By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
City staff processed more than 2,500 applications for CARES Act utility and moorage subsidies by the deadline July 31, the finance department reports.
A few applications remain to be processed, but as of today the totals come to 1,769 applications for residential utility assistance, 246 for business utility assistance and 562 for moorage assistance, City Controller Melissa Haley said.
Although final figures are not yet known, Haley estimated the total assistance that will be provided over the next few months will be less than $3 million of the $4.5 million budgeted for both programs.
“We didn’t expect everyone to apply, and everyone didn’t apply,” Haley said.
Haley estimated the final figures will show $2.5 million will be paid out for utility assistance and less than $500,000 for moorage.
One ordinance allowed residents to apply for a $1,000 credit and businesses to apply for $3,000 credit on their utility bills. The other ordinance allowed boat owners to apply for three months’ worth of harbor moorage.
The Assembly set aside $4.5 million in CARES Act funding for the utility and moorage programs, leaving $9.5 million for other coronavirus relief programs. Budgets have been approved for those funds, and the application process for the programs opened Monday.
The Sentinel will have a story about those programs later this week.
Thor Christianson, who co-sponsored the utility and moorage ordinances with Kevin Mosher, said he was pleased that residents and businesses harmed by COVID will be getting some assistance soon.
“I think it went well,” Christianson said, of the process. “Like everything like that there were hiccups here and there but, all things considered, it went very well.”
Haley said the intent was to make the application process as simple as possible, but there were still hundreds of questions for city staff to answer. A FAQ sheet was posted on the city web site.
“As we’ve gone through we’ve had to make interpretations, we have to make sure everything is in line with Department of Treasury guidance,” Haley said. “It’s complicated to be developing these programs as the guidance comes out.”
A number of applications for utility help had to be turned down, Haley said, because of the rules allowing one subsidy per business account, and one subsidy per resident. Some residents and some businesses have more than one account.
“There are lots of businesses with multiple accounts,” Haley said.
Some applications for harbor utility accounts had to be turned down because they weren’t registered as liveaboards, which was a requirement for assistance. Haley said many still qualified for moorage help.
Some were frustrated they didn’t qualify because they didn’t become a resident until after March 15 of this year, and some didn’t qualify because they pay utilities as part of their rent.
The rules for both programs require applicants to sign a statement that they suffered, and would continue to suffer, economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christianson said he hopes the programs give a financial boost, particularly as rate payers start using more electricity heading into fall.
“I hope it helps,” he said.
Haley said she’s not surprised to see the pot of utility money wasn’t used up, since the $4.5 million was based on a “worst case scenario.”
“We’re going to have to figure out what’s left,” she said. “We still have to finish processing applications and are reaching out to some applicants who were preliminarily rejected for things that were maybe clerical in nature.”
For example, some did not check the boxes saying they were harmed due to COVID, she said.
Haley said she expects the city’s CARES Act Working Group will take up the question of the leftover funds and make a recommendation to the Assembly.
