Staff reports

Buncombe County is actively pursuing funding opportunities through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in order to meet the needs of our citizens and improve our infrastructure and enhance our overall economy. The County is seeking funding in the areas of renewable energy, affordable housing, law enforcement, transportation, libraries, parks, greenways and human service areas including Medicaid program enhancement, workforce development, community health centers and aging and child care assistance.

Renewable Energy: The County has submitted applications for Clean Water State Revolving Funds for a portion of the $14,145,813 allocated to North Carolina for green projects; and for the $624,800 allocated to Buncombe County for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds.

Affordable Housing: County staff is tracking the $19 million allocated for Community Development Block Grant funds and the $52 million of HOME funds that will be available. The County will also be seeking a portion of the $136 million funding for weatherization programs through the NC Office of Economic Opportunity.

Law Enforcement: The County is requesting funds for additional officers through the COPS program and funding assistance through the USDA Community Facilities Program for the Public Safety Training Center project.

Transportation: Mountain Mobility has received grant funding of $26,000 for a light transit vehicle; $58,000 to convert 10 fleet vehicles to run on liquid propane; $156,000 for the purchase of two light transit vehicles with fixed lift systems; $298,000 to purchase and install a fleet-wide mobile data terminal/automatic vehicle locator system; $80,000 in operating funds to continue the Black Mountain Trailblazer route; $58,667 in operating funds to establish a North Buncombe Trailblazer route.

Mountain Area Workforce Development: received a total Recovery-designated allocation of $1.4 million as follows: $450,000 for Youth Employment Programs; $700,000 for Dislocated Worker Programs; $200,000 for Adult Employment Programs

Human Services: The County will seek funding for State Child Health Insurance Program to assist children in families with gross incomes up to 200% of the poverty level; other programs to benefit from changes in Federal share are the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage; Foster Care and Adoption Assistance; Child Support Enforcement and increased benefits for Food and Nutrition Services (formerly food stamps).

Funding of $500,000 has been allocated to Buncombe County for services to support the 10 year plan to end homelessness. The County will continue tracking the $650 million in federal funds allocated for health and wellness.

The community Federal Qualified Health Clinic, Western North Carolina Community Health Center (WNCCHS) will receive significant funding (of the $2 billion allocated) which will support the developing partnership between the County and WNCCHS to expand access to health care for the under and uninsured.

 Buncombe County has a consolidated list of programs available to citizens in need at buncombecounty.org/dss as well as an ongoing list of stimulus grants received. To further assist our citizens, the NC Cooperative Extension Agency has created a new website called Back to Basics: Surviving and Thriving in Difficult Times. sites.google.com/site/survivingtrouble/Home.