Title
Resident Utility Assistance and Displacement Support
Action
Action:
A. Approve the use of $1,936,602.82 from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to provide utility assistance for Charlotte Water customers,
B. Approve $1,936,602.82 in Emergency Rental Assistance Fund allocations to support Charlotte residents experiencing displacement, and
C. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate, execute, amend, and renew contracts as needed to complete these transactions.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Shawn Heath, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Angela Charles, Charlotte Water
Explanation
* The Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2) program provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included funding to assist households unable to pay rent or utilities during the coronavirus pandemic and recovery.
* $3,600,000 in Charlotte Water utility assistance provided by ERA2 funding was included as a component of the RAMP CLT program (RAMP) administered by DreamKey Partners on behalf of the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
* The RAMP program closed on December 15, 2022, having fully allocated all rent assistance funds, and a portion of the available utility assistance funds. Despite multiple efforts to market the available Charlotte Water utility assistance (e.g., RAMP website, CharMeck 311, city and community partner communications), eligible applications for these funds remained low throughout the RAMP program, and a balance of $1,936,602.82 in Charlotte Water utility assistance funds remain.
* In recognition of the challenges faced by local municipalities in distributing utility assistance, the U.S. Treasury has provided increasing flexibility in program guidelines including updating the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) guidelines to allow the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to be used for lump-sum payments to municipal utilities like Charlotte Water for pandemic related customer arrears.
Action A
* Action A will replace the r...
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