14 The Hampton Roads Messenger Rescue Plan


FROM PAGE 10


Act passed at the end of last year and is glad to have secured additional funding for the effort in this package. Aid for vaccine distribution and


virus tracking: The bill provides $20 billion to improve vaccine distribution, $10 billion for the Defense Production Act to procure essential


medical


equipment, and $50 billion for virus testing, genomic sequencing to detect new variants, contract tracing, and additional PPE. Funding to safely reopen schools:


In addition to state and local relief, the bill provides $125.8 billion for K-12 schools to reopen safely, including $3 billion to support students with disabilities and $800 million to support homeless children and youth. Funds could be used to purchase PPE, reduce class sizes, repair ventilation systems, hire support staff, and implement other CDC-recommended


public health


measures. School districts could also use funds to help students who have fallen behind catch up and get back on track. The bill also provides $40 billion to help institutions of higher education.


Child care: The bill invests $39 billion in child care providers through the Child Care Development Block Grant


Program. These funds can


be used by child care providers for operating expenses, PPE, personnel cost, and financial relief for struggling families to cover tuition. As of last fall, more than a third of child care providers had closed in Virginia, eliminating 168,000 slots for children. The


provisions are modeled after


Kaine’s Child Care is Essential Act. Virginia is estimated to receive $796


Volume 15 Number 6


million of these funds. State, local, and tribal aid: The


legislation will provide $350 billion in relief to state, local, and tribal governments, a top priority of Senator Kaine. It also includes more than $31 billion in targeted resources to Native American


communities, which will


benefit Virginia’s federally recognized tribes. Virginia has used past federal funding to provide hazard pay for direct care workers, support rental and mortgage relief, and expand broadband access. This new round of funding will


help Virginia help continue to take


public health measures and address the negative economic effects of COVID while also including more flexibility to


experiencing


local Virginia governments revenue shortfalls


prevent budget cuts.


Helping restaurants and other small businesses: In addition


to


providing an additional $7.25 billion to expand access to the Paycheck Protection


Program (PPP) for


nonprofits and other organizations, the bill establishes a $25 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund to provide grants for restaurants. The bill also adds $15 billion for the Targeted


Economic


Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance program to help the hardest-hit small businesses.


opportunities


Broadband: In addition to the provided


through Federal aid


to support state, local, and tribal governments, $7 billion is provided for the


Commission to operate the Emergency Connectivity


Fund.


support broadband access for students by providing


services to schools and libraries.


Communications This fund will


telecommunications


Civil rights leader Vernon Jordan BY HRM STAFF


Renowned civil rights and former presidential Photo by Warren K. Leffler, courtesy of LOC


activist advisor


Vernon Jordan tragically passed away on March 1, 2021 at the age of 85. Jordan, a graduate of Depauw


University, was a pertinent piece of the civil rights movement. His activism began as early as the 1960s when he practiced law at the office of Donald L. Howell, where his firm sued the University of Georgia demanding the admission of two African American students. Jordan, who even went so far as to escort the students to the Office of Admissions himself, passed an angry mob of white protesters. He went on to become the Georgia Field Director of the NAACP, as well as a member of the Southern Regional Council and the Voter Education Project.


In 1970, Jordan became the


executive director of the United Negro College Fund and later became the president of the Urban League, which held close political ties to prominent figures like George Bush and Bill


Losing Housing FROM PAGE 1


Recession. “We have very little time millions their


prevent losing


homes


and foreclosure,” Acting


Director Dave Uejio. to


of families from to eviction


warns CFPB “At


the CFPB, we are working hard to help homeowners and renters as the U.S. begins to turn a painful crisis, caused by the pandemic, into a robust recovery. We know small landlords are struggling, too, with many dipping into savings or using credit cards to make it through the pandemic. We want everyone—homeowners and renters, landlords, and mortgage servicers—to have the tools they need now to avoid unnecessary evictions and foreclosures.” The Federal government is going to great lengths to protect homeowners and renters. Recent actions by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal Housing Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibit lenders from foreclosing on most mortgages until June 30, 2021. After that date, families who cannot resume


making regular Residential payments


will need to make an agreement with their


protections for


lender to avoid foreclosure. eviction


renters are extended through March 31, 2021. U.S. families suffering from the economic impacts of the pandemic are at enormous risk of losing their


housing. report:


According to the CFPB


Black and Hispanic families are more than twice as likely to report being behind on housing payments than white families. While mortgage forbearance – the option to pause or reduce payments temporarily – has dropped foreclosures to historic lows, 1 million homeowners are more than 90 days behind on payments and are likely to experience severe financial hardship when payments resume. Of these families, an estimated 263,000 families are seriously behind on their mortgages and not in forbearance, putting them at higher risk of foreclosure once federal and state moratoria end. 9 percent of renters, who do not


have the same protections or options as homeowners, report


that they


are likely to be evicted. Black and Hispanic households are more likely to report being at risk. 28 percent of manufactured home


residents


reported being behind on their housing payments, compared to 12 percent of single-family home residents, and 18 percent of residents in


small-to-mid-sized


buildings. The CFPB is committed


using all of its authorities to help homeowners and renters as they face the ongoing economic impact of the pandemic.


Clinton. As the director of the UNCF, he helped raise over $10 million for African American institutions. Hampton


University President


Dr. William R. Harvey, along with the rest of the Hampton community are distraught over this loss of such an important leader. “I was saddened to learn of the death of Mr. Vernon Jordan. A civil rights figure, Vernon was a friend and advisor to me for over 50 years,” said Dr. Harvey, who knew Jordan as a friend and advisor for more than 50 years. “An iconic figure, he was a friend to Hampton and a man who worked diligently


throughout


his lifetime fighting for the rights of others. Having played significant roles in many organizations, including the NAACP, the Urban League and the UNCF, Vernon Jordan’s legacy will long be remembered.” Jordan’s reach, as far as helping the his community, stretched farther than ever imagined. The entire country is mourning the loss of an icon.


March 2021 Civil Rights Icon Vernon Jordan dies


multi-unit to


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