The City of Little Rock now has almost $2 million in federal grant money to help with the city’s COVID-19 response. Two federal programs contributed to the grant award, which will help fund the city’s Emergency Management Division and the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump late last month, awarded the city’s Housing and Neighborhood Programs department over $960,000. Almost $880,000 of those funds will go to the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
In an interview with KUAR News, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said residents of Little Rock can apply for grants through a program run by the city.
“The Housing and Neighborhood Programs Department received CDBG block grant dollars from these grant funds to help healthcare workers [and] to help low to moderate income individuals who have rent payments to continue to pay their rent,” Scott said.
Scott said the city will work to get funding out to the community as soon as possible.
The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program is also allotting funds to the City of Little Rock’s Emergency Management Division. Scott said those funds will help protect first responders and other frontline workers.
“We’re going to use, particularly for our first responders, the dollars to ensure the safety of our first responders - the Little Rock Fire Department, the Little Rock Police Department [and] the Public Works Department, who are all on the frontlines doing what they can to ensure that you and me and the Little Rock residents can have essential services,” Scott said.
Scott said he expects the city to be awarded more federal funding in the future.
