$1-Million Child-Care Grant to Aid Public Housing Residents

The state of California has awarded the Los Angeles Housing Authority more than $1 million in child-care subsidies to help residents working or in training stay off welfare, an official said Tuesday.

The education department grant of $1,089,543 will cover the one-year cost of caring for about 150 youngsters, ranging in age from infants to 3 years, said Don Smith, executive director of the housing authority. Residents who qualify for the money will be able to select the child-care provider, Smith said.

“We are very pleased to be able to support families in public housing with child-care services,” Smith said. He said his agency “is trying to address the needs of residents through the welfare reform process, with the goal of having them become self-sufficient. And helping with safe, accessible child care is a vital step.”