alachua county covid relief fund

Thomas is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org. "For almost three years, we have been operating with an eight- to 12-week runway of cash," she said. The deadline for applications from individuals and businesses was Nov. 15 and funding must be used to cover finances lost due to the pandemic between March 1 and Dec. 30, 2020. So I was $15,000 behind so ERAP really helped me out, said Alachua County resident, June King. Other initiatives in the budget plan included raising the minimum wage for county workers from $14 to $14.50 an hour, continued construction of a county agricultural and equestrian center and development of new county infrastructure, such as an administration building to consolidate much of the countys downtown operations in a single location.. The $46.9 million in relief funds comes from the federal governments CARES Act, but Alachua County will receive the funds in quarters, starting with $11.7 million to be used for the next six months. After the first round of applications are reviewed, it could take up to two weeks until the funding is distributed. Businesses may also use funds as reimbursement for costs incurred to reopen, such as installing protective shields and buying personal protective equipment for workers. This would ultimately result in a difference of about $2,072,541 for this particular fund in comparison to its projected revenue from fiscal year 2020. Read more about the C.D.C.'s . More:City funding plans create opportunity, risk, More:Alachua County evictions are on the rise, with 188 cases still open. Public health expenses include an initial $2 million in funding for purchasing protective equipment for health workers and disinfecting public facilities (including nursing homes). This includes $800,000 for sanitation and health improvements in the county jail, $500,000 for staff to enforce public ordinances, $500,000 for the homeless populations housing and medical needs and $500,000 for food delivery programs. Despite the pandemic, a rise in Alachua County unemployment and a slow year for the local tourism industry, the Alachua County Managers proposed budget for the 2022 fiscal year showed an increase in revenue and spending. Micanopy chose not to participate in the program, he said. Mayor Lauren Poe on Thursday thanked Congress and President Joe Biden for taking an "unprecedented step" of providingthe funding directly to cities across the country. The state. Alachua County Budget Increasing By Nearly $78 Million, Despite the pandemic, a rise in Alachua County. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Two waves of federal funds sent millions to Alachua County residents for rent and utility expenses. Most municipalities also signed a subrecipient agreement with the county to receive their own aid money. The organizations and awarded amounts are: Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the Cade Museum's funding from a Gatorade trust covers 14% of its operations and that the museum is getting $10,000 in ARPA funding. However, these rates are merely the county managers recommendation; the county commission is tasked with setting the tentative millage rates during its July 14 meeting. (March 11), Gainesville officials approve $7 million in pandemic relief to dozens of local nonprofits, Alachua County seeks community help to bridge digital divide by taking internet speed test, School board approves 4 of 11 math textbooks after DeSantis' crackdown on critical race theory, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners met via zoom for its special meeting Tuesday, July 7, 2020. for the 2022 fiscal year showed an increase in revenue and spending. The budget proposal comes at a time where many are worried local economies are suffering from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. $500,000 cost to enforce public ordinances in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. A majority of those funds about 72% are for Gainesville-based businesses. Officials also voted to discuss how to spend and split a remaining$18,000 pot of money between the organizations at next week's general policy meeting. County officials also plan to work with local utility companies to come up with a designated amount of utility assistance for customers who have been unable to keep up with payments. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - The application for the Alachua County Cares Act is now live. The city of Gainesville is expected to receive more than $33.9 million in federal funds under the American Rescue Plan Act, with the first expenditures having been approved by the City Commission. This would ultimately result in a difference of $504,226 in comparison to the funds projected revenue for this fiscal year. Alachua County will disburse $46.9 million in CARES Act funds for COVID-19 relief, and according to a new budget plan, property taxes in the county could soon be lowered, too. About $2.5 million is left over for any other eligible expenses. The county commissioners are breaking down the funds into six different categories ranging from individual assistance to business relief grants - with $21 million reserved for individuals on a first come, first serve basis. Our department manages the financial responsibilities for the State of Florida. Should the proposal be adopted, funds will go toward projects such as developing a new administration building, providing affordable housing and land conservation. In the meantime, Mayor Lauren Poe said Tuesday that this potential first round of financial utility assistance is already approved, and he urged people who have struggled to pay their utility bills due to the pandemic to contact Gainesville Regional Utilities about possibly getting assistance. This is a start where we can immediately start working with those folks to get relief from those back payments and kind of get them current, he said. About $15 million is dedicated to small- and medium-sized business relief. Gainesville has requested $2.9 million and has so far received about $749,000. Poe said its not likely that the $250,000 will be enough to cover the past-due amounts owed by those withCOVID hardships, but he supports increasing the assistance amount with the help of the federal funds. The remaining $4.36 billion will be used by the State to cover COVID 19-related costs. More than $13.6 million has been distributed to nearly 3,500 peopleand households so far, saidApril Shuping, a partner with Carr Riggs & Ingram, which is leadingthe application process. A little over $3 million will be used for facilitating compliance with county health measures. We will still take applications, they will still get time stamped and reviewed, Director of Finance April Shuping said. The 2022 fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sep. 30, 2022. Small retail, salons, non-essential businesses, daycares, etc. The CARES Act established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. The American Rescue Plan provides $10 billion to state and Tribal governments to fund small business credit expansion initiatives. The nonprofit GNV4ALL, however, is based out of a residential address in Live Oak, Poe said, making it ineligible for the city's pandemic relieffunding. This money helps support county residents struggling to pay rent as a result of the pandemic. You're Shoring Up Your Hom. That could include families that dont have enough technology resources for all the students in their household., Biden signs $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, Marking a year of loss and disruption, President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the $1.9 trillion relief package that he says will help the U.S. defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health. King said her landlord is not accepting the funds. The money is intended to help a host of organizations provide and increaseservices to area residentswork thatmay have been hindered during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the taxes are recovering and are expected to continue recovery into the 2022 fiscal year. Gainesville's COVID relief to help residents pay utility bills and fight eviction . The county will receive $52 million in aid, and is in the process of planning how it will be spent. Alachua County Public Schools on Tuesday announced its efforts to bridge the digital divide with money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which couldpotentially provide enough funding to give thousands of students take-home laptops with built-in internet connections or hotspots. The combined utility debt owed byGRUs active residential accounts that are more than 30 days past due is $940,558, said GRU spokesman Dave Warm. Likewise, itpreviously and narrowly was approved in the Senate along party lines with a 50-49 vote. 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399, Copyright 2023 Florida Department of Financial Services. Commissioners decided inpiduals will be able to apply for up to $5,000 (per household), a jump up from the plans initial proposal of $2,500. The community level of Covid-19 in Alachua County is low based on cases and hospitalizations, according to the most recent update from the C.D.C. "So I was $15,000 behind so ERAP really helped me out," said Alachua County resident, June King. Web crawl space door kit; Home alachua county covid relief fund crawl space creepers. Denials are usually due to lack of documentation that an economic hardship was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. County staff will report back to the commission at its July 14 meeting with progress on the funds and code enforcement for its mandatory mask policy. About $1 million will be available for the payroll expenses of county, municipal and constitutional officer employees working overtime in response to the pandemic. the commission agreed to spend up to $250,000 for COVID utility assistance and $500,000 for legal help to . Coverage of the coronavirus pandemic on Health News Florida. Invent possible program. . The school district is set to use about $6 million for the upcoming year,said district spokeswoman Jackie Johnson, who added subsequent efforts in Congress could help pay for continued access in the following years. Shuping said that makessense because, similarly to the individual applications, a greater number of businesses are located within Gainesville city limits than elsewhere in the county. A total of $21.1 million is set aside for individual and household assistance. This website tracks only actual disbursements of the $5.86 billion deposited into the Florida Treasury. use federal COVID-19 relief dollars to cover any funding losses from the state . 4182 Federal Register/Vol. The fiscal year 2021 budget plan will be publicly discussed and amended by the board of county commissioners for the next two months, culminating in its adoption on Sept. 22. Other local government agencies that requested aid include the health department, which has requested $1.85 million that has not yet been dispersed; the school board, which has received $750,000 out of the $2.05 million requested and the sheriffs office, which has received nearly $200,000. The next phase of COVID-19 financial assistance comes through the American Rescue Plan. The increased construction in the area has also allowed the county to generate more revenue via property taxes, Sexton said. $7.5 million for Medium Business relief grants more than 25 to 50 employees, 7. So far 3,450 have been accepted and 2,830 denied. billion: $5.86 billion was deposited into the State Treasury as General Revenue and approximately $2.47 billion was allocated to 12 of the largest counties directly by the U.S. Treasury. Thank goodness we have the ERAP money there, said County Commissioner, Mary Alford. I would imagine those folks would definitely qualify on the list, he said. The rest of the funds are split among residents living in other municipalities. Medical expenses will receive $2 million initially, with $1.25 million reserved for the Alachua County Department of Healths contact tracing specialists, epidemiologists and other medical staff. $2.5 million for any other COVID-19-related eligible expenses reasonably necessary to the function of government. The Alachua County Commission at a special meeting Tuesday afternoon unanimously backed a plan for allocating $46.9 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act funds. Distribution will just be paused to make sure that each of the smaller perhaps less technology driven areas have a chance to get their applications in an processed.. Here is a breakdown from the County on where the funds will be going: 1. Its the constant reevaluation of the criteria that were using to make sure that we get it to as many people as possible in the time thats allotted, she said. $750,000 allocated to other medical expenses to include, but not be limited to: Expansion of testing sites and capabilities, Example: Tents with climate mitigation, testing kits, additional sites, Example: Decontamination units, overtime due to quarantine issues, drug costs, $1 million for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for public health and safety workers, Example: Masks, face shields, gowns, and similar items, $250,000 for disinfecting of public areas and facilities such as nursing homes, Example: Aerosol units, spray systems, and disinfecting products, $250,000 for quarantining health care and public safety officers, Example: First responders, law enforcement officers, and health personnel, $250,000 for preparing public buildings to serve customers. During the pandemic, Alachua County has also been the recipient of federal aid money. A mill is $1 out of every $1,000 of a propertys taxable value, and in Liebermans recommendation, the county would collect fewer mills for the two funds mentioned. Nearly $7 million of pandemic relief money will be distributed to dozens of local nonprofits, the Gainesville City Commission unanimously agreed on Thursday. This includes $800,000 for sanitation and health improvements in the county jail, $500,000 for staff to enforce public ordinances, $500,000 for the homeless populations housing and medical needs and $500,000 for food delivery programs. Example: Modification to Air Handling System, and inmates per pod / cell. on March 23. Commissioner Saco said she expects a flood of upcoming local evictions in the coming weeks after a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ban on rental evictions expired last month. To qualify for assistance, a homeowner must: Own and occupy an eligible one- to four- unit primary residence Have experienced a COVID-19 related financial hardship, and have been unable to remain current on mortgage payments Meet household income limits Have been current on mortgage and property taxes as of January 2020 Guidelines To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletterHEREand receive news straight to your email every morning. Lieberman also unveiled the countys tentative budget plan for the fiscal year 2021, which was significantly influenced by the economic fallout of COVID-19. In addition, the expenditures must not have been accounted for in the most recent budget approved as of March 27, the date the act was signed into law. And we are looking forward to tackling the challenges of the next year as we continue to build and strengthen partnerships because we are better together., Tags 2021 Budget 2022 2022 Budget Alachua County Budget Alachua County Comission budget CARES Act Property Value Increase, The Gainesville City Commission unanimously voted Thursday to spend $5.6 million on a partial restoration . The states just starting to spend their ERAP 2 money. Source: www.diychatroom.com. Alachua County is on track to provide more than $39 million to local residents, businesses and organizations in need of coronavirus aid by the end of the year. According to Lieberman, these initial funds must be spent before the county can receive the next set of funds. Countys running out of funds doesnt mean the program is over, said April Shuping with Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPA firm. The commission did not discussdetails of who would be eligible for the utility assistance, such as anyone who is simply past due on their utilitybills or only those who have asked for a COVID hardship payment plan in the past who still owe money. Alachua County will receive 25%. According to the budget document, this would be only the third time in the last 40 years that the millage rate dipped under eight mills.. "There was a focus on human services, per federal guidelines, with the greatest impact for those communities of city residents disproportionallyaffected by the pandemic," said Barzella Papa, director of the community foundation. RELATED STORY: Families in need can receive up to $15,000 for rental assistance in Alachua County. Lieberman also unveiled the countys tentative budget plan for the fiscal year 2021, which was significantly influenced by the economic fallout of COVID-19. The museum requested themaximum funding at $750,000 but will receive a $10,000 cut for its "Spark Wonder. Alachua County will receive 25% of its aid package, about $11.7 million, in the first round of fund dispersals. During a board of county commissioners special meeting Tuesday, Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman unveiled disbursement plans for the countys COVID-19 relief funds and a tentative budget plan for the fiscal year 2021, which starts Oct. 1. Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian folk legend, dies at 84, 7 bodies have been found during a search for missing Oklahoma teens, Here are all the best looks from the Met Gala 2023, Florida Adds Nearly 10,000 COVID-19 Cases Wednesday; Hernando County Posts New Daily High, Florida Extends COVID-19 State Of Emergency, Alachua Commissioners Address COVID-19 Spike, Amend Mask Policy. Example: Overtime, additional staff, and law enforcement support. This second iteration of relief money follows the roughly $14 billion allocated to colleges in spring 2020 in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act,. Nora is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org. Five-year-old Parker Kay was among the first young children to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 vaccine in Alachua County last Sunday. Others expressed frustration with the smaller $20,000 and $10,000 grants received. Why an Arizona County Turned Down $1.9 Million in Covid Relief Two Republican supervisors voted to reject the federal money, frustrating health care workers in rural Cochise County. Bread of the Mighty Food Banks mobile pantryprogram will get $477,534; Catholic Charities' homeless prevention program will see$409,270;Peaceful Paths domestic violence program will get $491,000. I will make sure we are maxing out money to individuals even before giving it to businesses, he said. According to Lieberman, these initial funds must be spent before the county can receive the next set of funds. Going Beyond Assistance Fund - A 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed by HCSG to serve as a charitable employer-sponsored disaster relief organization to provide emergency, hardship, and disaster assistance . COVID19 Economic Relief Assistance for Small Businesses Assistance for Small Businesses The COVID-19 public health crisis and resulting economic crisis have created a variety of challenges for small, micro, and solo businesses in communities across the country. HHS has allocated $170.9 billion of the total $178 billion authorized by Congress for this Fund as of September 2021, including $14.8 billion used to support vaccine development and distribution.. Id like to see this expedited because that flood of evictions is going to hit us any day, she said. Alachua County will disburse $46.9 million in CARES Act funds for COVID-19 relief, and according to a new budget plan, property taxes in the county could soon be lowered, too. The county has been able to increase its budget largely due to the quickly increasing property values in the area, said Mark Sexton, Alachua County communications and legislative affairs director. Businesses must be able to show documented loss of profit due to required closure or efforts to rehire furloughed or laid-off workers. Local share of FEMA expenses for county, municipalities, and constitutional officer employees responding to COVID-19. The Act provided more than $2 trillion in funding for programs including, but not limited to, education, health and human services, labor, housing and agriculture. $21.1 million for Individual Assistance Grants, 2. Its been interesting because early on when we started projecting what the effect of a global pandemic was going to be, there was a great deal of doom and gloom, Sexton said, But the states budget this year was actually the largest budget theyve ever passed.. The countys property appraiser is estimating a 6% increase in property values this year, Sexton said. With documented loss of profits or employees remaining on payroll during closure, small businesses of 25 employees or less can receive up to $10,000 in aid, while medium businesses of 25 to 50 employees can receive up to $15,000. "It was a priority of this commission thatmoney be distributed directly to our local nonprofit agencies because A:they have a relationship and proven track record with serving folks in the community that needs it most and B:they can do things the city simply can not," Poe said. County Manager Michele Lieberman said the money will help the local health department add 38 additional employees to assist in the pandemic response. But not everyone got in on the pot of funds. Commissioner David Arreola also expressed disappointment with a lack of funding for some groups. Equestrian show jumper from Central Florida dies during a competition. For my senior honors project, I decided to highlight this piece of local history and celebrate this underappreciated instrument. With documented loss of profits or employees remaining on payroll during closure, small businesses of 25 employees or less can receive up to $10,000 in aid, while medium businesses of 25 to 50 employees can receive up to $15,000. The scholarships are funded by The Sperry L. Storm Memorial Scholarship Fund and The Guss Family Scholarship Fund for the Arts, two of more than 770 component funds of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. This would ultimately result in a difference of about $2,072,541 for this particular fund in comparison to its projected revenue from fiscal year 2020. Sexton said all of the CARES Act money was allocated and spent by December 2020. Among those who got the most money and maximum allowed are theNeighborhood Housing andDevelopment Corporation'saffordable housing program and Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungrys support for Grace Marketplace, each receiving $750,000. The county on Tuesday also voted to allow $26 million of its general fund to cover the costs of the final phase of CARES Act funding, which is underway, until it can be reimbursed by the federal government later. Pandemic funds: 37 local nonprofits would receive federal pandemic grants under recommendation, Housing: As pandemic subsides, Alachua County's workforce is back but employers still staffing up, Development rejection: Alachua County Planning Commission votes down proposed development at West End Golf Club. 2023 www.gainesville.com. A mill is $1 out of every $1,000 of a propertys taxable value, and in Liebermans recommendation, the county would collect fewer mills for the two funds mentioned. Trackingmagnitude. Both violas in the collection were made right here in Alachua County, and one of them had never been checked out by a UF student. County residents can now click HERE to apply for the grant. Because I received ERAP, I was kind of discriminated against since then, said King. Sit down restaurants, entertainment venues, etc. In response to the economic downturn, she recommended roll back rates for the countys general tax fund and the Municipal Services Taxing Units law enforcement fund. The costs incurred amid COVID-19 such as rent or mortgage payments for households or PPE costs for small businesses, must take place between March 1 and Dec. 30, 2020. The vast majority of the funding $36.1 million will be reserved for relief grants to inpiduals and businesses. The federal government will pay the vendors directly, Johnson said. furloughed / laid off). The $46.9 million in relief funds comes from the federal governments CARES Act, but Alachua County will receive the funds in quarters, starting with $11.7 million to be used for the next six months. According to Lieberman, the funds will be shifted and reallocated to different programs and municipalities depending on need. For the countys general fund, which provides resources for most county departments and constitutional offices, the millage rate would be reduced from 8.2729 mills about $8.28 collected by the county for every $1,000 that a property is a worth to 7.8961 mills, or about $7.90 collected. Source: www.ridgidforum.com. Another $2 million is to be allocated for public health expenses such as PPE and supplies for medical and public safety workers, disinfection of public areas and mental health crisis intervention. 20% of this will be available during the first round of the countys CARES Act funding. Copyright 2022 WCJB. The funds would go to Three Rivers Legal Services, a nonprofit legal firm the cityalready has under contract. a $101.5 billion state budget in April, a nearly $10 billion increase in spending from the last fiscal year.

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