Torres Announces Nearly $2.6 Billion in Funding for Inland Empire
Press Release
Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) today announced nearly $2.6 billion in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds that are available starting today thanks to the Congressionally approved American Rescue Plan.
The funds will provide financial relief to state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments, whose services have been in increasing demand during the pandemic, but whose revenues have fallen sharply due to the crisis. Local governments should expect to receive funds in two tranches, with 50 percent beginning to arrive in May 2021, and the balance delivered one year later.
Community
Amount
Pomona
$45,366,413
Ontario
$45,609,291
Chino
$14,978,541
Rialto
$29,373,105
Fontana
$50,257,113
San Bernardino Co
$423,455,955
Los Angeles Co
$1,949,978,847
TOTAL
$2,559,019,265
While two communities from California's 35th District are not listed -- Montclair and Bloomington -- their residents will still benefit from these funds. Montclair is considered a non-entitlement unit of less than 50,000 residents, which means funds will go to the State to disburse according to population size. And Bloomington residents, whose region is an unincorporated area, will receive support through San Bernardino County's allocation.
Congresswoman Torres released the following statement:
"State and local governments faced incredible pressure during this pandemic to not only deliver vital support to our communities, but to do so with far fewer resources than normal," Rep. Norma J. Torres said. "The funds I'm announcing today -- nearly $2.6 billion -- will help local governments recover from the pandemic, ensure frontline workers remain on the job, and help communities hit hardest by COVID-19. Inland Empire residents are counting on local services right now, and those services depend on the smart, meaningful federal support that the American Rescue Plan delivers. I will continue to fight for every dollar I can for our community in this moment of need, and I urge Governor Newsom to do everything within his power to expedite delivery of pass-through funds to cities like Montclair. I look forward to seeing all of these funds put to good use throughout the Inland Empire."
The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds offer substantial flexibility for each jurisdiction to meet local needs--including support for households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest-hit by the crisis. Within the categories of eligible uses listed, recipients have broad flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of their communities. In addition to allowing for flexible spending up to the level of their revenue loss, recipients can use funds to:
Support public health expenditures, by -- among other uses -- funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, mental health and substance misuse treatment and certain public health and safety personnel responding to the crisis;
Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including by rehiring public sector workers, providing aid to households facing food, housing or other financial insecurity, offering small business assistance, and extending support for industries hardest hit by the crisis
Aid the communities and populations hardest hit by the crisis, supporting an equitable recovery by addressing not only the immediate harms of the pandemic, but its exacerbation of longstanding public health, economic and educational disparities
Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have borne and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service during the pandemic; and,
Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, improving access to clean drinking water, supporting vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and expanding access to broadband internet.
A fact sheet about State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds is available here.
To date, Congresswoman Torres has announced 3.2 billion in COVID relief for the Inland Empire. More information about those resources is available here.
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