Shore Congressman says emergency funding is heading to 4th District

There is more than $4.5 million in emergency funding being awarded to local governments in New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District via the CARES Act which will help areas stabilize and recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, announced Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ-4th District).

Congressman Smith explains that the funding comes from the comprehensive, bipartisan $2-trillion stimulus bill he supported to help communities devastated by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law by President Donald Trump last Friday.

“These federal coronavirus grants will boost local efforts to reduce homelessness due to financial distress, limit the spread of the virus among the homeless population and allow our local governments to enhance a range of other humanitarian assistance programs that will help address coronavirus impacts at the community level,” Smith said in a statement. “Containing the virus and helping people and communities devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic is the paramount concern we face together—no matter the cost. CARES was passed in part to expedite significant federal support to our communities so they can anticipate the impacts of joblessness and assist people hit the hardest.”

Most of the funding comes in the form of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant “COVID-19 Recovery” program.

• Monmouth County (34 towns in the 4th district) will receive $1,595,421.
• Ocean County (7 towns in the 4th district) will receive $820,810.
• Lakewood Township will receive $835,784.
• Hamilton Township, Mercer County (2 towns in the 4th district) will receive $398,638.
• Middletown Township will receive $156,171.

Monmouth County will also receive $752,907 in HUD Emergency Shelter Grant funding.

The CARES Act is Phase III of the federal response, Smith said.

The congressman supported Phase I, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020, which provided $8.3 billion for treatment and prevention measures, as well as Phase II, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provided paid sick leave, family medical leave, free testing, and expanded unemployment benefits among other provisions to help working Americans.

“CARES and Families First will, in the weeks and months ahead, provide direct financial assistance to taxpayers, hospitals, guaranteed loans to employers who retain their employees, an additional $600 per week for up to four months, $25 billion for food assistance and more,” Smith said.

The Jersey Shore Congressman also said that the CARES Act is providing direct financial assistance of $1,200 for individuals making under $75,000 per year, $100 billion in grants to hospitals to address coronavirus-related financial damage, $150 billion to assist state and local governments, $600 extra per week to unemployment benefits for four months, and $16 billion to assist in the procurement of medical supplies for the Strategic National Stockpile.

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