The Santa Barbara City Council on Tuesday distributed more than $500,000 in federal grants to help people through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city received $530,774 in funding as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. About 5 percent of that will go toward administration costs.
The money will be divided into two pools. Most of it — about $352,965 — will go toward rental assistance. The money will provide no more than three months of emergency rental payments on behalf of low- and moderate-income households that experienced job loss because of COVID-19-related closures and would be facing eviction without the assistance. The job loss must have occurred after the March 19 COVID-19 statewide emergency declaration that initiated social distancing.
“This is really, really exciting,” Councilwoman Meagan Harmon said.
In addition, about $151,271 will go toward organizations such as foodbanks, meal delivery programs, mental health counseling, domestic violence counseling, services for youth that have reduced educational opportunities during the lockdown, and child care for parents returning to work.
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County received the largest award — $27,090 — followed by Transition House and Planned Parenthood, both of which received $16,667. Four groups received $15,000, including the Organic Soup Kitchen, Domestic Violence Solutions, Noah’s Anchorage YMCA, Sarah House and Santa Barbara RiteCare.
“We at the Foodbank deeply appreciate the support of our community in this time of need,” said Richard Kaplan, who represented the Foodbank and spoke during the meeting.
Kaplan said the Foodbank has distributed more than 7 million pounds of food.
Fifteen groups were shut out of the funds, including the Community Action Commission, the Salvation Army and the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.
The United Way of Santa Barbara County beat out the Community Action Commission for the rental assistance grant of $352,965. The United Way will distribute the funds to qualified applicants.
The United Way already has distributed $1.4 million to about 1,800 households, and the Santa Barbara money will help about 200 more households, said Steve Ortiz, president and CEO of United Way of Santa Barbara County.
Click here for more information about the grant money.
“It’s clear that we need more funding, and if we should receive more funding, we will put it to good use,” Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon said.
Councilwoman Alejandra Gutierrez said she has helped people in her district apply for and get funding through United Way, and she looks forward to the additional funds that will be available.
“This amount of money is definitely going to be a huge help in the community, and United Way has done a really good job with the relief efforts during the coronavirus,” Gutierrez said.
Rob Fredericks, executive director and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, said the rental assistance is needed.
“The $352,000 will go a long way with what I hear to be an influx of need for people who are precariously housed and families, so I would hope that Steve (Ortiz) and his team would get the word out to all the other service organizations in town to direct people to his organization,” Fredericks said. “These are important funds to get out to the community.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.