UPDATED: Lorain County to receive $11.25 million in pandemic rental, utility assistance

This story has been updated. ELYRIA — Lorain County received nearly $9.25 million through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program to help those unable to pay rent and utilities during the pandemic, with more to follow, county commissioners announced Wednesday. An additional $2 million in funding is expected from the state of Ohio, raising the total allotment to $11.25 million for those in need. The county received a direct payment of $9,248,858 through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 "to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic," according to the commission's agenda. At least 90 percent of the funds must be used for direct financial assistance including rent, unpaid rent, utilities and home energy costs and unpaid utilities and home energy costs. Commissioner Matt Lundy said the county had only two or three days to apply for the funding after the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and the National Council of County Governments notified officials the money was available. Counties with populations over 200,000 were eligible to apply, and Lundy credited Assistant County Administrator Rob Weber and other county employees with pulling together the application on short notice. "It was amazing how easy it was," Lundy said, with no local matching money required. The check already has arrived, commissioners said. "This is good news because these dollars are badly needed." The $2 million from the state will be disbursed through the Community Action Agency. "This is a fantastic opportunity for people who are suffering," Commissioner David Moore said. "Again this is very positive news." Commissioners said Lorain County Job & Family Services would be working to disburse the assistance funds to residents, and that they would invite Director Tim Carrion to their meeting next week to explain who qualifies. Tenants and landlords may apply, and steps are in place to make sure that when rent is brought current, landlords won't just turn around and evict tenants. Renters and landlords may receive close to a year's worth of assistance, Lundy said. Commissioner Michelle Hung said Jan. 29 that the tentative rollout date for the ERA program is Feb. 8. Households are eligible if they rent and have one or more members who qualify for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, has incurred significant costs or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19; demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median household income. For more information, residents may send an email to RentalAssistance@JFS.Ohio.Gov or call (440) 284-4423. Calls will be returned starting Feb. 8. Updates will be posted at www.LCJFS.com and on the JFS Facebook page. Construction projects With orange barrel season approaching, commissioners also approved contracts for several upcoming construction projects in the county. Commissioners approved a contract with Fabrizi Trucking & Paving of Middleburg Heights worth $2.47 million for the North Ridge Road resurfacing and waterline replacement project in Sheffield and Elyria townships, the best of six bids received. The project is for the planning and resurfacing of North Ridge Road from Lorain city limits two-tenths of a mile east of Broadway to state Route 57. The work also will include abandoning an existing 10-inch water main and replacing it with a 12-inch main from Elyria Avenue to Route 57, according to commissioners. The work will begin on or before March 1 and must be completed by Nov. 30. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency will fund 80 percent of the roadway improvement work, with the remaining 20 percent of the road improvements to be paid for by the Ohio Public Works Commission. An additional $1.3 million in waterline improvements will be paid by the county. Commissioners chose Ronyak Paving Inc. of Burton for a $992,350 contract for the Columbia West River Road resurfacing project in Columbia Township, the best of five bids. The project includes widening paved shoulders, flattening a vertical curve south of Folley Road and resurfacing Columbia West River Road from state Route 82 to Osborne Road in Columbia Township. Work will begin on or before April 5 and be completed by Nov. 31. ODOT Safety Funds will pay 90 percent of the costs and the remaining 10 percent, or $99,235, will be paid by the Lorain County Engineer's Office. Commissioners also chose K.E. McCartney & Associates out of nine firms to provide construction administration and inspection services at a cost of $117,200, with 90 percent of that paid by ODOT and a 10 percent local match. They also signed a contract with the Ohio-based firm H.R. Gray for construction administration and inspection services for a bridge in Penfield Township worth $48,796. Of that, 95 percent will be paid by the Ohio Department of Transportation and the remaining 5 percent by the Lorain County Engineer's Office. Commissioners also entered into a professional surveying services agreement with Rafter A. Ltd., a land survey and engineering firm located in Elyria, worth $40,000 to assist with professional surveying services associated with road, bridge and ditch projects. In other business Commissioners entered into a contract worth $28,420 with Resource Solutions Associates LLC of Norwalk to review and revise the county's Hazard Mitigation Plan using money received in a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In scheduling business, commissioners decided to continue to have their weekly meetings at 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday through March. They previously decided to move to an evening meeting schedule starting in February, but on Wednesday decided to continue to hold their weekly meetings at the usual 9:30 a.m. time through at least March. Moore said he was hoping the commissioners could reopen their meetings to the public by March or April.Also, after voting Jan. 16 to dispense with the "Commissioners Reports" section of their weekly agenda, all three commissioners gave reports on Wednesday. Lundy said Wednesday there had been confusion over the issue, which has since been corrected: The reports section had been removed from the agenda only for the Jan. 16 meeting, and the change wasn't intended to be permanent. Moore and Commissioner Michelle Hung had voted at that meeting to dispense with the reports section, saying the reports were too political in nature as they were used in the past. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him at @daveobrienCT on Twitter.