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Following a packed meeting earlier this month in which more than a dozen people gave input on the library expansion, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an application on March 31 for a $3 million state grant to help secure the project. The application also seeks an additional $600,000 for programs serving youth, seniors and unhoused residents.
The hearing was a required step in the county’s application for the $3.6 million grant which, by adding to the existing funds, would help ensure the library expansion is protected from rising costs, County Executive Officer Esperanza Colio Warren said.
“The purpose of the public hearing is to listen to the community, to gather their input, and to determine whether or not the activities that we apply for are consistent with the needs of the community,” she said.
County officials must submit the application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development by April 3, and can expect to hear back from the state by September.
The library expansion has been in the works since 2022, when the county secured a $10 million state grant, which requires a $5 million county match. Since then, leaders have been puzzling over where to build it, and over the last two months decided on its current location on Fifth Street in downtown Hollister.
The new application includes a cooling and warming center powered by a generator that can continue operating during an outage.
On March 17, the board heard from residents who asked that the application include food for seniors, in addition to considering funding for youth and homeless programs. The board directed staff to follow those residents’ requests.
In total, the county received 198 signatures from residents supporting the social programs and library expansion, County Librarian Austin Curtis said.
The $600,000 will be divided into two equal parts. The first $300,000 will be designated for extracurricular activities for youth, such as arts and recreational sports, as well as a summer employment program to help youth develop job skills.
Deputy Director of Community Services and Workforce Development Enrique Arreola told the supervisors staff plans to serve a total of 180 youth.
“This program will serve low-income children and youth throughout the county,” Arreola said. “It is designed to provide access to enrichment opportunities that many participants would not otherwise be able to access due to financial or social barriers.”
The remaining $300,000 will go to food assistance for 250 seniors and homeless residents, according to Arreola. He added that staff estimates spending between $75,000 and $100,000 in serving homeless residents at the local shelter, and the rest on seniors.
“These proposed activities are designed to directly benefit low- and moderate-income residents and address critical needs within our community,” Arreola said.
If the county wins the grant, the supervisors directed staff to bring the programs back for review before sending a request for proposals and contracting with any service providers.
Supervisor Angela Curro asked that the board and community have input on what the RFP looks like “to ensure that we’re using this money as efficiently, effectively, and fiscally responsibly as we possibly can.”
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