Agenda - Council Work Session - 07/13/2021

Home

AS OF JUNE 24, 2021 Generally, not. Recipients must demonstrate that funding uses directly address a negative economic impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, including funds used for economic or workforce development. For example, job training for unemployed workers may be used to address negative economic impacts of the public health emergency and be eligible. 2.9. How can recipients use funds to assist the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries? Aid provided to tourism, travel, and hospitality industries should respond to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic. For example, a recipient may provide aid to support safe reopening of businesses in the tourism, travel and hospitality industries and to districts that were closed during the COVID-19 public health emergency, as well as aid a planned expansion or upgrade of tourism, travel and hospitality facilities delayed due to the pandemic. Tribal development districts are considered the commercial centers for tribal hospitality, gaming, tourism and entertainment industries. 2.10. May recipients use funds to assist impacted industries other than travel, tourism, and hospitality? Yes, provided that recipients consider the extent of the impact in such industries as compared to tourism, travel, and hospitality, the industries enumerated in the statute. For example, nationwide the leisure and hospitality industry has experienced an approximately 17 percent decline in employment and 24 percent decline in revenue, on net, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Recipients should also consider whether impacts were due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as opposed to longer -term economic or industrial trends unrelated to the pandemic. Recipients should maintain records to support their assessment of how businesses or business districts receiving assistance were affected by the negative economic impacts of the pandemic and how the aid provided responds to these impacts. 2.11. How does the Interim Final Rule help address the disparate impact of COVID-19 on certain populations and geographies? In recognition of the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 virus on health and economic outcomes in low-income and Native American communities, the Interim Final Rule identifies a broader range of services and programs that are considered to be in response to the public health emergency when provided in these communities. Specifically, Treasury will presume that certain types of services are eligible uses when provided in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT), to families living in QCTs, or when these services are provided by Tribal governments.