COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The town is engaged on a plan for the place it will like cash from the CARES Act for use.

Housing Packages Supervisor for the Metropolis of Columbia, Randy Cole, mentioned the cash should be used for issues instantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We now have been awarded as a neighborhood our neighborhood improvement block grant CARES Act funding, however we’ve got to provide you with plans for the way we put it to use.” Cole mentioned.

Cole mentioned the housing applications division is hoping to convey a plan to current to metropolis council on the July 6 assembly.

The Housing Packages Division is at the moment three completely different areas the place the cash can be utilized: hire, mortgage and utility help, help for small companies and different public companies that may assist with weak populations.

In April, the Microenterprise Restoration Mortgage Program in Columbia opened at eight a.m. and closed shortly earlier than midday when the town obtained as many functions as they’d funding for. The appliance course of for the mortgage was first come, first serve.

Metropolis leaders have voiced assist for utilizing cash from the CARES Act for the same objective.

Neighborhood improvement has provide you with a factors system to make use of if cash is accepted to assist small companies impacted by COVID-19.

The system is damaged down within the following means:

• 1 level for companies with 100% possession residing inside Columbia
• 1 level for companies with no less than 51% minority possession (MBE)
• 1 level for companies with no less than 51% feminine possession (WBE)
• 1 level for companies unable to entry PPP, or SBA applications
• 1 level for enterprise investing no less than 20% of help in adapting to on-going social distancing necessities and enterprise resiliency (higher on-line presence, adapting area for social distancing and security, buy of non-public protecting gear)

Staff with the neighborhood improvement division have been working with neighborhood companions the NAACP, Males’s Minority Community, Downtown CID, Jim Whitt and different native companions to speak to companies who may apply.

Nickie Davis with the Downtown Neighborhood Enchancment District mentioned she wished to assist be sure that, if the cash is accepted for small companies, it’s distributed correctly.

“Our companies within the District have us to advocate for them and make it possible for they know that that is developing, and easy methods to apply, and when to use, however there’s loads of companies that aren’t contained in the District that do not have individuals there to advocate for them,” Davis mentioned.

She mentioned the brand new guideline would function a very good first step to make sure everybody has an opportunity to use and never solely those that are a part of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce or the Downtown Neighborhood Enchancment District.

She mentioned the companies who fall beneath the classes within the tips could need assistance greater than different small companies.

“They’re sometimes those that wrestle a bit bit extra with funding, with being a startup, and we wish to make it possible for we’re elevating up everybody in our neighborhood in an equal means,: Davis mentioned.

Davis, together with Cole and different neighborhood companions, can be splitting up the town’s minority and women owned business directory to name each no less than two weeks earlier than a program opens if the cash is accepted.

Davis mentioned this sort of funding for small companies continues to be as vital as when the coronavirus pandemic started as a result of funding is starting to expire.

“Lease is coming again due, again funds of issues that have been postpone at the start are actually coming due, and this cash that began from the start is beginning to run out already,” she mentioned.