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April 13th COVID-19 Update

Escambia County, City of Pensacola to Receive Federal Housing Funds

As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) passed by Congress and signed into law March 27, 2020 by President Donald J. Trump, the local community will receive a combined total of $1,325,041 in Community Development Block Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Escambia County will receive an allocation of $872,881 in funding, and the City of Pensacola will receive an allocation of $452,160. This funding distribution through HUD consists of $2 billion of an overall $5 billion allocation under the CARES Act. These funds will be used to address a wide variety of public health and public service activities to prevent, prepare for and respond to COVID-19. CDBG funds must be utilized for activities that target low and moderate-income households.

Additional information regarding HUD CARES Act funding can be found on the HUD website .

 

Stimulus Checks Set to Begin Arriving This Week

Stimulus checks for individuals and families are set to be sent starting this week.  Individuals making $75,000 or less and married couples making $150,000 or less will receive the maximum amount allowable under the CARES Act.  There is also a $500/child payment for parents.  Most will receive their payment from the IRS via direct deposit.  You can find more about the CARES Act stimulus payments here. 

 

Be Aware of Coronavirus Tax Scams

The Treasury Inspector General has established a dedicated page where people can report coronavirus related tax scams.

If you do find yourself victim to what appears to be a scam, you can report it directly to the federal government here by filling out a short online form.

The website also has helpful information for taxpayers to ensure people don’t fall victim to scams, such as:

  • The IRS will generally first contact people by mail — not by phone — about-tax related matters.
  • If the IRS does contact you by telephone, they will not insist on any pre-payment in order for you to receive economic impact payments.
  • The IRS will also never request personal or financial information by e-mail, text, letters, or any social media.