Cities and counties across California could be at risk of at least $300 million after officials say the federal government has reneged on its promise to pay for COVID-19 hotel stays. , San Francisco, which is in the red, may need to come up with $190 million to cover costs.
When the pandemic began to hit California in March 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom implemented a program called Project Room Key. The program would have housed homeless people in empty hotel rooms, allowing them to practice social distancing and limit the spread of the virus in shelters and tent cities. .
At the time, FEMA officials said they would reimburse 75% of costs associated with the project, but later told California officials they would cover the full cost of the program through July 1, 2022, and then by May 2023. The company notified them that they would be responsible for 90% of the cost until April 11th. According to the San Francisco Chronicle.
California officials were blindsided in October when they received a letter from the federal agency saying there would be no refunds for hotel stays longer than 20 days between June 11, 2021, and May 11, 2023.
They are now trying to fight back, arguing that San Francisco officials might have acted differently if they had known about the 20-day stay limit earlier.
“It’s not over until FEMA sings. We’re not done yet,” San Francisco Superintendent Aaron Peskin said.
On January 31, California Department of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward sent a 95-page memo to FEMA officials asking them to reverse the decision, according to the Chronicle.
She noted that the agency had been “inconsistently” applying non-group shelter policies across the country and cited numerous statements from FEMA officials and President Biden that promised to “fully cover” eligible costs. It pointed out.
A spokesperson for the agency said it would review the request and respond “as soon as possible,” according to the Chronicle.
In a separate letter, San Francisco Secretary of State Ben Rosenfield argued that FEMA never notified the government of the 20-day hotel stay limit during the pandemic, arguing that FEMA’s actions amounted to “impermissible retroactive legislation.” .
He said Monday that the city was responding to the pandemic based on FEMA guidance at the time, and that without the funding it expected from FEMA, the city would come up with at least $114 million to cover costs. Said it was necessary.
Rosenfield said if the federal agency decides not to pay the city’s $76 million reimbursement request to vacate hotel rooms and prepare them for the homeless, the amount could be $190 million. He pointed out that there is a possibility that the number could swell.
San Francisco is expected to face a deficit of more than $1 billion over the next few years, and a sudden lack of funding would pose a “significant potential risk” to the city’s finances, city officials said.
“We intend to consider all options to contest claims that have been denied by FEMA Region 9 and appear to be eligible for reimbursement based on guidance in effect at the time,” Rosenfield said. .
But FEMA officials maintain that the guidance was in effect at the time, with Regional Administrator Robert J. Fenton writing in an October letter to California state officials that “the original We just clarified the guidelines.”
The agency said in a statement to the Post that all states have been provided with “the same guidance and policy updates throughout the pandemic.”
It added that it is still considering funding requests from states, cities and other jurisdictions across the country.
“FEMA will review all federal funding requests to ensure appropriate oversight of federal funds while maximizing reimbursement for appropriate lifesaving measures taken to protect the public from COVID-19.” “We are committed to working with each jurisdiction,” the agency said. Said.
Comes with post wire.
