LOC News
Joint Emergency Board Authorizes State and Federal Funding for COVID-19 Response Efforts
The legislative Joint Emergency Board (E-Board) met remotely for more than four hours Thursday to consider funding for a variety of COVID-19 response efforts, including new resources for housing and small business assistance.
The E-Board unanimously approved $12 million in general funds to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) for rental assistance and safe shelter. OHCS will direct $3.5 million through regional continuums of care for safe shelter alternatives, including hotel and motel vouchers for the homeless and farmworkers, whose living situations and underlying health conditions make them particularly susceptible to severe consequences from exposure to COVID-19. The remaining $8.5 million will be directed by OHCS to the statewide network of community action agencies for rental assistance payments to landlords on behalf of Oregonians at 50% or below of area median income who have lost income due to COVID-19. An additional $2 million in general funds was allocated to the Oregon Domestic and Sexual Violence Services program at the Oregon Department of Justice for emergency housing for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
The E-Board also gave unanimous approval for $5 million in general funds for emergency small business assistance, with the understanding that Business Oregon will reallocate an additional $5 million of lottery and other funds for a total of $10 million. Businesses with 25 employees or less which have not received CARES Act resources can qualify. Up to $5 million of the $10 million total may be used to match local programs. Business Oregon will contract through Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). There was significant conversation about making sure the assistance reaches businesses across the state given that most CDFIs are clustered along Interstate 5. Multiple committee members expressed a preference that more of the money go to grants than loans.
Another $10 million in general funds will be allocated to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for a grant to the Oregon Community Foundation to oversee a culturally specific community-based grant program to support workers who are ineligible for unemployment insurance. A proposal to allocate a $50M portion of the state’s federal CARES allotment to support rural hospitals was tabled after lengthy discussion over whether assistance should be awarded as grants or loans. The E-Board approved a federal expenditure limitation for DAS for an initial $300 million from Oregon’s federal CARES allotment. The E-Board plans to increase that limitation once the Legislature has a better understanding of recent guidance from the U.S. Treasury and a confirmation of the exact amount of funds the state will receive after awards are made to local jurisdictions with a population greater than 500,000.
The E-Board also approved several items unrelated to COVID-19, including $6 million in state general funds and increased federal expenditure authority for the Oregon Department of Forestry to address costs for the 2019 and 2020 wildfire seasons.
The Legislature had $50 million in general funds remaining in the state emergency fund this biennium, of which the E-Board voted to allocate slightly more than $38 million. The E-Board plans to meet again to approve additional federal funds expenditures, including the tabled proposal for rural hospitals. Full meeting materials and a video link are available online.
Contact: Ariel Nelson, Lobbyist - anelson@orcities.org; Mark Gharst, Lobbyist - mgharst@orcities.org
Last Updated 4/24/20