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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 11-12-20; ITEM 2 - Update on CARES Act Funding Allocations 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 12, 2020 Action Agenda Item No. 2 SUBJECT: Update on CARES Act Funding Allocations DEPARTMENT: County Manager ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Travis Myren — 919-245-2308 PURPOSE: To provide an update to the Board on the County's CARES Act funding allocations. BACKGROUND: The County received two funding allocations through the Corona Virus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES Act. CARES Act funds were distributed to counties based on population. CARES Act funding must be used to fund expenses directly related to the County's response to the pandemic. These funds cannot be used to supplant currently budgeted expenses or to replace revenues such as sales tax or occupancy tax that have suffered as a result of the pandemic. The CARES Act funds must be used by December 30, 2020, or they will be reverted to the State. Orange County's round one allocation was $2,665,753. The round two allocation was $2,881,614 for a total of $5,547,367. Of that total amount, the County retained $3.2 million while $2.3 million was distributed to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Mebane based on a per capita allocation. The County has used its $3.2 million CARES funding allocation to support a range of expenses directly related to response efforts. The following table details how the funds were allocated to various expenditure categories and the amount spent from those activities as of the end of October as recorded in the County's financial system. Spending is occurring in each of the spending categories, but that spending may not have been recorded in the financial system yet. 2 CategoriesCounty Spending Allocation • • • Building Modifications,Sanitization,and Signage $ 405,000 $ 158,822 $ 246,178 Technology to Support Remote Work $ 451,741 $ 159,566 $ 292,175 Court Navigator -6 months $ 31,457 $ 17,815 $ 13,642 Food Acquisition and Distribution $ 106,000 $ 88,313 $ 17,687 Reemployment Services $ 50,000 $ 14,045 $ 35,955 Child Care&Support Services $ 60,000 $ 50,312 $ 9,688 Landlord Incentives $ 50,000 $ - $ 50,000 Emergency Housing Assistance $ 1,157,000 $ 1,157,000 $ - Emergency Housing Assistance Administrator $ 25,000 $ 4,434 $ 20,566 Rapid Rehousing Case Manager $ 30,202 $ 30,202 $ - Legal Counsel for Eviction Prevention;Translation $ 115,590 $ 32,261 $ 83,329 Reimbursement for Employee COVID Leave $ 256,046 $ 104,067 $ 151,979 Visitors Bureau Advertising $ 65,000 $ 40,207 $ 24,793 Revaluation Staffing Supplement $ 40,000 $ 24,088 $ 15,912 Long Term Recovery Consultant $ 101,500 $ 10,000 $ 91,500 Emergency Services Non-Congregate Lodging $ 90,000 $ 90,000 $ - Free Flu Vaccines @ Testing Sites $ 10,000 $ - $ 10,000 Library Curbside Equipment $ 4,800 $ 160 $ 4,640 Orange County Schools Hotspots $ 120,000 $ 120,000 $ - Public Health Education Campaign $ 10,000 $ - $ 10,000 DSS Personal Protective Equipment and Other Supplies $ 38,136 $ - $ 38,136 TOTAL . Spending • :• Allocation Amendments Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic has required funding flexibility as initial cost estimates were more than actually required, new needs emerge, or existing needs require additional support. The Board of Commissioners has facilitated this flexibility by approving several reallocations from the original funding categories. • $75,000 was transferred from Building Modifications, Sanitation, and Signage to supplement the Emergency Housing Assistance Program. • $90,000 was transferred from Building Modifications, Sanitation, and Signage to fund non-congregate (hotel) housing for residents who have been exposed to COVID-19 or test positive for the disease and do not have access to housing that would allow for appropriate isolation or quarantine protocols. • $10,000 has been transferred from Technology to Support Remote Work to pay for flu vaccines that have been offered free of charge at Public Health sponsored COVID-19 testing sites. • $120,000 was transferred from Emergency Housing Assistance to Orange County Schools to purchase hot spots for remote learning. 3 Funding Allocated to Towns The Board of Commissioners also approved allocating $2.3 million to the Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Mebane for pandemic response related expenses. While the Towns used some of this funding for personal protective equipment, personnel expenses, remote work technology, and small business grants, the Towns have also contributed to the Emergency Housing Assistance Program. These funds have provided direct rent assistance to Town residents as well as staffing support to administer the program. These contributions are represented in the following table. LocalAmount Available for Remittance CARES Allocation Spending EHA Con�tributio�nj Chapel Hill $ 1,553,263 $ 954,186 $ 599,077 Carrboro $ 554,736 $ 434,753 $ 119,983 Hillsborough $ 166,422 $ 141,514 $ 24,908 Mebane $ 55,474 $ 55,474 $ - This partnership with the Towns has resulted in an additional $743,968 for Emergency Housing Assistance and $1,585,927 available to the Towns to pay for local needs. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Orange County's total CARES Act Funding totaled $5,547,367. Of that total amount, the County retained $3.2 million while $2.3 million was distributed to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Mebane based on a per capita allocation. As of the end of October, over $2.1 million of the CARES Act funds have been recorded in the County's financial system as expended. The remainder of funds, approximately $1.1 million, will be spent by the end of December. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: • GOAL: FOSTER A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT REJECTS OPPRESSION AND INEQUITY The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race or color; religious or philosophical beliefs; sex, gender or sexual orientation; national origin or ethnic background; age; military service; disability; and familial, residential or economic status. • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. • GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang activity, substance abuse and domestic violence. 4 • GOAL: ENABLE FULL CIVIC PARTICIPATION Ensure that Orange County residents are able to engage government through voting and volunteering by eliminating disparities in participation and barriers to participation. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: • ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND WASTE REDUCTION Initiate policies and programs that: 1) conserve energy; 2) reduce resource consumption; 3) increase the use of recycled and renewable resources; and 4) minimize waste stream impacts on the environment. • CLEAN OR AVOIDED TRANSPORTATION Implement programs that monitor and improve local and regional air quality by: 1) promoting public transportation options; 2) decreasing dependence on single-occupancy vehicles, and 3) otherwise minimizing the need for travel. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the update on CARES Act funding allocations and spending.