On Monday, June 28, the Grover Beach City Council adopted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2023 Budget to provide a fiscal blueprint for the next two years. This balanced budget allocates $36.2 million for FY 21-22 and $32.7 million for FY 22-23 towards priorities and programs for the community, as well as an additional $17.6 million in Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funding over two years to address various infrastructure needs. The budget also includes $3.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act one-time funding which the Council has identified for various purposes including homelessness services and facilities, nonprofit assistance, rental and utility assistance, business assistance/economic development, and unfunded water or sewer projects.

“This two-year budget represents a significant investment in our community to address and continue to make progress on Council Goals including economic development, housing and homelessness, public safety and street improvements,” said Jeff Lee, Mayor of Grover Beach. “We will be undertaking a number of major projects and programs in the coming year that will benefit our entire community.”

Some of the big initiatives Grover Beach residents can look forward to over the next couple of years include:

• Economic growth, business support and tourism development to provide jobs and economic activity for our community.
• Implementation of the updated Housing Element which will facilitate housing production throughout the city and expand affordable housing options for those who live and work in our community.
• Continued partnership with the 5Cities Homeless Coalition and other partners to provide homelessness support, including exploring temporary or permanent shelter spaces to help unhoused individuals find housing and connect to services.
• Expanding police staffing resources for patrol, traffic enforcement, community services and other law enforcement needs, as well as funding continuing responsive fire and emergency medical services through the Five Cities Fire Authority.
• Sidewalk improvements and additions, street improvements to 35 blocks of local streets throughout the city and a major road rehabilitation project on South Oak Park Boulevard from West Grand Avenue to Mentone Avenue.

The past year has illuminated the need to prepare for future uncertainty. With this in mind, the Council set a reserve fund goal of 25% of operating expenditures to provide financial support during emergencies or unforeseen events. The newly adopted budget exceeds this and projects ending reserves of approximately 32% in FY 2021-22 and 36% in FY 2022-23.

“The economic outlook for Grover Beach continues to look promising despite the hardships caused over the past year by COVID-19,” said Grover Beach City Manager Matthew Bronson. “Grover Beach is a desirable place to live, work, and play and our growing tax revenues from our cannabis businesses and the new Measure F-20 sales tax will allow us to both deliver more projects and services to our community while preparing for future challenges.”

Grover Beach has shown itself to be a strong, resilient and caring community throughout the past year. This exemplary “can-do” spirit fuels the City’s bold and innovative ideas that lead to a better community and improved quality of life. The proposed budgets for FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 embody this sense of opportunity and investment to help the Grover Beach community flourish and prosper as a jewel on the Central Coast.