LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- About 6,000 Jefferson County households could get up to three months of rent payments, and 400 small businesses could get grants of up $50,000 under Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s proposal to spend $42.4 million Metro government received from the federal coronavirus relief bill known as the CARES Act.
Under the plan, the CARES Act money would be split evenly between rental assistance for struggling residential tenants and small business grants.
The rental assistance would benefit at least 6,075 households for three months and possibly more families for longer periods depending on fund availability. Kentucky has halted eviction court filings until July 1, though tenants still owe rent accrued during the pandemic.
Individuals or families earning 60% of the area median income or less — or no more than $45,840 annually for a family of four — would be eligible. Tenants would apply, and landlords of federally subsidized units like Section 8 vouchers could apply on behalf of their tenants.
For small businesses, Fischer proposes a grant program that could help as many as 400. Businesses served would be in “retail, food service, arts and entertainment, recreation and childcare” with 20 full-time employees or fewer that were negatively impacted by COVID-19.
“Non-retail businesses with up to 50 full-time employees that have remained closed or have been severely impacted by state COVID-19 guidelines may also be eligible,” according to a press release from Fischer’s office.
Businesses could use the money for expenses including payroll, utilities, mortgage payments/rent, interest on debt, insurance and “the integration of a new web-based platform for online sales.”
Fischer’s office is seeking the support of the Metro Council on the plan for the funding, which is part of Metro government’s $134 million in CARES Act money.
