PORTLAND — The City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve City Manager Mark Rees’ plan to distribute about $1.8 million in federal Community Development Block Grants.

Rees recommended that the money be spent on various community development projects, social service programs and job creation initiatives.

In November, the city’s CDBG Annual Allocation Committee began reviewing and scoring more than 40 applications for funding in three categories: social services, community development, and economic development or job creation.

Applicants sought $3.1 million in federal funds, leaving a gap of $1.3 million between available funding and requests.

Committee members forwarded their recommendations to Rees, who said he agreed with most of their suggestions.

Rees said he removed one development funding request from the list, saying that investing $248,860 to install street lights on Cumberland Avenue would be more effectively handled through the city’s capital improvement plan.

The funded projects include:

• $180,000 to the Preble Street Resource Center, to help fund the center’s soup kitchen, resource center and Lighthouse Shelter, which is for homeless and runaway teenagers.

• $188,000 for window replacement and restoration of the entrance to the Catherine Morrill Day Nursery.

• $96,000 to repair leaky windows at the Portland Observatory, which was built in 1807. The observatory is a national historic landmark.

• $18,000 to make the Maine Irish Heritage Center handicapped-accessible.

• $117,987 toward the restoration of the Abyssinian Meeting House.

• $45,000 in economic development funds to the Star East Cafe and Bakery.

• $75,000 to the Milestone Foundation’s H.O.M.E. team, which reaches out to alcoholics living on the streets.

Not every group that asked for grant money got recommended for funding.

The Opportunity Alliance, formerly known as PROP, sought $56,000 for its foster grandparents and senior companions program, and for the Parkside Neighborhood Center.

Also left out was a $40,000 request from the Frannie Peabody Center for its HIV client services emergency aid program.

Staff Writer Tom Bell can be contacted at 791-6369 or at: tbell@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomBellPortland