DENVER – FEMA has approved an additional $4.9 million to the State of Utah in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued April 4, 2020. FEMA has now provided more than $319 million for the Utah COVID-19 response.
The FEMA grant reimburses Salt Lake County for the cost of providing non-congregate sheltering to individuals under quarantine or isolation recommendations, high risk individuals and vulnerable populations without residence, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Sheltering costs included facility lease and utilities and equipment to provide non-congregate medical sheltering at the Fourth Street Clinic and area hotels. The FEMA funds also covered the cost of medical staff and supplies to support the shelters and related feeding operations.
The grant covers Salt Lake County’s COVID-19 sheltering costs incurred between May 17, 2020, and December 31, 2021. All sheltering was conducted in accordance with guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC.
FEMA has simplified the Public Assistance application and funding process to address the magnitude of this event and to allow state and local governments to receive eligible funding more quickly. These reimbursements play a critical role as state, tribal and local officials work to assist their communities during this response.
To fully support this essential work, the President authorized provision of FEMA Public Assistance at 100 percent federal funding through July 1, 2022. Beginning July 2, 2022, the federal cost share for COVID-19 projects is 90 percent of the eligible cost.
Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program can be found at www.fema.gov/assistance/public.