Governor Ivey Awards COVID-19 Community Development Block Grants to Huntsville, Colbert County

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey has awarded a total of $2 million to assist the city of Huntsville and Colbert County in rebounding from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Huntsville was awarded $1.5 million, and Colbert County received a $500,000 grant. The awards are part of more than $40 million allocated to Alabama under a special Community Development Block Grant program funded from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Governor Ivey will announce additional grants to other Alabama cities and counties as applications are processed. The grant funds are required to be expended on projects relating to the recovery from or preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus or any future infectious diseases.

“Alabamians, especially the frontline workers, are to be commended for weathering the COVID-19 pandemic,” Governor Ivey said. “These funds will further assist the many people who were negatively impacted and are trying to rebound.”

The city of Huntsville will use funds to assist service providers in helping homeless people who are considered at high risk for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Colbert County plans to purchase, outfit and staff a mobile health clinic to provide needed services for low- and moderate-income persons throughout the county.

The funds were made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and can be used to support COVID-19 testing and vaccinations; rental, mortgage and utility assistance; assistance to food banks and pantries; job creation and business assistance and related projects to provide pandemic relief.

Alabama counties and entitlement communities receiving the CDBG-COVID funds were required to make an application with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

“These funds are being distributed at local levels because people in those locales are the most capable of evaluating their needs,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Governor Ivey in helping our communities and Alabamians recover from this ordeal.”

ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.

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