Economics

Help Plan Marin’s Future Funding Priorities

Published

5 years ago

July 27, 2019

Spending for multi-year federal grant and state funding initiatives will be influenced by resident feedback

State and federal funding is available to help counties address community issues such as behavioral health services and critical housing needs. Marin County is asking for help in prioritizing future spending by better understanding the concerns of residents.

A series of planning meetings will take place in July and August where residents will discuss a range of community issues such as mental health services and prevention efforts, substance use treatment and prevention, affordable housing needs, community facilities and park improvements, and public services.

Feedback gathered from the focus group sessions will be used by Marin Health and Human Services Department (HHS) and Community Development Agency (CDA) to inform three separate grant funding plans: the Mental Health Services Act 3-Year Plan, the Substance Use Services 5-Year Plan, and Housing and Federal Grants Division’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan. The new plans will go into effect on July 1, 2020.

“Our intent is to work alongside residents to develop a shared, community vision for services that are culturally competent and assist those with the greatest need in our community,” said Jillian Zeiger, Planner for Marin’s Community Development Agency. “This is a unique time where all three of these divisions have timelines that overlap, so we can reach a broader audience and address issues in a holistic manner.”

CDA’s Consolidated Plan prioritizes county specific needs for funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). These federal grant funds are distributed to eligible projects sponsored by local nonprofit organizations and public agencies and have been used for housing, community facilities, and public services for low- and moderate-income households.

HHS’s Continuum of Substance Use Strategic Plan aims to create a comprehensive approach to preventing, treating and providing ongoing recovery support services for the problems associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in Marin’s Community.

The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) was approved by voters in 2004 with aim to help transform the public mental health system through community collaboration, client and family member involvement, and a focus on wellness and recovery.

Planning meetings will be held at a variety of locations around Marin:

August 1, 1-3 p.m. – Marin County Office of Education, San Rafael
August 5, 4-6 p.m. – Bayside / Martin Luther King Jr. School, Marin City
August 14, 6-8 p.m. – College of Marin, Kentfield

An additional meeting on August 27, from 4:30 to 6:30pm, will be held at the Marin Health and Wellness Campus in San Rafael to focus specifically on suicide and behavioral health prevention and early intervention. There will be an additional meeting held entirely in Spanish, details will be announced at a later date.

The County hosted a meeting in West Marin on June 18 and will continue to conduct outreach to West Marin residents throughout the planning process.

To ensure broad community engagement, an online survey is also available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. The online survey will remain open until the fall.

Additional meeting information and notes from previous meetings are available on Marin HHS’s MHSA webpage and the Federal Grants webpage.

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

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Business

Black Business Summit Focuses on Equity, Access and Data

The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship. Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA), answers questions from concerned entrepreneurs frustrated with a lack of follow-up from the state. January 24, 2024 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, Lost Angeles, Calif. Photo by Solomon O. Smith

By Solomon O. Smith, California Black Media

The California African American Chamber of Commerce hosted its second annual “State of the California African American Economy Summit,” with the aim of bolstering Black economic influence through education and fellowship.

Held Jan. 24 to Jan. 25 at the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel, the convention brought together some of the most influential Black business leaders, policy makers and economic thinkers in the state. The discussions focused on a wide range of economic topics pertinent to California’s African American business community, including policy, government contracts, and equity, and more.

Toks Omishakin, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CALSTA) was a guest at the event. He told attendees about his department’s efforts to increase access for Black business owners.

“One thing I’m taking away from this for sure is we’re going to have to do a better job of connecting through your chambers of all these opportunities of billions of dollars that are coming down the pike. I’m honestly disappointed that people don’t know, so we’ll do better,” said Omishakin.

Lueathel Seawood, the president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Joaquin County, expressed frustration with obtaining federal contracts for small businesses, and completing the process. She observed that once a small business was certified as DBE, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, there was little help getting to the next step.

Omishakin admitted there is more work to be done to help them complete the process and include them in upcoming projects. However, the high-speed rail system expansion by the California High-Speed Rail Authority has set a goal of 30% participation from small businesses — only 10 percent is set aside for DBE.

The importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in economics was reinforced during the “State of the California Economy” talk led by author and economist Julianne Malveaux, and Anthony Asadullah Samad, Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute (MDAAPEI) at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Assaults on DEI disproportionately affect women of color and Black women, according to Malveaux. When asked what role the loss of DEI might serve in economics, she suggested a more sinister purpose.

“The genesis of all this is anti-blackness. So, your question about how this fits into the economy is economic exclusion, that essentially has been promoted as public policy,” said Malveaux.

The most anticipated speaker at the event was Janice Bryant Howroyd known affectionately to her peers as “JBH.” She is one of the first Black women to run and own a multi-billion-dollar company. Her company ActOne Group, is one of the largest, and most recognized, hiring, staffing and human resources firms in the world. She is the author of “Acting Up” and has a profile on Forbes.

Chairman of the board of directors of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, Timothy Alan Simon, a lawyer and the first Black Appointments Secretary in the Office of the Governor of California, moderated. They discussed the state of Black entrepreneurship in the country and Howroyd gave advice to other business owners.

“We look to inspire and educate,” said Howroyd. “Inspiration is great but when I’ve got people’s attention, I want to teach them something.”