Drafter
Clerk 02/09/2021
Title
A MOTION setting the county's priorities for allocation of federal and state COVID-19 relief moneys available in 2021.
Body
WHEREAS, as of February 7, 2021, there have been 78,686 positive cases of coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") and 1,299 deaths due to COVID-19 illness in King County, and
WHEREAS, the significant progression of COVID-19 in Washington state prompted the Governor's "Stay Home - Stay Healthy," order which was issued on March 23, 2020, and amended on May 31, 2020, to be the "Safe Start - Safety Healthy" order, and
WHEREAS, the significant progression of COVID-19 in Washington state and the public safety preventative measures, including social distancing and the Governor's order, are causing devastating effects on the physical health, mental health, behavioral health and well-being of residents and are exacerbating the incidence of substance use disorder and homelessness, and
WHEREAS, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are also causing extraordinary, unprecedented and devastating effects on the economy which have led to the highest levels of unemployment in recorded history in King County and Washington state, and
WHEREAS, state and local government revenues have plummeted in an extremely short amount of time, and
WHEREAS, the pandemic has hit for-profit and nonprofit organizations alike in a devastating manner, and
WHEREAS, on March 27, 2020, the federal government adopted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act"), which provided relief to state and local governments through a variety of federal agencies and programs, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA"), the Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grants and Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund through Health and Human Services, as well the Treasury Department's Coronavirus Relief Fund to cover costs that state and local governments have incurred in their responses to the ...

Click here for full text