Referred to: The American Rescue Plan Act Special Committee (Chairman Corcoran and Legislators Clinton, Levine, Lopez, and Sperry), The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Collins, Corcoran, Harmon, Kitchen, Lopez, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the ARPA Special Committee, Thomas Corcoran, Jr., Deputy Chair Megan Sperry, and Legislator Uchitelle offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Finance, Division of Recovery and Resilience; and

WHEREAS, the County through Request for Proposal number UC22-054, determined that Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) would be the contractor for $221,431 of the County’s American Rescue Plan Act, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA-SLFRF) to administer an eviction defense services program; and

WHEREAS, ARPA-SLFRF funding in the amount of $221,431.00 for the eviction defense services was approved in the 2023 operating budget and a portion of this amount was subsequently rolled into the 2024 operating budget; and

WHEREAS, LSHV entered into a contract with the County and per the agreement provided low-income tenants in Ulster County access to free legal representation when facing eviction from their homes for the term of the agreement from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024; and

WHEREAS, LSHV recently completed the contract term to provide eviction defense services for Ulster County residents and the County desires to continue the services provided by LSHV; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature passed resolution number 371 of July 16, 2024, which provided funding in the amount of $567,621.00 to continue the County’s eviction legal services program; and

WHEREAS, in addition to continuing the County’s support of eviction legalservices, the County wishes to enhance this work by providing ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA-SLFRF) to assist tenants in resolving rental payment arrears and help keep people housed; and

WHEREAS, Resolution Number 289 of August 16, 2022 established and funded Capital Project number 635 (CP #635), ‘ARPA- Aid to Parks’ in the amount of Two Million ($2,000,000.00) Dollars; and

WHEREAS, two application rounds for the Parks grant program were completed with $1,543,865 of funding awarded, and $456,135 of funding un-awarded; and

WHEREAS, the remaining, un-awarded Parks grant funding of $456,135 was reduced by $156,449 through an authorization of the Legislature in Resolution 91 of March 19, 2024; and

WHEREAS, there currently exists Two Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty-Six ($299,686.00) Dollars of remaining, unawarded funding within Capital Project No. 635; and

          WHEREAS, the County wishes to utilize One Hundred Fifty-Four Thousand, Six Hundred Eleven and 00/100 ($154,611.00) dollars of the remaining allocation for the ARPA Parks Programto fund a portion of the services that will be provided through contract and will enhance the ongoing eviction defense services that the County is separately funding; and

          WHEREAS, emergency housing assistance is an enumerated eligible use of ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (See 31 CFR Part 35, Federal Register, Vol. 87, No. 18, Thursday, January 27, 2022, Rules and Regulations, Page 4360); now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the 2024-2029 Ulster County Capital Fund is hereby amended as follows:

                                                  DECREASE                              AMOUNT

HH. 7197.0635.4300.4505           Fees for Professional Services          $154,611.00

(App. #)                                     

HH.7197.0635.3400.4995            Federal Aid ARPA                      $154,611.00 

(Rev. #),

and, be it further

RESOLVED, the 2024 Ulster County Operating Budget is hereby amended as follows:

INCREASE                               AMOUNT

AA.6010.2617-4300.4430            Professional Services - Legal          $154,611.00

(App. #)                                     

AA.6010.2617-3400.4795            Federal Aid ARPA                      $154,611.00   

(Rev. #),

DECREASE                              AMOUNT

AA.6010.2617-4300.4430            Professional Services - Legal          $285,384.00

(App. #)

AA.9900.9900-3700.9990          Appropriated Fund Balance          $285,384.00  

(Rev.#),

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                    NOES:    

Passed Committee: American Rescue Plan Act on _____________.

Passed Committee: Health, Human Services and Housing on _____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$130,773.00 – 2024 DECREASE TOCOUNTY APPROPRIATIONS

$154,611.00 – 2024 INCREASE TOFEDERAL REVENUE DOLLARS

$285,384.00 – 2024 REDUCTION TO APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE