City of Springfield to receive CARES Act funding, seeks public input

(From the City of Springfield)

The City of Springfield will receive nearly $1 million ($916,138) in additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a result of Congress’s passage of the CARES Act in response to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The City is asking for public input on the local impact of COVID-19 through May 7 via an online survey. Input collected from the survey will be used to determine how to allocate the funds in the community.

Those taking the survey are asked if they or anyone else in their household have been laid off, furloughed, or had a reduction of the work hours due to the impacts of COVID-19 and to rate the importance of:

-addressing the immediate health crisis with support for health facilities and supplies

-providing additional financial support for our workforce and low to moderate income households with rent assistance, mortgage relief, and utility assistance

-providing loans and financial assistance to local small businesses for the purpose of retaining and creating jobs for low to moderate income households, as well as job training

-providing additional operational capacity support to local non-profit organizations anticipating a significant increase in demands for services.

Business owners are asked:

-if they have experienced a complete shutdown due to the impacts of COVID-19

-their current and future business plans

-how many employees they have had to lay off or furlough

-if they have applied for COVID-19 assistance through the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Those associated with a non-profit agency are asked to:
estimate the level of impact COVID-19 is currently having on the programs, services, and/or general operations of your organization.

This survey is voluntary and answers will be kept confidential.