BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield community has an opportunity to help bring $35 million in grant money to improve Southeast Bakersfield, Old Town Kern, and downtown.
The goal of the meeting was to get community input on the transformative climate communities plan, a program designed to have impactful community projects that will reduce greenhouse gas and provide economic and health benefits for disadvantaged communities
Project Manager Cecelia Griego says they need the community to show up because without their input they cannot get the grant.
Several community members showed up Tuesday to hear proposals from the city’s partners. One proposal that Griego says will be particularly impactful involves the Bakersfield Senior Center.
“Doing that four street corridor enhancement, doing those affordable housing. Doing that enhanced senior center where there’s more, you know, services. More room for them to socialize and do their health and nutrition classes and all the great things they do for our community. So I think that will be a great impactful project.”
Griego says their goal with this money is to increase walkability, bike transportation, community solar, and affordable housing.
Although there were several proposals Griego says they won’t have enough money to fund them all so they need the community to come out and use their voice. The next meeting will be Thursday at the MLK Community Center from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
