Evansville Mayor Winnecke Announces $2.3M In Coronavirus Federal Grants

Press release from the City of Evansville:

April 14, 2020

(April 14, 2020) — Mayor Lloyd Winnecke announced that the City of Evansville was awarded $2.3 million in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

HUD confirmed the City will be receiving $1.6 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and more than $790,000 in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) to bolster the community’s COVID-19 response.

The allocation of federal funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136.

The ESG funds will be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance; and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.

HUD will provide further guidance for CDBG fund usage at a later date.

Mayor Winnecke also announced the creation of a Task Force aimed at working with local, state & federal resources to reopen the community.

At this time, there are four major areas of focus:

• Business Assistance: The Southwest Indiana Chamber agreed to conduct a series of workshops to better understand the needs of local businesses.
• Workplace Comfort and Testing: Dr. Steve Becker from the Stone Family Center for Health Sciences, in collaboration with our local healthcare providers, will work toward broader community testing to provide employees and businesses with a greater sense of comfort to re-open. This will also include deep cleans of public facilities like the Ford Center and the Victory Theatre.
• Quality of Life: The task force will determine ways to re-open golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, playground equipment and other public spaces.
• Government Operations: Local officials will assess when to re-open the Civic Center to the public.

This press release was produced by the City of Evansville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.