City to receive CARES Act funding

San Marcos will receive nearly $7 million in federal funding for housing and public transportation through the CARES Act.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, chairman of the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Health subcommittee, announced that the City of San Marcos will receive $6.4 million for public transportation and $425,261 for its Community Development Block Grant program. The funding is provided through the recently-passed coronavirus relief package passed on March 27.

“While my first priority remains trying to speed up urgently-needed help for those suddenly jobless or struggling to keep a small business afloat, our new coronavirus relief legislation is also delivering resources for vital local public needs,” Doggett said. “Mayor Hughson and the council can determine how best to apply these dollars to meet our many community challenges. Essential social distancing will not slow our working together. Together we will endure this storm.”

The CARES — Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security — Act is an unprecedented stimulus bill signed on March 27 to combat the coronavirus crisis. The act provides $2 trillion in funds for Americans, $377 billion in federal loans to small businesses and established a $500 billion government lending program for struggling companies. The act also sends $100 billion to hospitals across the country battling COVID-19.

San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson said the city is excited to hear about the allocation of transit and CDBG funding.

“The efforts of our Texas Congressional delegation, particularly Congressman Doggett, to keep San Marcos at the forefront of funding opportunities is greatly appreciated and vital to our community," Hughson said”

Added City Manager Bert Lumbreras: “Staff will be working diligently to designate this funding to the appropriate service areas. Our intention is to ensure it will help residents impacted by the crisis to continue to access critical services in our community.”

The transit funding will help support capital, operating and other expenses generally eligible under programs to prevent, prepare for and respond to COVID-19 occurring on or after Jan. 20. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development hasn’t released the process for executing the funding but plans to do so soon, the city said.

The city added that the details of timing and distribution of funds is coming and will be shared when available.