Fairfax County seeks public input on CARES funds
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| The Fairfax County flag in front of the government center was flown at half staff on March 29 in honor of COVID victims. |
Fairfax County is getting $5.2 million in federal funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for housing and emergency funding needs. (That just a small part of the more than $200 million the county is getting from the CARES Act.)
In order to spend the $5.2 million, the county needs to amend its Consolidated Plan One – Year Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2020 to incorporate actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. It also has to amend the Citizen Participation Plan to allow the county to implement expedited procedures to obtain community input.
As a result, the county is asking the public to submit feedback on those two actions. The comment period ends at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 11.
The county’s $5.2 million in CARE Act funds includes $3.5 million in supplemental Community Development Block Grant funding and $1.7 million in additional Emergency Solutions Grant funds.
The Consolidated Action Plan for FY 2020 identifies needs and resources for affordable housing, community services, homelessness assistance, community development, neighborhood preservation and revitalization, employment. and economic opportunity services for low and moderate-income households.
The existing Consolidated Plan can be reviewed here. The public can submit comments on how the plan should be amended to incorporate CARES Act funds here.
The proposal to amend the Citizen Participation Plan would allow the county to hold virtual public hearings rather than in-person hearings and would reduce the requirements for public notification. Submit comments here.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to take action on the proposed amendments at its virtual board meeting on May 12. The meeting will be televised on Channel 16 and livestreamed on the county’s Facebook page.
The county executive is proposing that the rest of the county’s share of CARES Act funds be allocated to nonprofits for residents’ basic needs, such as rent, utilities, and prescriptions; assistance for nonprofit organizations; and emergency preparedness.
It's a shame no money for our first responders. Fairfax County has decided to freeze our first responders pay for the next budget year and will not pay them hazardous pay. These individuals put their lives on the line each day to help Fairfax County citizens and how does the County repay them – no hazardous pay and freezing their pay for the following year. Other surrounding jurisdictions are paying hazardous pay. No wonder Fairfax continues to have hiring issues when other jurisdictions are stealing our first responders them away with better incentives. Fairfax County should be ashamed. We depend upon these people for our lives and you repay them in this way. Fairfax County needs to step and do something extra for the first responders. Shameful!!!!!