Case Announces First Federal Emergency Grant Awards to Hawai'i to Address COVID-19 Impacts
The awards aimed at housing assistance come less than a week after his House passed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act
News Release from Rep Ed Case, Washington, April 2, 2020
(Honolulu, HI) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced today that the federal government has made the first awards under emergency funding measures to the State of Hawaii, counties and non-profits to mitigate the immediate health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
“In passing H.R. 748, the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, last Friday, Congress aimed to get desperately needed emergency assistance distributed throughout the country as soon as possible to help our communities deal with this pandemic on all levels”, said Case
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development moved quickly to make available millions of dollars in initial grants to Hawaii governments and organizations so that they can continue to deliver critical programs and services to the people of Hawaii.”
The awards will boost three programs funded by the CARES Act:
Community Development Block Grant Program. The CARES Act funded $5 billion for this program. This program provides resources to state and local governments for addressing community development needs. The program ensures access to affordable housing, community assistance services, and jobs for vulnerable American communities.
Emergency Solution Grant Program. The CARES Act funded $4 billion for this program. These grants provide funding to help homeless and low-income persons to regain stability in permanent housing. The grants also provide funding for emergency and or transitional shelters and rapidly/immediately rehousing homeless persons and families.
Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program. The CARES Act funded $65 million for this program. HOPWA is the only federal program dedicated to the housing needs of homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. States receive competitive and formula grants to fund housing and supportive services to people living with HIV/AIDS. It is proven that stable housing leads to better health outcomes for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
The awards are as follows:
| KEY |
STA |
NAME |
CDBG20-COVID Recovery |
ESG20-COVID Recovery |
HOPWA20-COVID Recovery |
| 150001 |
HI |
Hawaii County |
$1,543,033.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| 150002 |
HI |
Kauai County |
$412,929.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| 150003 |
HI |
Maui County |
$1,104,173.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| 150144 |
HI |
Honolulu |
$4,872,982.00 |
$2,429,569.00 |
$95,143.00 |
| 159999 |
HI |
Hawaii Nonentitlement |
$0.00 |
$1,567,697.00 |
$39,007.00 |
HOPWA COVID19 Recovery Competitive Grants
| New Grant # |
Grantee Name |
Competitive GA |
| HI-H170010 |
Maui A.I.D.S. Foundation |
$160,704.00 |
| HI-H180007 |
Gregory House Programs |
$155,072.00 |
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Case Announces $107 Million Federal Emergency Grant Award to Hawai’i for Urgent COVID-19 Transportation Impacts
The CARES Act Federal Transit Administration funding aims at supporting transit agencies across the State
News Release from Office of Rep Ed Case, Washington, April 2, 2020
(Honolulu, HI) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced today that the federal government has made another round of awards under Congress’ CARES Act emergency funding measure to the State of Hawai‘i and counties, this one to mitigate the serious impacts of COVID-19 on transit service statewide.
“This award of $107,816,109 from the Federal Transit Administration will help our counties to continue essential transit services for citizens with no real transportation options as well as keep transit employees on the payroll.”
In passing H.R. 748, the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, last Friday, Congress allotted $25 billion to the Federal Transit Administration to prevent, prepare for and respond to the transportation-related impacts of COVID-19. This award is part of an initial apportionment of those funds to the states.
“Just yesterday, Honolulu’s city bus system moved to a holiday schedule,” said Case. “That move was prompted because ridership has dropped dramatically due to the orders to “stay at home, work at home.”
“But we still need to maintain a functioning public transportation system across the state, both through this crisis and as we emerge from it, and this award will help to keep those systems going and their employees on the job.”
Case said that $91 million of the award will go to the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services which plans, manages and maintains the public transit systems including The Bus and The Handi-van. Another $17 million will go to the State of Hawai‘i, which will award sub-grants to qualified transit operations on the Neighbor Islands.
“The funds can also be used for administrative leave purposes,” said Case.
“For example, funds can go to pay for transit workers who have been placed on leave due to reductions in service, and to those workers who have had to be quarantined if they were suspected of having been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.”