U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) has announced that Nassau County will receive $385 million and the Village of Hempstead will receive $16.79 million in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The relief funding was authorized in H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, which Rice voted in support of when it passed the House of Representatives on March 10. President Biden signed the bill into law on March 11.
Additionally, New York State will be receiving $12.7 billion in direct assistance to the state government and $774.2 million for non-entitlement units. Other towns and villages within Nassau County are expected to receive recovery funds from the non-entitlement unit tranche.
“New York’s local governments have faced unprecedented fiscal challenges and budget shortfalls over this past year,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice. “Securing the financial relief they need has been one of my top priorities in Congress since the onset of the pandemic, and I’m thrilled this new influx of federal funding is on the way to support Nassau County, the Village of Hempstead and our other local governments. This funding will allow our communities to protect their residents, support their workers, and cover revenue shortages that have resulted from the public health emergency.”
“Thank you to Congresswoman Rice for fighting in the House to secure this vital funding – necessary for our County’s comeback,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. “Nassau County urgently needs this relief to help our residents and business community recover from the pandemic, along with ensuring our health officials and first-responders have the necessary resources to fight this pandemic to the end.”
“I am thrilled that the Incorporated Village of Hempstead will be the recipient of $16.79 million from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan,” said Village of Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr. “Over the past year, our nation has felt the terrible grip of COVID-19 and the effect it has on the American people. The funding we will receive will assist in budget gaps and go a long way for fortifying our response to COVID-19. We will further address the needs of first responders who have been a major asset in these difficult times. We want to assure that our first responders are equipped to continue to give lifesaving assistance to our residents.”
“One cannot underestimate the importance of a good quality of life,” continued Mayor Hobbs. “We must address the Village of Hempstead issues of Infrastructure. In this new age of COVID-19, we have learned how vitally important communication and internet access is. With this new funding, we will look to expand broadband throughout the village for all our residents. I want to thank our Congresswoman Kathleen Rice for her dedication and commitment to the Village of Hempstead. I along with all of our residents applaud your work and thank you for your tremendous service.”
Nationwide, $350 billion in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds are being distributed by the U.S. Treasury Department for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to respond to the COVID-19 emergency as authorized in the American Rescue Plan Act. This funding can be used to respond to pandemic-response needs, fill revenue shortfalls among state and local governments, and support the communities hardest-hit by COVID-19.
Further information on these funding totals and specific guidance on funding usage can be found here.