$1,250,000 allocated to the Alachua County Department of Health for contact tracing specialists, epidemiologists, and related support staff for testing, tracing, case management, and containment of COVID-19. 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. Alachua County Reveals Future COVID-19 Relief And Budget Plans, WUFT 89.1 / 90.1 Featured Thank you Gifts. 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. However, only the first $2,500 will be guaranteed; the remaining aid that people apply for will be disbursed as it becomes available as funds are reevaluated and reallocated. Commissioners have discussed putting money toward public health measures and infrastructure, among other things, Sexton said. To be held in reserve for programs not yet determined and expenses not yet anticipated. More than $15.5 million of grant money has been spent to process applications and payout bills to qualifying residents. Assistance for State, Local, and Tribal Governments 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. 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. Alachua residents expected to receive $21.8 million in CARES funds Listen below: Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman outlined CARES Act distribution during Tuesdays first special meeting, and then introduced the countys fiscal year 2021 tentative budget during the second meeting. What's behind the shortages of Adderall, Ozempic and other meds? So I was $15,000 behind so ERAP really helped me out, said Alachua County resident, June King. on March 23. Alachua Board of County Commissioners / The Florida Channel The Alachua County Commission met via zoom Tuesday. The states just starting to spend their ERAP 2 money. . City helps nonprofits: Gainesville officials approve $7 million in pandemic relief to dozens of local nonprofits, County survey: Alachua County seeks community help to bridge digital divide by taking internet speed test, Textbook ban: School board approves 4 of 11 math textbooks after DeSantis' crackdown on critical race theory. So Im considered as a holdover tenant.. The United States Department of Treasury directly allocated the funds to states, and Florida received $1.2 billion to allocate to counties based on population. In order to be eligible for the additional funds, it must use up this portion first. Pennsylvania and its counties received approximately $1.3 billion total from both laws, to administer assistance to renters who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic insecurity. The relief plans remaining money will be allocated to things like medical expenses, public health expenses, and actions to facilitate compliance with COVID-19-related measures. Nearly $7 million of pandemic relief money will be distributed to dozens of local nonprofits, the Gainesville City Commission unanimously agreed on Thursday. the commission agreed to spend up to $250,000 for COVID utility assistance and $500,000 for legal help to . Archer also requested $58,000, Hawthorne $21,600 and Waldo $14,400. County Manager Michele Lieberman said the money will help the local health department add 38 additional employees to assist in the pandemic response. Frequently Asked Questions Ask a Question or Request Assistance Report an Emergency Order Violation UF Faculty and Students Protest the lack of Covid Protections, 37 local nonprofits would receive federal pandemic grants under recommendation, As pandemic subsides, Alachua County's workforce is back but employers still staffing up, Alachua County Planning Commission votes down proposed development at West End Golf Club, Gainesville for All's planned family learning center, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry - $750,000, Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition - $115,028, Alachua County Organization for Rural Needs, Inc., d/b/a ACORN Clinic - $64,598, Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention - $10,000, Catholic Charities Gainesville - $409,270, CDS, Family & Behavioral Health Services - $138,154, Family Promise of Gainesville, Florida, Inc. - $268,520, FL Institute for Workforce Innovation, d/b/a Project YouthBuild - $422,522, Food4Kids Backpack Program of North Florida, Inc. - $20,000, Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association, d/b/a Aces In Motion - $20,000, Gainesville Community Counseling Center - $284,698, Gainesville Housing Development and Management Corporation - $20,000, Girls on the Run of Alachua County - $20,000, Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. - $151,773, Mt. About $1 million will be available for the payroll expenses of county, municipal and constitutional officer employees working overtime in response to the pandemic. Id like to see this expedited because that flood of evictions is going to hit us any day, she said. Pleasant United Methodist Church, Inc. - $10,000, Neighborhood Housing & Development Corporation - $750,000, North Central Florida YMCA, Inc. - $300,000, Pace Center for Girls, Inc. Alachua - $300,000, Rebuilding Together North Central Florida - $20,000, River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding - $98,400, University of Florida Mobile Outreach Clinic - $300,000. At the House level, the bill passed 220-211, with every Republican and one Democrat voting against itbefore being signed into law by President Joe Biden. We are hopeful that we have seen the worst of the pandemic, Lieberman said. $750,000 allocated to other medical expenses to include, but not be limited to: 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. If a business received other federal aid, it may impact their ability to receive the countys CARES Act funds. 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. Likewise, itpreviously and narrowly was approved in the Senate along party lines with a 50-49 vote. 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. 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. Ten applicants were left off entirely, due to low priority scores, insufficient filing information or creating new services not previously established prior to the pandemic. Their funds have not been distributed yet. State may withhold funds and remove School Board members over masks Local share of FEMA expenses for county, municipalities, and constitutional officer employees responding to COVID-19. use federal COVID-19 relief dollars to cover any funding losses from the state . Eligibility is reserved for residents who were furloughed or laid off, or those who need help making rent, utilities, internet, phone, or car payments from March 1 until now. County residents can now click HERE to apply for the grant. The school district will send students home with a hard copy of a short survey with questions for parents to answer about their child's access to the internet and device. However, only the first $2,500 will be guaranteed; the remaining aid that people apply for will be disbursed as it becomes available as funds are reevaluated and reallocated. $2 million for Medical Expenses $1,250,000 allocated to the Alachua County Department of Health for contact tracing specialists, epidemiologists, and related support staff for testing, tracing, case management, and containment of COVID-19. That totals about $39.3 million, though the county was approved for $46.9 million for the federal program. $7.5 million for Medium Business relief grants more than 25 to 50 employees, 7. Rental assistance program funds are expected to run out in April. Resources and Information Related to the Coronavirus Relief Fund - NACo Alachua County Public Schools on Tuesday announced its efforts to bridge the digital divide with money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which could potentially provide enough funding. We will still take applications, they will still get time stamped and reviewed, Director of Finance April Shuping said. Despite a year where the Covid-19 pandemic was a dominant theme, the Alachua County budget will increase nearly $78 Million from 2020. 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,. WUSF is reporting on how distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine exposes inequities in Floridas health care system. I would imagine those folks would definitely qualify on the list, he said. We would like to continue funding the monthly payments until the funding is exhausted for those who are in the program today and we think thats coming up soon. But which customers may or may not qualify for the utility financial assistance is still a question mark, officials said. The second round of ERAP funds is 65% used so far; with a total of $8 million. At the moment, we have cash on hand to get us through June.". Vaccination rates continue to rise. Coverage of the coronavirus pandemic on Health News Florida. 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.. 2023 www.gainesville.com. Support COVID-19 fundraisers; Crisis Relief; Learn more. I will make sure we are maxing out money to individuals even before giving it to businesses, he said. Eligibility is reserved for residents who were furloughed or laid off, or those who need help making rent, utilities, internet, phone, or car payments from March 1 until now. Because I received ERAP, I was kind of discriminated against since then, said King. The other $750,000 will be allocated to things like expansion of testing sites and emergency transport costs. Otherwise, I cant imagine where our community would be right now.. Jim Harriot, deputy county manager for public works and growth management, said the county is already looking into the costs of adding ionization technology in the HVAC system, which has been used elsewhere to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The most reliable way I think we have to get the money to the people who are in the greatest need is not via the filter of a business its through an individuals ability to demonstrate, I havent been able to pay my rent in three months, because I lost my job on March 17, he said. 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. 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. Rental assistance program funds are expected to run out in April. (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. About $2.5 million is left over for any other eligible expenses. 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. In total, 178,738 people have been vaccinated, that makes up 69% of the eligible. This pages tracks the history of coronavirus cases in Alachua County, both recent and all-time. Emergency Rental Assistance Program | U.S. Department of the Treasury 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. 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. High Springs requested about $100,000 and has received about $24,000. Health News Florida | Sexton said all of the CARES Act money was allocated and spent by December 2020. For my senior honors project, I decided to highlight this piece of local history and celebrate this underappreciated instrument. The state. Alachua County reissues "state of emergency" due to COVID-19 spike 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. A total of $21.1 million is set aside for individual and household assistance. About $2.7 million went to small businesses, $6.3 million went to government agencies, about $2.7 million went to nonprofit organizations conducting COVID-19 aid and about $11 million went to the countys COVID-19 relief efforts. 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. Alachua County will receive 25% of its aid package, about $11.7 million, in the first round of fund dispersals. Alachua County, Florida coronavirus cases and deaths About $2.3 million total is expected to be allocated to some 22 local nonprofits. In July 2020 the county received $46 million from the CARES Act. 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. Copyright 2022 WCJB. Assistance for Small Businesses | U.S. Department of the Treasury The countys property appraiser is estimating a 6% increase in property values this year, Sexton said. Citizens can apply for up to $5,000. 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. New applications for the program close in about a week. 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. Commissioners received an update on its Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act funding at a special meeting Tuesday, where facilitators broke down how many applications for aid have been processed and howmany are pending. How GoFundMe Works; Why . Example: Modification to Air Handling System, and inmates per pod / cell. Alachua County Budget Increasing By Nearly $78 Million, Despite the pandemic, a rise in Alachua County. However, the taxes are recovering and are expected to continue recovery into the 2022 fiscal year. The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, delivers $350 billion to state, territorial, local, and Tribal governments across the country to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Alachua County Organization for Rural Needs Inc.'s ACORN medical and dental clinic, which is proposed to receive $64,598 . The county is also working on the Alachua County Regional Sports Complex, a project Lieberman said will generate over 1,000 jobs, $77 million in economic activity and over $12 million in tax revenues, annually. The vast majority of the funding $36.1 million will be reserved for relief grants to inpiduals and businesses. Gainesville, Florida nonprofits receive COVID relief grants Gainesville to use American Rescue Plan dollars for utility bills Alachua. Public health expenses include an initial $2 million in funding for purchasing protective equipment for health workers and disinfecting public facilities (including nursing homes). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency Businesses may also use funds as reimbursement for costs incurred to reopen, such as installing protective shields and buying personal protective equipment for workers. Alachua County Reveals Future COVID-19 Relief And Budget Plans Micanopy chose not to participate in the program, he said. All rights reserved. Another $3.3 million will be used for compliance with public health-related measures. According to Lieberman, the funds will be shifted and reallocated to different programs and municipalities depending on need. 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. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Two waves of federal funds sent millions to Alachua County residents for rent and utility expenses. Source: www.diychatroom.com. This website tracks only actual disbursements of the $5.86 billion deposited into the Florida Treasury. Award amounts will depend on the needs and size of the business. Another $443,521 will go to Episcopal Children's ServicesHead Start Center program in east Gainesvillethat would provideearly learning for children from low-income families. Most municipalities also signed a subrecipient agreement with the county to receive their own aid money. Certified Dietary Manager - LinkedIn 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. News about coronavirus in Florida and around the world is constantly emerging. Shuping said the remaining $7.6 million or so will likely be allocated for public safety, such as overtime paid to sheriffs deputies. The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners met via zoom for its special meeting Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Tenants have to be at or below 80% of the average median income for Alachua County which is at $39,000 yearly for one person. Even though the county has been able to increase its, WUFT 89.1 / 90.1 Featured Thank you Gifts. This would mark the fifth consecutive year the county has reduced the millage rate. PDF ESSER Allocations to LEAs in Florida - National Education Association Example: Social distancing markers, signage, modifying counter areas, etc. "Until last week, when our federal employee payroll tax credit was received, we were planning as if we would have to significantly modify our operations to make it through next week's payroll. School Board gets aid, but crowding, HyFlex teaching remain sore spots, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. February 2023 The federal government has providedthe COVID-19 pandemic. 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. For the law enforcement fund, the millage rate would reduce from 3.7240 mills to 3.5678 mills. 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. We particularly need to hear from the families of students who dont have access to the internet at home, either because they lack a device, connectivity, or both, Johnson said in a news release. But most commissioners support utility debt forgiveness, with the following recommended expenditures: Gail Johnson, $1 million; Hayes-Santos, $3 million,Poe, $2 million; Saco $1 million;David Arreola, $750,000; and Ward, $1million. In Alachua County, there were 0 newly reported COVID-19 cases and 0 newly reported COVID-19 deaths on Apr 17, 2023. 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. 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. This would ultimately result in a difference of $504,226 in comparison to the funds projected revenue for this fiscal year. Alachua requested about $200,000 and has received about $35,000. Resident June King is a program recipient who said she had COVID-19 for six months working as a nurse but is now searching for a new home. 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. He wanted to see how the city could better supporta community ID program that was left off the list, as well as fund Gainesville for All's planned family learning center. This would guarantee that staffing level for at least the six-month period that we can provide funding, she said. $250,000 crisis intervention from trauma as a result of COVID-19. 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. $7.5 million for Small Business Relief Grants 25 employees and less, 3. If local news is important to you, consider becoming a digital subscriber to the Gainesville Sun. 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. Nora is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org. 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. Commissioner Mary Alford also suggested using some additional funding to make improvements to the county administration building, which is being used more now than it had been for several months, since commission meetings have resumed a hybrid, online and in-person structure. Alachua County Reveals Future COVID-19 Relief And Budget Plans Outside of federal funding,local philanthropists' donations anda portion of funds from a Gatorade trust to help cover operating costs, Bailes said Cade has little local support and hasbeen in danger of closure, cutbacks and layoffs. 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. GRUdid not have readily available the exact dollar figureof what is owed by only those city customers who had requested COVID hardship relief in the past, Warm said in a text message on Tuesday.