The Laguna Beach, California, city officials approved a proposal last week to acquire a former Catholic school campus for $23 million.
During the Aug. 16 city council meeting, councilors agreed to make a formal offer to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange to purchase the St. Catherine of Siena Parish School property.
Lengthy discussions concerning the funding needed for the purchase had been ongoing before the approval. The total cost would be $23.5 million, with about $500,000 added for necessary improvements—plumbing, roof repairs, lighting, drainage, and reviews of the structural soundness and fire systems in the four buildings on the property.
The city has $12 million from available funding to cover about half of the cost. The available funds include $2 million from the American Rescue Plan—a federal emergency funding for local communities to respond and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic—designated for city facility use….