District 5 Updates – August 2021

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District 5 Updates – Back to School, Rental/Utility Assistance, & Recall Election

It’s mid-August and that means Back to School, finally. For many of you, I know the at-home learning mandates were less than ideal.  As students and families work to get back to the regular routine, please also keep a mindful watch for our school busses, students crossing the road and school drop-off traffic points.  Slow down and watch especially for our littlest citizens who are still learning to navigate crosswalks and parking lots.

COFFEE TALK

I am excited to host my next Coffee Talk on Saturday, August 21st at the Coffee Saloon, 1909 Marguerite Street, Dos Palos, from 9:00 a.m to 10:30 am.  Please stop by, let me know how you and your family are doing and if there is anything I can do to help.  Coffee is on me.

MERCED COUNTY EXTENDS RENTAL/UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

At our August 10th meeting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved two resolutions authorizing and directing Merced County Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Round 1 and 2 funding to the State Department of Housing and Community Development.

These fully funded Federal resources will be administered on behalf of Merced County to residents through the State’s Housing is Key program.

The program will continue to assist eligible applicants who are at, or below, 80 percent of area median income and have been impacted by COVID-19. Eligible recipients include:

  • Renter households within Merced County;
  • Those who meet income eligibility determination;
  • Individuals who incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship during or due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic, and
  • Those who may be at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability from issues such as past-due utilities or past-due rent.

The State will run the program beginning August 11, 2021. Current pre-screened applications already submitted to the Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC) will still be processed through September 30, 2021. Beginning on August 11, 2021, all new applications for rental and/or utility assistance not already scheduled with CVOC will need to be submitted to the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program here: https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/index.html (for additional information, including eligibility and application help, you can call the State’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Call Center at 1-833-430-2122).

The program is being transitioned to the State in an effort to streamline the process and create a single program for County residents.

POLL WORKERS NEEDED

The first Recall Election in 20 years is underway. Ballots will be mailed to all eligible

registered voters as well as polling places will be available for in-person voting.  The election is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14th, 2021. We need poll workers for all of the Merced County polling locations. Please consider this valuable public service. Sign up to be a poll worker at PollWorker.SOS.CA.gov.

If I can be of service, or you need assistance, please call me at (209) 385-7366, or send me an email at Scott.Silveira@CountyofMerced.com.

 

Scott