Johnson County has invested $4.18 million of federal Coronavirus funds into our community. In August, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners approved the allocation of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds received from the United States Department of the Treasury for several community investment programs.

This is the fourth round of proposals from the spending plan. The Board has authorized $107,223,130 of the SLFRF award of $117,009,332 to date with allocations in October 2022, February 2023 and June 2023. SLFRF dollars must be spent by Dec. 31, 2024.

In this latest round of funding, the BOCC made the following allocations for community investment:

• $2 million for Theatre in the Park American Disabilities Act improvements. Some facilities at the 53-year-old venue are at the end of their life, and this funding addresses some critical aspects in need, including ADA upgrades at the restroom facilities, concession areas and connecting paths. This funding would address 150 – 175 ADA issues.
• $512,000 for an Eviction Mediation Pilot Program and utility assistance. The funding breaks out as follows:
  • Eviction Mediation Pilot Program, $12,000 – The pilot project will run from September – November 2023 with mediators on-site for each Thursday afternoon eviction docket. Each mediator (and the program coordinator) will be paid a flat fee of $250 each Thursday afternoon. The goal is to provide mediation to at least 100 cases during this trial period.
  • Utility Assistance Program, $500,000 –The Board awarded $250,000 on Oct. 20, 2022, and those funds have nearly been depleted. This program would provide $600 to 833 households. Households may only receive the funding once in a calendar year.
• $1,153,000 for housing and workforce programs to support individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. That allocation breaks out as follows:
  • Friends of Johnson County Developmental Supports housing for adults with IDD, $698,000 to be used to complete three additional homes that will create 10 additional units of affordable and accessible housing in Johnson County.
  • JCDS Assistive Technology Lab, $50,000 – will allow individuals with IDD, their staff and family care providers to learn new skills, explore digital fabrication tools, and utilize two-dimensional and three-dimensional design to create assistive devices and tools to increase independence.
  • JCDS Teaching Kitchen, $405,000 – will provide a hands-on accessible learning experience to individuals with IDD to increase their independent living skills, improve overall health and nutrition and expand their employment skills. The existing kitchen space at the Elmore Center has been unused since the onset of COVID-19 and will be repurposed as a flexible teaching space and provide opportunities to increase individual health, skills, independence and readiness for employment.
• $15,000 for a one-time payment to the Old Settlers Association to make up for lost revenue due to the pandemic.
• $500,000 for two designated non-profit organizations for behavioral health and therapeutic substance use disorder recovery programs.

Find more information about the allocation, and view supporting documents associated with action items 10-14.