Zoom
Monday’s Board of Alders virtual meeting.
Alders unanimously signed off on the city’s plan to allocate over $5 million in federal Covid-19 relief towards rapid rehousing, rent and utility support, food and basic need assistance, mental health care, and a host of other social services for New Haveners directly affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Local legislators took that vote Monday night during the latest full Board of Alders meeting, which took place online via the Zoom videoconferencing platform as City Hall remains largely closed to the public during the current public health emergency.
Alders voted to approve a substantial amendment to the city’s 2019 – 20 Annual Action Plan that included a detailed description of how the city intends to spend a total of $5,044,461 it has received from the federal government thanks to the CARES Act, which Congress and the President signed at the end of March.
Click here to read about a recent Joint Community Development / Health & Human Services Committee hearing on the CARES Act allocation. The committee chairs Darryl Brackeen, Jr. and Brian Wingate moved to discharge the item from committee Monday so as to expedite the full board’s vote on the matter.
According to the amendment, the city received $2,236,393 in additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $2,647,229 in additional Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds, and $160,839 in additional Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) funds.
The amendment states that “all projects, programs and activities [funded by these grants] must directly address needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Below is a detailed breakdown and description of how this money will be spent, according to the amendment approved by the Board of Alders Monday night.
Rapid Re-Housing\ Homelessness Prevention
Funding to Be Made Available – ESG-CV — $1,680,371
Funds to be used to provide rapid re-housing and homeless prevention assistance to households at risk of becoming homelessness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Assist homeless households in moving to permanent housing situations. Support the provision of temporary housing to meet quarantine restrictions and isolation recommendations. Programs include, foreclosure prevention, rapid re-housing assistance; short term financial assistance; payment in arrears; assistance with utilities and rent to avoid eviction; and community re-entry programming
Emergency Shelter Assistance\ Assistance to Unsheltered
Funding to Be Made Available – ESG-CV — $420,093
Funds to be used to support operations and the provision of emergency shelters affected by COVID19. Provide for maintaining a sanitary shelter environment to help keep staff and clients safe and healthy. Hiring of additional staff to support infectious disease preparedness. Provide cleaning supplies, protective equipment, equipment, room dividers and transportation. Provide street outreach activities that are designed to meet the immediate needs of unsheltered homeless. Provide referrals to emergency shelter, housing, and essential services. Providing mental health services, medical care, financial assistance, childcare and transportation.
Public Health and Safety
Funding to Be Made Available – CDBG-CV — $250,000
Funds to be used to provide COVID19 testing, diagnosis, and management through the use of fixed or mobile testing sites; support contact tracing; and related expenses. Provide infrastructure improvements to facilities for testing, diagnosis, or treatment of COVID-19. Provide mental health support and services, child abuse and domestic violence support services and other health care needs associated with COVID19. Provide protective equipment, supplies, and materials. Improve access to WIFI in low\moderate income areas to support the dissemination of critical information and support community outreach efforts. Cover costs associated with operating an isolation facility including medical care and basic needs.
Housing Assistance Program\Housing Stabilization
Funding to Be Made Available – CDBG-CV — $802,393
Funds to be used to provide housing stabilization and supports to households at risk of foreclosure or eviction as a direct result of the COVID19 pandemic. Activities may include the provision of rental assistance after all other sources of assistance and forbearance have been exhausted, eviction mitigation services, emergency mortgage assistance, and foreclosure mitigation services and expansion of Legal Aid. Funds can only be distributed through a HUD approved counseling organization.
Economic Resiliency
Funding to Be Made Available – CDBG-CV — $500,000
Funds to be used to provide support and assistance to small businesses directly affected by COVID19. Activities may include financial counseling, technical assistance and economic development assistance to support re-opening requirements and economic viability. Support workforce development, job training, education, and childcare support activities for households directly affected by COVID-19 in need of support to re-enter the workforce.
Basic Needs
Funding to Be Made Available – CDBG-CV — $360,361, ESG-CV — $357,974 Funds may be used to support activities addressing food and non-food related basic needs of vulnerable and at-risk households or households directly affected by COVID 19.
Support for At-Risk Populations
Funding to Be Made Available – CDBG-CV — $100,000, HOPWA-CV — $160,839
CDBG-CV funds have been allocated to provide services to at-risk and re-entry populations including homeless prevention, permanent housing, rental assistance, food, medical care and other basic needs. HOPWA-CV funds have been allocated to support COVID-related needs for persons living with HIV/AIDS including accessing essential services and supplies such as food, water, medications, medical care, transportation services, lodging at hotels, motels, or other locations to quarantine HOPWA-eligible persons or their household members, short-term rent, mortgage, and utility (STRMU) assistance payments to prevent homelessness of a tenant or mortgagor for a period of up to 24 months.
Program Administration\ Oversight (Municipal Usage Only)
Funding to Be Made Available – CDBG-CV — $223,639, ESG-CV — $188,791
Funds will be used by the City to cover costs associated with preparing the substantial amendment for the proposed use of funds, program oversight, federal compliance documentation, monitoring and reporting to HUD. *Personnel costs should not reimburse for the general function of government per CDBG regulations. If tasks performed are part of one’s typical job description, they shall not be reimbursed under this supplemental grant allocation.
Nice to see federal money continue to support New Haven. However, wouldn't it be nice to see New Haven be fiscally independent? Could you imagine a future where New Haven could provide this type of emergency support on its own? I wish our leadership could strive for that type of future.