By Eric Curl
May 12, 2023 – Chatham County will be returning $3.9 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds, after being awarded almost $18 million to assist households in paying rent, utility and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chatham County Commission voted during Friday’s meeting to return the funds, which were awarded as part of the program’s first round, ERAP1. The board had accepted an initial award of more than $8.7 million in January 2021 and an additional award of more than $9.2 million in June 2022.
The deadline to spend the funds was Dec. 29, 2022 and the county is required to return the remaining amount to the US Treasury. During the 2-year program, the county reportedly used more than $14 million of the funds to support 3,159 households.
American Rescue Plan funds
The county commission also approved projects to be funded with Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, allocated for direct aid to local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chatham received more than $56 million of the funds to help the county respond to the health emergency, continue providing government services and cover for reductions in revenue. The funds were awarded with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for all citizens and promoting equitable outcomes for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. To this end, Chatham reportedly took a “deliberate and conscious approach” by investing in Qualified Census Tracts, which were identified based on various socio-economic factors, including poverty level, unemployment, and education.
The Board approved a $28 million budget for the initial projects in August 2021, with the majority starting implementation in October 2021. Internal application process for funding from the second allotment of funds opened on July 1, 2022. In February, the commission approved the proposed funding allocations.
The funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024 and spent by Dec. 31, 2026, as required by the US Treasury.
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