Title
Resolution approving budget amendment 21.005 appropriating $250,000 in the City of South San Francisco's Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund in Fiscal Year 2020-2021 for Emergency Rental Assistance for South San Francisco residents facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and $37,500 for associated administration (Kris Romasanta, Community Development Coordinator)
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WHEREAS, on April 8, 2020, City Council adopted a Resolution appropriating $220,000 to the existing Emergency Rental Assistance Program through the City's Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund (also known as Fund 241) in Fiscal Year 2019-2020 (FY 19-20) for the purpose of South San Francisco residents facing financial hardship due to COVID-19 pandemic and $22,000 for associated administration; and
WHEREAS, since March 16, 2020, the Shelter in Place Order issued by San Mateo County has had a devastating economic impact to the local economy, disproportionately affecting low-income South San Francisco renters, who most likely work in service-oriented jobs; and
WHEREAS, while essential businesses are allowed to remain open, all retail and industrial use services were temporarily closed. For some, this prolonged uncertainty has caused many businesses to lose revenue or permanently close, leading to major reductions in hours and layoffs; and
WHEREAS, emergency rental assistance programs have played a key role for low-income renters as local jurisdictions recognize that renters are highly vulnerable to debt, homelessness, and displacement once State and County moratoria on residential evictions expire; and
WHEREAS, with the surge of rental assistance requests, cities have shifted local, state, and CARES Act funding towards rental assistance programs. In South San Francisco, YMCA, the City's primary agency for providing such assistance, has seen five to six times the average amount of requests per month due to the financial strain of the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, between April ...
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