City May Oversee AmeriCorps Program

Orange County’s first and largest AmeriCorps program will be transferred from a local nonprofit organization to the city if the City Council approves the switch Monday.

Santa Ana-based Civic Center Barrio Housing Corp., known for its work in developing low-cost housing in troubled neighborhoods, oversaw the AmeriCorps program for the first two years but is relinquishing control to focus on housing, officials said.

AmeriCorps is a federally funded program founded by President Clinton to pay members for public service ranging from tutoring to construction.

Civic Center Barrio’s “Building Community� AmeriCorps program was criticized after its first year for failing to reach as many people as planned. On the recommendation of a state oversight agency, it narrowed its focus the second year to tutoring in a handful of Santa Ana libraries and schools.

Under the city’s watch, English and citizenship classes that continued into the second year probably would be dropped because other organizations already provide those services, said Rob Richard, city library director.

Richard said the tutoring likely will be expanded into one intermediate school and two other local sites, however.

Richard said the city would receive just over $395,000 in government funding this year to help pay for 56 mostly part-time AmeriCorps members.