AUSTIN (KXAN) — The city of Austin has received more than $70 million in grant funding for aviation, environmental and emergency response, but the permanent federal government shutdown leaves more funding up in the air, according to a city memo.
What’s waiting?
Several offices within the U.S. Department of Justice have seen staff furloughed, meaning submitted grant applications are still awaiting approval, the Austin Government Relations Grants Division (AGRGD) said in a memo on Saturday.
This includes grants from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the Office of Justice Programs, and the Office of Violence Against Women, the memo said.
Grants from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are also affected.
AGRGD reported that DSHS would “reassess the situation” if the shutdown extended into last Friday, while the Austin Housing Department does not expect HUD to provide any grants during the government shutdown, according to the memo.
What was given?
Grant funding has been awarded to the following city departments for the period Sept. 1 to Oct. 20, according to AGRGD:
- Austin Air: Received $58.6 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to support continued expansions at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Austin Emergency Management: It was awarded $11.9 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding will be directed towards supporting emergency management teams in the city and surrounding areas
- Austin Police Department: He received $375,000 from the US Department of Justice. Funding will support mental health and wellness for law enforcement agencies ($200,000) and the youth-led employment model ($175,000)
- Resource Recovery in Austin: He received $500,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct brownfield assessments. Brownfields are properties that are either vacant or have environmental concerns due to previous use, according to Austin Brownfields Revitalization Office
The city has more grant applications still in progress. This includes more funding for Austin Police as well as grants for Austin Public Health, Austin Transportation and Public Works and Austin Forensic Sciences, according to the memo.