OMAHA- The board approved measures to allocate an additional $2 million in utility bill assistance, plus $2 million to aid for-profit businesses hurt by the pandemic. The money is coming from county budget reserves generated by COVID-19 relief funding.

It is not clear which businesses will quality for the $2 million. The money will be distributed "to locally owned small businesses in Douglas County in the food, beverage, entertainment and hospitality industries, that have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic," says Board Member Jim Cavanaugh. The funds will be given to the Omaha Community Foundation to distribute it.

By the end of 2020, Douglas County had only distributed $7.7 million out of its $10 million in CARES Act money allocated for rent assistance for people affected by the pandemic. The people who did not receive their grants could not meet the federal requirements for documenting their inability to pay rent because of the pandemic. The unspent money is now in the county's general fund meaning it can now be distributed without federal requirements.

Nebraska is expected to receive $200 million for rent/utility help from the recently approved legislation with $20 million going to Douglas County.

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