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Summit County continues COVID-19 aid



DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit County officials are continuing efforts to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During Council’s June 29 meeting, members approved on first reading a $6.5 million grant agreement with the United Way of Summit County to establish the Summit County CARES Program, using $1.5 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Title XX funds and $5 million of the $94 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding the county received in early May.
According to the legislation, the funding will establish a rental and mortgage assistance program geared toward ensuring Summit County residents who have been impacted by the pandemic are able to remain in their homes. A total of up to $5,000 per applicant to pay up to four months of rent or past due mortgages from March 1 will be available to residents with an income of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Applications will be accepted July 6-17 at summitcountycares.org, with more details about eligibility requirements available on the website. Those without internet access can call United Ways’ 2-1-1 service for assistance.
Officials stated anyone currently involved in an eviction process will be fast-tracked through the application process, with assistance to be provided by Community Legal Aid and Fair Housing Contact Service.
Officials at the Summit County Department of Job and Family Services will complete initial screenings and United Way officials will finalize amounts to be awarded, according to the legislation.
Other partners in the CARES program include the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties, Community Action Akron Summit and the City of Akron, the legislation states. County officials added the United Way’s Financial Empowerment Center also would help applicants.
“We have never done a program of this size and scope,” said Brian Nelsen, chief of staff for the County Executive’s Office. “We plan to open the program up for two weeks, see what the avalanche looks like and try to dig our way out from under it and see where we are at. It is highly likely we may be looking at a case of even greater need later in the year after the federal pandemic benefits expire at the end of July. We will learn a lot in this first round, including whether there should be a second round.”
United Way of Summit County President and CEO Jim Mullen added that 60 to 70 percent of the 18,380 calls to 2-1-1 from March 1 through June 28 included 2,394 requests for housing and shelter assistance, with 1,339 of those seeking rental assistance.
“Housing intake has gone up 200 percent per month since COVID-19 started,” he added. “This is a huge need. We want to make sure we are keeping people in their homes.”
Nelsen added they hope to add a utility assistance program for residents in need in the coming weeks.
Another pandemic assistance effort includes a $1.4 million grant to Summit County Public Health (SCPH) using CARES Act funding to develop a COVID-19 mass testing program to operate from July 1 through Dec. 30. County Council approved the legislation on first reading.
According to the legislation, this program is being developed in response to “insufficient testing.” SCPH officials plan to use the funds to identify testing strategies and tactics and to support the identification of mitigation, prevention, response and recovery strategies. The funds will help purchase needed equipment, materials, services, supplies and personnel and to expand laboratory capacity.
SCPH Commissioner Donna Skoda stated testing will focus on congregant living facilities, where the risk of transmission of the virus is high, such as assisted living and nursing homes, veterans’ homes, homeless and domestic violence shelters; community outbreaks in workplaces; at-risk populations, such as public safety and health personnel; and in critical industries such as food production, information technology and transportation. Testing also will be focused in the highest need ZIP codes of 44310 (North Hill), 44305 (East Akron) and 44320 (West Akron), as well as the Barberton and Lakemore areas.
Skoda explained testing for COVID-19 will be made available to all — including those without symptoms or doctors’ orders or insurance, and with no copays — at various sites and delivery systems.
“With hot spots cropping up across the country, I am fearful that testing will become short-supplied again and reagents will become short-supplied again,” said Skoda. “Anything we can do to move swiftly and start testing is where we need to go.”
A third pandemic funding grant, also approved on first reading, includes $1.3 million to the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce to fund additional grants to Summit County small businesses not previously awarded funds through the Summit County COVID-19 Small Business Emergency Relief Grant Program. The money will fund grants to 305 small businesses, said Nelsen.
In addition to the list of routine legislation, Council also passed on first reading:
• a three-year collective bargaining agreement, effective April 1 through March 31, 2023, between the Summit County Juvenile Court and Teamsters Local 348, authorizing a 2.5 percent general wage increase in the first year;
• to advertise for bids for the Summit County Jail roof replacement project, estimated to cost $2.9 million;
• a professional service contract with MCM Consulting Group Inc. for consulting and project management services for jail management and virtual courtroom systems, estimated to cost $145,189; and
• to hire one assistant prosecuting attorney in the Child Protective Unit of the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.
Council will next meet virtually July 13 at 4:30 p.m. for committee meetings, which will be livestreamed on its Facebook page.