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Council opposes C4RJ grant

By John Larson

Tacoma Weekly
jlarson@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: January 31, 2008

Tacoma City Council wants the state to withdraw a $1.1 million grant to a non-profit organization that provides housing for former inmates, citing concerns about the group’s grant application and abilities.

During the Jan. 29 study session Councilmember Lauren Walker presented a letter she wrote to Juli Wilkerson, director of the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED), which awarded the grant to Citizens for Responsible Justice (C4RJ). Walker sought co-signers prior to sending it.

Walker discussed a meeting she and Councilmember Connie Ladenburg had the previous week. Walker said she has concerns as to whether the organization can properly manage the proposed housing program.

She said its 501(c)3 non-profit status was inactive when it submitted its grant application, and that it just refilled for it in December.

Walker said some partner agencies listed on the application had not agreed to be involved with the housing program. Only one of the 14 housing sites listed is accurate, according to Walker. “It is a beautiful proposal, but there is some fiction involved,” she remarked.

Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) was listed on the application. THA Commissioner Stan Rumbaugh said C4RJ representatives made a proposal to the THA Board of Commissioners last year to be a partner. He said he and other commissioners were not familiar with the group, and declined to participate.

“From hearing their presentation, it was clear that some of their social goals were in line with our mission,” Rumbaugh said. However, the board did not have enough information to make a commitment. “We have to be responsible stewards of public funds,” he remarked.

Rumbaugh said C4RJ sent a letter to THA apologizing for listing them. “We accept that as a good-faith effort.”

Walker was interested in having the state award the money to another local non-profit, Global Outreach, which had applied for the funding.

Councilmember Mike Lonergan said he was not familiar with Global Outreach, but he had visited a C4RJ facility at the request of one of its representatives.

Councilmember Rick Talbert called for a revision to Walker’s letter, stating that the council prefers the funding go to a group outside Pierce County.

For years, many local officials have complained the Tacoma area gets more than its fair share of offenders. Talbert said this is partly because Tacoma has the social service programs, and thus the state sends ex-convicts here.

Councilmember Connie Ladenburg expressed a similar view. “I want us to stop being the community of released offenders,” she said.

The letter was amended with Talbert’s request. Eight council members signed. Councilmember Julie Anderson, who works as a senior policy advisor for CTED, did not.

C4RJ Board President Edryce Reynolds did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

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