Alexandria is expecting to receive between $20-27 million dollars in federal CARES Act funding, but that comes with comes a few strings.
“All of that must be used for new expenses,” Mayor Justin Wilson said in a video town hall on Thursday night. “It cannot be used for any expense [that was] in the budget previously.”
Wilson said this adds a layer of difficulty for the city government, which is facing a dramatic loss of revenue and forcing the city manager to recommend cutting back some services and several larger plans.
Alexandria’s portion is expected to come out of $3.3 billion that has been allocated to the state to be redistributed at the local level.
“We’ve learned some things that are good, a lot that is bad,” Wilson said.
Among the pieces of good news is that Virginia unemployment benefits, previously capped at $380 per week at one of the lowest rates in the country, is being extended for an additional $600 — bringing the annual total up to almost $52,000 for those currently unemployed.
Wilson said there is an additional $10 million coming down the pipeline in rental assistance for those struggling to pay their bills without an income. Funding was approved last week for rental assistance for those in affordable housing units.
The expansion also includes gig workers and certain contractors often excluded in other unemployment protections. Wilson said these new protections are part of recognizing that many people have been laid off through fault of their own and face difficulty in finding new jobs.
On Tuesday, the City Council will be discussing how to divide the federal funds.
Staff photo by James Cullum
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If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.
If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
