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12725-12729

GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 12725-12729

12725.  This chapter may be cited as the California Community
Services Block Grant Program.



12726.  (a) The purpose of this chapter is to provide authorization
for the Governor of the State of California to assume responsibility
for the Community Services Block Grant (Subtitle B, Title VI, Public
Law 97-35, as amended), and to further provide for the state to
implement this block grant in conformity with the principles,
purposes, and policies of the California Community Services Block
Grant Program set forth herein.
   (b) The Legislature intends that the California Community Services
Block Grant Program shall be governed by the principle of community
self-help, thereby promoting new economic opportunities for
Californians living in poverty through well planned, broadly based
and locally controlled programs of community action.



12727.  All activities of the California Community Services Block
Grant Program eligible entities shall have the following basic and
specific purposes:
   (a) The basic purpose of this chapter is to stimulate an effective
concentration of all available local, state, private, and federal
resources upon the goal of enabling low-income families, and
low-income individuals of all ages, in rural and urban areas to
attain the skills, knowledge, and motivations and to secure the
opportunities needed for them to become fully self-sufficient.
   (b) The specific purposes of this chapter are to promote, as
methods of achieving an effective concentration of resources on the
goal of individual and family self-sufficiency, the following:
   (1) The strengthening of community capabilities for planning and
coordinating federal, state, private, and other assistance related to
the elimination of poverty, so that this assistance, through the
efforts of local officials, organizations, and interested and
affected citizens, can be made more responsive to local needs and
conditions.
   (2) The coherent organization of a range of services related to
the needs of the poor, so that these services may be made more
effective and efficient in helping families and individuals to
overcome poverty-related problems in a way that takes into account,
and supports, their progress in overcoming identified causes of
poverty.
   (3) The implementation, subject to adequate evaluation, of new
types of services and innovative approaches toward eliminating causes
of poverty, so as to develop increasingly effective methods of
employing available resources.
   (4) Maximum feasible participation of members of the groups and
residents of the low-income areas to be served by programs and
projects in the development and implementation of those programs and
projects, in order to assure that all programs and projects are
meaningful to, and widely utilized by, their intended beneficiaries.
   (5) The broadening of the resource base directed towards the
elimination of poverty, so as to secure, in addition to the services
and assistance of public officials, private religious, charitable,
and neighborhood organizations, and individual citizens, a more
active role for business, labor, and professional groups able to
provide employment opportunities or otherwise influence the quantity
and quality of services of concern to the poor.
   (c) It is the finding of the Legislature that these state purposes
and the intent of the federal Community Services Block Grant will
best be served by enacting the program policies and requirements
contained in this chapter.



12728.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions
of this chapter shall supersede and prevail over any provisions of
law relating to or in any way dealing with the subject matter of this
chapter or federal economic opportunity programs which were repealed
by federal Public Law 97-35, as amended.


12729.  If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof
to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall
not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can
be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to
this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.