projects, so he is hopeful Glenn's application will be approved.

Homes for the victims of violence and transitional housing are badly needed in Glenn County, Gruendl said, as there are none available right now.

Unity in Recovery provides limited housing for recovering drug or substance abusers, but it does not have facilities for the homeless or single parents and children without a home.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.