Standard-Examiner: Weber County Fumbles $250K for Housing - Updated

"Too bad that the big bucks being spent without voter approval on the gun range couldn't be used for projects like this," one Standard-Examiner commenter wryly remarks.

Oops. The Standard's Cathy McKitrick reports that our Weber County commission let a quarter million in State housing dollars slip through their fingers last month, due to a simple calendering blunder.  Here's the lead, folks:

OGDEN — A series of unfortunate missteps recently cost Weber County $250,000 in state funding that would have provided down-payment and rental assistance to low and moderate income households. In hindsight, the county’s three commissioners expressed frustration, disappointment and regret that it had not played out differently.
“It’s devastating for Weber County,” said Andi Watkins, Weber Housing Authority’s executive director, noting that for some clients, the aid “made the difference of getting a home.”

Read the full story, O Gentle Ones, revealing a scenario worthy of the Keystone Cops:

• Weber County fumbles $250K for housing

Ms. McKitrick spells out the immediate repercussions of this unfortunate slip-up.

This would have been Weber’s fourth year to offer $5,000 in down-payment assistance to cash-strapped individuals seeking to purchase homes.
The agency made 40 such loans this past year, Watkins said. If the homeowner occupies the property for five years, $4,000 is gifted and the homebuyer pays back $1,000 to help perpetuate the program.
This was Weber’s first year applying for rental assistance dollars. The $30,000 — to be used as a temporary boost for families in crisis — would have helped fill the void left when Catholic Community Services shut down its rental assistance program, Watkins said.

Commission apologies excuses abound:

“Unfortunately, I was not made aware of any time-sensitive issues for inclusion on our agenda on May 13th, or of any time sensitive dates regarding this issue,” Commission Chairman Kerry Gibson told the Standard-Examiner by email.
Gibson had been out of town May 13, attending a personnel management conference as part of his commission duties.
“I am deeply saddened that this situation has caused this funding to be diverted from its intended and important purpose,” Gibson said. “The commission will take appropriate action to make certain that this does not happen in the future.”

"Too bad that the big bucks being spent without voter approval on the gun range couldn't be used for projects like this," one Standard-Examiner commenter wryly remarks, hinting, wethink, that the Commission's current priorities have not recently been exactly in proper order (shall we say).

Update 6/11/14 4:30 p.m.: The Standard-Examiner chimes in with its own critical editorial this afternoon."It’s inexcusable that Weber County public officials missed a deadline to receive $250,000 in state funding to provide down payment and rental help for low- to moderate income county residents," the SE Editorial Board intones:

• Our View: Weber blows housing aid