LOC News
Time is Running Out to Receive a CRF Allocation!
Cities be advised: the Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) reimbursement program likely ends on June 30!
This week, every city which had a fund balance of $500 or more as of February received a targeted reminder from the LOC to do everything possible to spend down their CRF allocation by the end of June. There are currently 124 cities which have yet to spend their full allocation that the LOC fought for in 2020. Of these cities, 10 had a balance of $100,000 or more, with the rest falling between $500 and $67,000. Many of these cities have a population less than 1,000, and actually have a higher CRF allocation (either $25,000 or $50,000) than the ARPA allocation they will be receiving over the next two years.
The work that LOC provided on behalf of its members provided minimum funding allocations to deal with the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic. The CRF fund is a source to help cities pay for the impacts of the pandemic, provide economic relief to businesses and families in financial stress, provide housing support, and so on. There is a remaining balance of $4.5 million that needs to be spent by June 30. Cities that received an email from LOC and have not yet spent these funds are encouraged to please do their best to spend the money in their local community.
Cities have less than 60 days to get their reimbursement requests into the Oregon Department of Administrative Services. While there are constraints for the CRF eligible expenses, cities have several options for use of the funds.
The LOC is suggesting every city review the following options and decide ASAP, rather than waiting until the June 30 deadline:
- Seek reimbursement of pandemic related expenses and/or community benefit. This document explains the process and has links to everything associated with the CRF fund reimbursement.
- Consider transferring your funding allocation to another third party such as a community-based organization that has been assisting during the pandemic with homelessness, food insecurity or another allowed use.
- Transfer your allocation to the county for use in CRF eligible expenses.
- Send notice to DAS that you will not be using your CRF allocation due to lack of expenses related to the impacts of the pandemic.
NOTE: Cities will need to contact DAS for options 1-3 so they understand your intent moving forward. Do not wait until June to make decisions; its critical you have a plan established ASAP!
If you have any follow-up questions, please direct them to Mark Gharst at LOC mgharst@orcities.org. To confirm that your balance is zero send a note to DAS at CoronavirusReliefFund@Oregon.gov.
Contact: Jim McCauley, Legislative Director - jmccauley@orcities.org
Last Updated 5/14/21