Unhoused Students And Small Businesses Receive Help From Feds And State

Nearly $100 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding for California Students Experiencing Homelessness

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that California will receive nearly $100 million to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness as part of the American Rescue Plan, which Padilla voted to pass and President Joe Biden signed into law in March.

California K-12 schools reported 194,709 students were experiencing homelessness in the 2019 – 2020 school year. However, a state audit from 2019 found that schools tend to undercount homeless students. 

The U.S. Department of Education is distributing this funding under the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) fund. California will receive $98,709,231 in total. Of this total, $24,677,307 has already been distributed to the state. Remaining funds will be allocated as soon as June 2021.

The Department of Education issued a letter to Chief State School Officers underscoring the urgent need to use this funding to identify homeless children and youth, provide wraparound services in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide assistance to enable homeless children and youth to attend school and participate fully in school activities, including in-person instruction this spring and upcoming summer learning and enrichment programs.

Governor Newsom Signs Bill Giving Small Business a $6.2 Billion Tax Cut

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom April 29, signed a bill that will give small businesses hit hardest by this pandemic a $6.2 billion tax cut over the next six years – a lifeline that will help get small businesses back on their feet and an important component of California’s economic recovery strategy.

Under the legislation, AB 80 by Assemblymember Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood), the forgiven PPP loans that businesses received from the federal government during the pandemic will not be counted as taxable income, and these businesses can also deduct the costs of expenses that those loans paid for. This is additional state tax relief for the small businesses that have been struggling most.

California small businesses are drivers of economic growth – creating two-thirds of new jobs and employing nearly half of all private sector employees. California is home to 4.1 million small businesses, representing over 99 percent of all businesses in the state and employing nearly half of the state’s total workforce.

Details: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.