TITLE
Title
DHHS-DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE - ADDITIONAL PROGRAM FUNDING
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Sharon Barlow
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County received Federal and State funding allocations in spring 2021 for the Emergency Rental & Utilities Assistance (ERUA) Program to assist households that are unable to pay rent and/or utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The County was allocated a total of $12,991,460.90 in Federal funding from the US Treasury with $9,548,217.66 received in an initial distribution in 2021 and the balance of $3,443,243.24 held for distribution to be provided upon expenditure or obligation of the initial funds. The County also received $36,873,026 in funds from the State with $20,642,140.66 received in the initial distribution and $16,230,885.34 held for distribution upon expenditure or obligation of the initial funds.
As of the week of January 17, County staff have expended or obligated $30,190,358.32 on applications for rent and utilities assistance and associated administrative costs for running these programs or the entire initial distribution amount. Staff are submitting the appropriate requests for the remaining funding allocations from the Treasury and the State.
These additional allocations will total $3,443,243.24 in ERA 2 funds from the Treasury, of which up to 15% or $516,486.49 can be used for administrative costs, and $16,230,885.34 in ERA 2 funds from the State, of which up to 5% or $811,544.27 can be used for administrative costs.
A budget amendment is also needed at this time to spend these funds. The current ERUA program budgets were set at the amounts initially received; this amendment will increase the program budgets to reflect the additional distributions. The amendment amounts reflect any rounding needed to appropriate the full amount of the allocations.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
Grant Project Ordinance
Community Development & Recovery Fund
Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (State)
$16,230,885 Increase in Federal/State Revenue
$16,230,885 Increase in Appropriation to Emergency Rental & Utilities Assistance 1 (State)
Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (Federal)
$3,443,243 Increase in Federal/State Revenue
$3,443,243 Increase in Appropriation to Emergency Rental & Utilities Assistance 2 (Federal)
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Appropriate additional funding allocations from US Department of Treasury and State of North Carolina to administer the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Programs; amend the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (Federal) grant project ordinance to reflect the additional Federal funding and establish an Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (State) grant project ordinance in the Community Development & Recovery Fund to be funded with the additional State funding in the amounts described in this item to reflect the 2nd part of Federal and State ERA funding allocations; and delegate to the County Manager the authority to execute any necessary agreements on behalf of the Board of Commissioners.
Approve maximum allowable administrative costs to be designated for staffing, marketing, program support and initiatives in the following amounts:
$516,486 for Federal ERA 2
$811,544 for State ERA 2
$1,328,030 Total
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