The response to this program which provides eligible households with $1,400 of direct financial assistance was significant. In response to this high demand the Mayor raised the allotted budget for the program from an initial $3.5 Million to over $12 Million. That funding has now been advanced to assist over 8,679 eligible households in their economic recovery from the disproportional impacts the pandemic inflicted on them. Applicant eligibility was determined by the application stated criteria, the governing federal requirements and guidance provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the Interim and Final Rule. Applications were also reviewed for duplication of benefits, multiple household parties applying for funding, applicants that did not live in Springfield and fraudulent applications which there unfortunately were.
Applications that were deemed ineligible were based on the following reasons:
- Invalid or expired identification prior to the time the application was submitted
- Benefits letter/statement not on the approved list
- Benefits documentation does not match applicant name
- Benefits not shown as active in the document
- Proof of residency does not match applicant name
- Address outside of City of Springfield limits
Mayor Sarno states, “I want to thank PPL for their efforts in thoroughly reviewing all of the applications that were submitted and for doing a second review of those that were deemed ineligible to ensure an accurate final determination was made. I also want to thank the applicants for their patience as eligibility determination were made.”
“I am proud of the fact that my administration and Springfield has been the only city in the Commonwealth and one of the few in the nation to put forth such a comprehensive and all-encompassing initiative to get our local allotment of federal ARPA funding directly into the community through numerous programs and initiatives, including direct household’s assistance. This program mitigates to a degree, the disproportional impacts the pandemic had on those members of our community who were and continue to be economically disadvantaged. This $12 million in direct cash assistance combined with over $3 million, in assistance to Wayfinders during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to help Springfield residents stay in their homes through mortgage, rent and utility assistance, is evidence of the City’s commitment to the residents and communities that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”