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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE II PROGRAM
WHEREAS, on January 28, 2021, the Cook County Board of Commissioners authorized the Bureau of Economic Development (“BED”) to develop a County program for the distribution of the allocated funding to provide aid to eligible Cook County households in compliance with the terms of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program; and
WHEREAS on March 11, 2021, the United States Treasury Department (the “Treasury”) under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 made available $21.55 Billion to States, U.S. territories, Indian tribes, and local governments for Emergency Rental Assistance II (“ERA II”) to assist households who are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, of which $75,174,936.50 has been allocated to Cook County, and
WHEREAS, Cook County applied for Emergency Rental Assistance (“ERA II) Grant funding from Treasury of which $75,174,936.50 was awarded to Cook County including the Base Allocation of $57, 610,056.70 and High Need Allocation of $17,564,879.80, and
WHEREAS, on May 14, 2021, Cook County received $23,044,022.68 from Treasury representing 40% of the Base Allocation under ERA II, and on May 20, 2021, Cook County received $7,025,951.92 from Treasury representing 40% of the High Need Allocation under ERA II, and
WHEREAS, Sections 8 and 9 of the Cook County FY 2020 and FY 2021 Annual Appropriations Bill (the “Appropriation Bill”) authorize the Cook County Budget Director (the “Budget Director”) to make budgetary transfers in an amount equal to or less than $50,000 without advance approval of the Board; and
WHEREAS except for budgetary transfers authorized in Section 8 of the Appropriation Bill, transfers greater than $50,000 that are within and between the Personal Services, Contractual Services, Supplies and Materials, Operation and Maintenance, Rental and Leasing, Capital Equipment, and Improvements, or Contingency or Special Purposes account series require advance approval by the Cook County Board of Commissioners (the “Board”) or the Cook county Hospital System Board; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the receipt of ERA II Grant Funds allocated by the United States Treasury Department to Cook County in the amount of $75,174,936.50 to provide rental assistance to eligible households in Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Budget Director is hereby authorized to accept all funds from the Treasury allocated to Cook County under the ERA II Program, and to allocate and transfer all such appropriated funds to BED within a special purpose fund established to track the acceptance and spending of such funds in order to advance the County’s ERA II Program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby supports BED initiatives to provide rental and utility assistance to suburban Cook County households who are unable to pay rent and utilities as a result of COVID-19 and further supports the allocation of $75,174,936.50 in ERA II funds to support the ERA II Program in the form of rental assistance, utility assistance, marketing and outreach, operations and logistics and community partnerships to address the needs of residents in suburban Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes BED to design and implement the Cook County Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance II Program and, in accordance with the grant, select organizations and government agencies as well as enter into any agreements as necessary with the selected organizations and government agencies to provide rental and utility assistance to eligible households; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Chief of BED or its designee to modify the agreements and funding allocations to all BED selected organizations and government agencies based upon need and utilization; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief of the Bureau of Economic Development shall issue periodic reports to the Cook County Board of Commissioners regarding the progress of the ERA II Program.
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