BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a spending plan for $157 million in funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
These funds are part of the over-$2 trillion U.S. CARES Act, designed to mitigate financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic across the country. The county received its funds, deposited into a Special Revenue Fund.
According to the county's Coronavirus Relief Fund Initial Utilization Plan, the county plans to spend $108 million on local government support, $35 million towards small business support, and $4 million on safety net services.
For small business support, $25 million will go towards a small business support program. The county said that program will focus on support for local small businesses impacted by the coronavirus in a manner yet to be determined. The other $10 million will go towards a small business reopening fund program focused on helping small businesses that have been forced to close by COVID-19 reopen.
The Kern County Homeless Collaborative will receive $2 million to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19 while another $2 million will go to local food banks.
