County of Orange, California

American Rescue Plan Act

Recovery Plan

State and Local Fiscal Recovery 

Funds

2021 Report

American Rescue Plan Act 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report

County of Orange, California 1

County of Orange, California

2021 Recovery Plan

Table of Contents

General Overview.......................................................................................................... 2

Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... 2

Uses of Funds.............................................................................................................. 3

Promoting Equitable Outcomes ................................................................................... 5

Community Engagement.............................................................................................. 9

Labor Practices .......................................................................................................... 11

Use of Evidence......................................................................................................... 11

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category ............................................................. 11

Project Inventory......................................................................................................... 14

Meal Gap Programming ............................................................................................ 14

Economic Support to Arts-Related and Non-Profits ................................................... 14

Ineligible Activities: Tax Offset Provision ................................................................ 16
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County of Orange, California 2

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Executive Summary 

The County of Orange (County) is dedicated to long-term strategic financial planning to 

ensure its ability to respond to economic changes and unanticipated events in a way that 

allows the County to preserve the range and quality of services provided to the 

community. 

The County was allocated approximately $617 million in Coronavirus State and Local 

Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF). The funds will be distributed in two equal tranches, the 

first tranche of $308.4 million was received on May 21, 2021. The second tranche of 

$308.4 million is anticipated to be received no sooner than 12 months from the first 

payment, or no earlier than May 21, 2022. 

The primary focus of the County is to strategically allocate the use of the SLFRF funds 

and to reflect on the need for prudent and sustainable planning in the use of these funds, 

while promoting a response to the pandemic and economic recovery. With the 2021 

Strategic Financial Plan (SFP), the County plans to identify its intended use of the SLFRF. 

The SFP is a financial component of the County’s five-year strategic planning process

that provides short and long-term operational linkage between the planning process and 

the annual budget process. The County uses the SFP to forecast and assess future 

financial conditions and to identify areas that may require special consideration or action 

over the next five years, such as the County’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The SFP accomplishes this by facilitating an intensive review of operational and SLFRF 

financial resources designed to recognize and target areas requiring short- and long-term 

attention in the County’s recovery plans. The SFP is a tool that the Orange County Board 

of Supervisors, County departments, and the County Executive Office use to make 

strategic decisions regarding SLFRF resource allocations with a focus on the optimal use 

of those resources consistent with the County’s overall mission and goals that support 

the County’s recovery from COVID-19 pandemic.

In its recovery plans, the County is committed to continue promoting the safety, welfare, 

and health of all constituents, including its employees and families. The County plans to 

recover its revenue losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to stabilize the 

County’s budget and continue providing high quality services, continue sustaining 

countywide operations and initiatives, strengthening support for vital public services, 

restoring staff resources impacted by the pandemic, and addressing public health and 

other economic challenges. 

Furthermore, the County recognizes the need for continued vaccination efforts, continued 

community testing and contact tracing and most importantly pandemic preparedness to 
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County of Orange, California 3

combat future public health emergencies. As such, the County is exploring options for 

using the SLFRF funds for public health facility expansion costs.

Other projects currently being explored for individuals involved in the criminal justice

system will target those that are recently released from jail or a juvenile correctional 

facility, are unemployed, and have limited means of support. The focus will be to continue 

to stabilize the health and mental health of the individuals to be able to reintegrate into 

the community and obtain self-sufficiency and not further impact the County’s systems of 

care.

As of July 31, 2021, approximately $13 million in SLFRF funds were spent on County 

departments’ general COVID-19 public health response. In addition, the Orange County 

Board of Supervisors approved two projects to address negative economic impacts in the 

community; however, these projects are still in the planning and inception phase:

1. Meal Gap Programming Project: Provides meal programs for seniors, persons with 

disabilities and other individuals experiencing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 

pandemic.

2. Economic Support to Arts-Related Small Business and Non-profits Project: Allocates

grants designed to foster economic recovery.

Planned allocation of SLFRF funds will be revisited with each SFP and funds reallocated 

as priorities change.

Uses of Funds

Under the Revenue Replacement category, for the provision of Government Services, 

County departments’ immediate and future general COVID-19 public health response 

includes, but is not limited to, expenditures such as payroll costs for staff supporting the 

County’s COVID-19 public health response; testing and tracing; personal protective 

equipment (PPE); sanitation supplies; disinfection and sanitation of public areas and 

offices; maintaining and improving telework capabilities for employees; and public 

employees paid sick and paid family and medical leave to enable compliance with 

COVID-19 public health precautions; public health facility costs; extension of the nutrition 

gap program; and providing administrative support for the Affordable Housing, HomeKey 

and Emergency Housing Voucher programs. 

In addition, the County is committed to making further investments in health and mental 

health services for individuals in-custody or reintegrating into the community. It is 

estimated that approximately 1 in 3 individuals have some form of a mental illness. During 

COVID-19, with the public health restrictions in place, linking individuals to post-custody 

services became a challenge due to the reduced capacity limits or availability of services. 

Projects are being explored that would allow for individuals released from jail to have 
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County of Orange, California 4

assistance reintegrating into the community with a focus on addressing underlying health 

and mental health issues and a residential component to allow for self-isolation, if needed. 

Similar projects are also being explored to address the transitional aged youth (TAY) 

population released from juvenile correctional facilities. 

Other federal recovery funds received by the County are for the Emergency Rental 

Assistance (ERA) and the Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) programs. These funds 

are especially important for post-pandemic recovery and the County is focused on quickly 

reviewing ERA program applications to confirm eligibility and provide households with 

financial assistance to ensure housing stability amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and 

support adherence to public health guidance. For households that experienced a financial 

hardship related to COVID-19, the ERA program provides financial assistance for rental 

arrears and/or overdue utility bills to promote economic recovery and household stability. 

Additionally, the ERA program provides financial assistance for small landlords and 

independent property owners who have not received their monthly rental payments as 

tenants have experienced financial hardships due to COVID-19.

The County’s ERA program supports households that have an Orange County Area 

Median Income (AMI)1 of 50% or less and/or households that have one or more 

individuals within the household that are unemployed as of the date of the application for 

assistance and have not been employed for the 90-day period proceeding such date. The

County’s ERA program was designed to assist communities disproportionately impacted 

by COVID-19. This has resulted in approximately 90% of ERA financial assistance being 

provided to households that have an AMI of 50% or less.

1 The chart below details the Orange County Area Median Income (AMI). Very Low Income: an AMI of 50% or less 

In addition, the issuance of EHV will support 557 households in securing long-term stable 

housing that would provide shelter and space to better follow the public health guidance 

related to COVID-19. The EHV funding and related supportive services will expedite the 

housing search process, which will assist households in transitioning from the streets, 

congregate shelter or overcrowded housing situations, thus reducing the risk of exposure 

to COVID-19. The EHV will provide a rental subsidy for households unable to afford 

market rate housing and will ensure that their income can be utilized for other essential 

needs. The EHV will alleviate financial hardship for many households that are 

experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. These EHV will also provide 

landlords and property owners a steady revenue for rental units that they may not receive 

otherwise. 
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Overall, the EHV program provides an opportunity for housing stability through the 

provision of financial assistance. Individuals and families that are experiencing 

homelessness or at risk of homelessness have been the most challenged in following and 

adhering to COVID-19 public health guidance. The lack of housing and the housing 

instability has limited these households’ ability to follow safer at home guidelines, practice 

recommended precautions, quarantine and/or isolate as appropriate when sick or 

symptomatic with COVID-19. The EHV and related supportive services will better equip

these individuals and families with following COVID-19 guidance and adopt other health 

and wellness practices to improve their overall wellbeing. 

Promoting Equitable Outcomes

The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) collaborated with Advance OC, a 

nonprofit organization dedicated to using innovation and strategic philanthropy to address 

inequities in Orange County communities, to develop the Orange County Equity Map 

(OCEM) using Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. The 

map provides detailed insight into which Orange County neighborhoods and communities 

are experiencing health and wellness disparity. The map comprises composite scores for 

each neighborhood called the Social Progress Index (SPI), a worldwide metric which 

captures population outcome data in three broad dimensions: Basic Human Needs, 

Foundations of Well-being, and Opportunity. The index relies on over 50 social indicators 

that reflect a wide range of environment variables contributing to a neighborhood’s social 

progress, such as supermarket access, broadband internet subscribers, eviction rates, 

diabetes prevalence and voter turnout. 

The OCEM platform can be used by anyone in Orange County at no cost to measure, 

track and map inequities in the community with neighborhood precision, including 

identifying the root causes of inequities, understanding socioeconomic determinants, and 

informing strategies to advance the health and wellbeing of county residents. 

To test and explore this new analytic capability, HCA has been utilizing the OCEM 

platform to inform its COVID-19 responses, including testing, vaccine allocation and 

distribution, and other mitigation strategies. HCA has thus been able to identify 

disproportionately impacted communities at the zip code and census tract level and, in 

turn, promote COVID-19 responses at the neighborhood level, as can be seen in the 

mobile vaccination clinics and targeted outreach efforts throughout the county. With use 

of the map, the County can enhance understanding of an individual and the community 

so that it can serve both, and research a patient’s neighborhood to have better knowledge 

of challenges in that community. 

The OCEM platform will also provide a roadmap for private and public partnerships to 

fund initiatives that seek collaborative approaches to addressing complex social 
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County of Orange, California 6

Cases = Orange Circles

Deaths = Black Dots

SPI-Informed Equity Map Equity Map with COVID Cases SPI-Informed Equity Map

circumstances at the root of inequities in health and wellbeing. It is a tool that brings HCA

one step closer to achieving its mission: in partnership with the community, deliver 

sustainable and responsive services that promote population health and equity.

1 The Social Progress Index (SPI) is an innovative way to define the success of our community. This SPI measures the health and 

wellness of our community using 50+ social indicators across 12 different components. Some of the components the County is 

measuring are elements that have not been traditionally captured. For example, Health Care Agency is cataloging environmental data, 

public safety data, measures of inclusiveness, among others. https://www.advanceoc.com/making-change#social-index

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed communities in Orange County who are more

vulnerable to infection, hospitalization, and mortality due to pre-existing disparities. These 

circumstances have compounded during the pandemic among racial and ethnic minority 

groups as well as other underserved populations. To address these disparities and 

achieve an equitable community response to COVID-19, HCA has been using and will 

continue to use several approaches to ensure equity in communities experiencing the 

greatest COVID-19 impacts: 

• Data to support distribution and allocation of COVID-19 responses and resources.

• Access to COVID-19 support services.

• Community outreach and communication and partnering with community-based 

organizations.

• Strengthen the County’s foundation for reducing disparities and building equity. 

The County, in partnership with several mutual aid agencies, launched Operation 

Independence. This partnership fostered the establishment of large regional vaccination 

point-of-dispensing sites (PODs) to efficiently administer vaccines and reach the County’s 

most vulnerable populations. On July 6, 2021, the County achieved a major milestone 

with 70% of residents 18 and older having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 

vaccine. Additionally, HCA continues to deploy mobile vaccination clinics with regional 

public and private partnerships to expand access across the County.

Vaccination efforts remain ongoing as of July 31, 2021. Approximately 73% of the eligible 

population of Orange County has been fully vaccinated, with over 2 million residents 

having received at least one dose of the vaccine. Although vaccination activities at Super 

POD sites were concluded in June, county-wide vaccination activities continue to occur 
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at mobile clinics, small travel teams for homebound individuals, and pop-up clinics to 

strategically reach equity identified areas and vulnerable populations. Multiple locations 

are staffed and advertised daily. Priority is given to locations that are in: four identified 

equity zip codes, areas with high test COVID-19 positivity rate, areas with low vaccination 

rates, as well as employer sites requesting access for their employees. 

The County recently added a tool to the program, which now includes free ride requests 

for bringing patients to locations where they can be vaccinated. Scheduling and 

dispatching of rides are accomplished through a website tool and is also available through 

a widely published County call center number. 

The County has a robust outreach and engagement program, including marketing and 

communication, to ensure all residents have access to vaccinations. The outreach is 

executed through collaboration with multiple community-based organizations (CBOs) 

focused on equity strategies. The County continuously coordinates these efforts with 

CBOs representative and aligned with the mission of serving specific demographics. 

Finally, the County has contracted with third party providers to administer vaccines at 

various pop-up and mobile clinics overseen and arranged by the County. The County will 

serve as the Payor of Last Resort and expenses are supported with various funding 

sources.

Vaccine Dashboard (arcgis.com)

https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccination-progress-data/
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The ERA program is currently focused on reaching universal levels of services and 

ensuring tenants with rental arrears and/or overdue utility bills are provided financial 

assistance to support economic recovery and housing stability.

The County’s EHV program intends to serve individuals and families experiencing 

homelessness who are prioritized through the Coordinated Entry System (CES). The CES 

prioritization schema includes length of homelessness, vulnerability, and service needs. 

Through the CES, the County is working with access points and homeless service 

providers to identify eligible households who have not been provided a housing resource 

that meets their needs. Additionally, the CES serves a number of subpopulations to 

ensure equitable access, including individuals, families, veterans, transitional aged youth, 

survivors of domestic violence, reentry subpopulation, and also those who are currently 

in homeless service programs and would benefit from EHVs.

The Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) has worked to issue a notice to all 

households on the current housing choice voucher waiting list to provide awareness on
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the EHV program and include information on access, if eligible. To support outreach 

efforts, the County worked with 2-1-1 Orange County to ensure the latest information is 

shared with households seeking housing resources and/or are unstably housed and 

would benefit from the program. Additionally, the County, acting as the Collaborative 

Applicant for the Orange County Continuum of Care, has been including regular updates 

and information regarding the EHV program and related available supportive services. 

Information has been provided through written communication via listservs, an application 

that distributes messages to subscribers on an electronic mailing list, as well as 

presentations at regularly scheduled meetings and subsequent information sessions.

The OCHA has implemented all appropriate waivers and flexibilities related to the EHVs

to ensure that administrative requirements do not impact access across groups. At this 

time, there is not enough available data or information to determine if there are differences 

in levels of access.

Furthermore, California’s Governor released the Master Plan for Aging (MPA), which 

includes five goals to prepare California for a projected increase in the number of 

residents aged 60 years and older. An intergovernmental team consisting of Orange 

County Community Resources, Social Services Agency, HCA, and County Executive 

Office are engaging in a joint effort to improve the quality-of-service delivery to this 

population. This effort will begin with an engagement strategy focused on hearing from 

the County’s aging population regarding services most important to them, and the best 

form of access. The MPA, coupled with the overwhelming impact of the pandemic on this 

vulnerable population, creates a unique opportunity to design an equitable and inclusive 

countywide plan informed by county residents. In addition, goals of the MPA were 

designed to be responsive to shifting social and economic realities including developing 

strategies that are responsive to underserved demographics and disproportionate 

impacts that many have experienced.

Community Engagement 

Toward the end of August/beginning of September, the County will issue a press release 

announcing the method for public input regarding the use of SLFRF funds. The press 

release will provide the public with information on the website for submitting feedback to 

the County and will announce the date of a public workshop for members of the 

community to be educated on the County’s SFP process and to ask questions and provide 

feedback on use of the ARPA funds. In addition, the public has the opportunity of 

providing input during the public comments segment of the Board of Supervisors 

meetings that occur every other week. 

The County recognizes that groups in which English is not the primary language often are 

underserved and not adequately outreached to receive the available resources. As such, 

the County worked with its Director of Population Health and Equity and CBOs, including 
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County of Orange, California 10

those in underserved communities and those that provide specialized services in various 

languages, for various outreach efforts. 

In collaboration with CBOs, the County conducted targeted outreach in underserved 

communities and provided ERA communication and materials in all threshold languages 

(English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Farsi, Korean and simplified Chinese). Furthermore, the 

County partnered with 2-1-1 Orange County to operate an information and referral line to 

support interested applicants in completing the ERA application in the language of their 

choice over the phone and/or through an online portal. 

Additionally, the County issued a press release and participated in several interviews to 

provide information on the ERA program. ERA program materials are distributed widely 

through various listservs, including all city managers in Orange County, California. The 

County also worked with CBOs to provide ERA program information to renter households 

and landlords. 2-1-1 Orange County provided ERA program information to organizations 

listed within its helpline database as part of the outreach effort. 

The ERA program was designed in partnership with three-contracted providers who are 

leaders in the provision of homelessness prevention services. The County developed a

simple ERA application, collecting only needed information to pre-screen and allow for 

quick follow-up with the applicant, when needed. Providers worked with the applicant over 

email, telephone or in-person appointments which were conducted in the applicant’s 

preferred language to further review eligibility requirements and related documentation. 

The County aimed to collect only the minimum documentation requirements that would 

support proper fiscal management practices and confirm there was no duplication of 

assistance.

The EHV program was designed in coordination and collaboration with the Orange 

County Continuum of Care, its boards and interested stakeholders. The EHV program 

receives referrals of eligible individuals and families from CES. The CES is comprised of 

approximately 40 access points and homeless service provides that regularly engage and 

serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness or those at-risk of 

homelessness. The County, including the OCHA, held numerous information sessions 

and public meetings regarding the EHV program implementation providing an opportunity 

for questions and feedback around the intended program. The County has worked with 

2-1-1 Orange County to ensure they have up to date information that can be shared with 

households seeking housing resources and/or are unstably housed and would benefit 

from the EHV program.
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County of Orange, California 11

Labor Practices 

This section is not applicable for the County; however, the County complies with all 

Federal and State wage requirements and is committed to equal employment opportunity 

in the workplace.

Use of Evidence 

As of July 31, 2021, there are no SLFRF funds being used for evidence-based 

interventions; however, the County consistently measures outcomes for programs and 

services. Per a Board Directive issued on May 23, 2017, performance metrics are 

required in all Agenda Staff Reports pertaining to service contracts. Beginning with the 

July 11, 2017 Board date, all service contract renewals will include performance metrics. 

As such, for new service contracts, if there are performance requirements tied to the 

funding source (i.e., federal or state grants), performance will be measured according to 

those metrics.

Furthermore, the County is currently working to evaluate available ERA and EHV data to 

determine if there are differences in levels of access to benefits and services across 

groups. The County designed the ERA and EHV programs to be as accessible as possible 

and limited the administrative requirements. 

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination

1.2 COVID-19 Testing

1.3 COVID-19 Contact Tracing

1.4 Prevention in Congregate Settings (Nursing 

Homes, Prisons/Jails, Dense Work Sites, 

Schools, etc.)

1.5 Personal Protective Equipment

1.6 Medical Expenses (including Alternative Care 

Facilities)

1.7 Capital Investments or Physical Plant Changes 

to Public Facilities that respond to the COVID-19 

public health emergency
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Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses 

(including Communications, Enforcement, 

Isolation/Quarantine)

1.9 Payroll Costs for Public Health, Safety, and 

Other Public Sector Staff Responding to COVID19

1.10 Mental Health Services

1.11 Substance Use Services

1.12 Other Public Health Services

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic 

Impacts

2.1 Household Assistance: Food Programs 247,573 247,573

2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and 

Utility Aid 

2.3 Household Assistance: Cash Transfers 

2.4 Household Assistance: Internet Access 

Programs

2.5 Household Assistance: Eviction Prevention

2.6 Unemployment Benefits or Cash Assistance to 

Unemployed Workers

2.7 Job Training Assistance (e.g., Sectoral jobtraining, Subsidized Employment, Employment 

Supports or Incentives)

2.8 Contributions to UI Trust Funds*

2.9 Small Business Economic Assistance (General) 0 0

2.10 Aid to nonprofit organizations

2.11 Aid to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality

2.12 Aid to Other Impacted Industries

2.13 Other Economic Support 

2.14 Rehiring Public Sector Staff

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

3.1 Education Assistance: Early Learning 

3.2 Education Assistance: Aid to High-Poverty 

Districts

3.3 Education Assistance: Academic Services 

3.4 Education Assistance: Social, Emotional, and 

Mental Health Services 

3.5 Education Assistance: Other 

3.6 Healthy Childhood Environments: Child Care 

3.7 Healthy Childhood Environments: Home Visiting 
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Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

3.8 Healthy Childhood Environments: Services to 

Foster Youth or Families Involved in Child 

Welfare System 

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 

3.10 Housing Support: Affordable Housing 

3.11 Housing Support: Services for Unhoused 

persons 

3.12 Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance 

3.13 Social Determinants of Health: Other 

3.14 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Health Workers or Benefits Navigators 

3.15 Social Determinants of Health: Lead 

Remediation

3.16 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Violence Interventions 

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay

4.1 Public Sector Employees

4.2 Private Sector: Grants to other employers 

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure

5.1 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater treatment

5.2 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater collection 

and conveyance

5.3 Clean Water: Decentralized wastewater

5.4 Clean Water: Combined sewer overflows

5.5 Clean Water: Other sewer infrastructure

5.6 Clean Water: Stormwater

5.7 Clean Water: Energy conservation

5.8 Clean Water: Water conservation

5.9 Clean Water: Nonpoint source 

5.10 Drinking water: Treatment

5.11 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution

5.12 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution: lead 

remediation

5.13 Drinking water: Source

5.14 Drinking water: Storage 

5.15 Drinking water: Other water infrastructure

5.16 Broadband: “Last Mile” projects

5.17 Broadband: Other projects

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue Replacement

6.1 Provision of Government Services 13,048,615 13,048,615
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Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

7 Administrative and Other

7.1 Administrative Expenses 

7.2 Evaluation and data analysis 

7.3 Transfers to Other Units of Government

7.4 Transfers to Nonentitlement Units 

(States and Territories only)

Project Inventory 

Project [001]: Meal Gap Programming 

Funding amount: $10,000,000

Project Expenditure Category: Category number 2.1, Household Assistance: Food 

Programs

Project overview: Meal gap programming for seniors, persons with disabilities and other 

individuals experiencing food insecurity as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors, 

disabled residents and other at-risk individuals are discouraged from or fearful of leaving 

their homes and consequently suffer from food insecurity as a result of COVID-19. 

Establishing this meal program will protect the health and well-being of these vulnerable 

populations. The approximate timeline of this project is from SLFRF award through June 

30, 2022; however, it may change depending on the County’s needs.

Use of Evidence: The goals of this project are establishing meal programming for seniors, 

persons with disabilities and other individuals experiencing food insecurity as a result of 

COVID-19 pandemic to protect the health and well-being of these vulnerable populations.

Currently, for this project, the County has not allocated any funds specifically toward 

evidence-based interventions. The meal gap programing project is approximately 2% 

complete, therefore there are no performance indicators and programmatic data available 

as of July 31, 2021. Data will be included in the next report.

Project [002]: Economic Support to Arts-Related Small Businesses and Non-Profits

Funding amount: $5,000,000

Project Expenditure Category: Category number 2.9, Small Business Economic 

Assistance (General)
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Project overview: Economic support to arts-related small businesses and non-profits

within Orange County. The economic support initiatives include but are not limited to artsrelated small business and non-profits recovery programs, arts-related small business 

and non-profits grants, which may be distributed through a third-party administrator. This 

project is based on equal distribution of the $5 million to each of the five supervisorial 

districts within Orange County, which may direct the application of the economic recovery 

funding using all or a portion of the funding for arts-related small businesses or nonprofits, as allowable under SLFRF. To reflect the specific needs in each supervisorial 

district, application and eligibility criteria may vary by district. The approximate timeline of 

this project is from SLFRF award through June 30, 2022; however, it may change 

depending on the County’s needs.

Use of Evidence: The goals of this project are to assist arts-related small businesses and 

non-profits in their recovery plans, mitigate the financial hardship due to COVID-19 

pandemic and to help stimulate economic growth across the county. Currently, for this 

project, the County has not allocated any funds specifically toward evidence-based 

interventions. The economic support project is in the planning phase, therefore there are 

no performance indicators and programmatic data available as of July 31, 2021. Data will 

be included in the next report.

Performance Report

The meal gap programming and economic support projects listed above do not have 

performance reports available as these are still in the planning and inception phase. 

As of July 31, 2021, the County received a total of 13,022 ERA applications and 

approximately 72% have been processed. Of those, a total of 4,259 applications have 

resulted in financial assistance being approved for payment. The remaining 5,161 

applications were determined ineligible or participants are no longer interested in 

receiving assistance. As of this date, a total of $27,627,409.50 in ERA financial 

assistance for rental arrears and overdue utility bills and home energy bills had been paid 

to Orange County households. 

The County, acting as the Collaborative Applicant for the Orange County Continuum of 

Care, worked with the four Public Housing Authorities (PHA) in Orange County to 

establish Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for the EHV program. All four MOUs 

were signed and executed prior to the July 31, 2021 deadline provided by the U.S. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The MOUs detail EHV program 

milestones to be met by the PHA and the CES. These milestones are detailed below:

• CES will identify 50% of referrals within 7 weeks of the effective date of the MOU.

• CES will identify 100% of referrals within 14 weeks of the effective date of the MOU. 

• CES will identify replacement referrals within 14 days for any returned matches.
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• PHA will complete EHV processing within 45 days of initial contact with the 

participant as referred by CES. 

• PHA will return ineligible referrals to CES within 3 business days of determining 

ineligibility.

HCA established EHV Supportive Service and Housing Search Assistance Contracts with 

five non-profit organizations to support 557 households receiving EHV from the OCHA. 

These contracts include performance objectives aimed at quickly securing rental housing 

and leasing up the voucher as well as promoting long-term housing stability. The 

performance objectives are detailed below: 

• At minimum, 50% of the total number of expected participants will secure permanent 

rental housing within 90 days of EHV issuance.

• At minimum, 95% of the total number of expected participants will secure permanent 

rental housing within 120 days of EHV issuance.

• At minimum, 95% of the total number of expected participants will receive housing 

support assistance and housing stabilization services.

• At minimum, 95% of the total number of expected participants will remain in 

permanent housing at program exit.

• Of participants exiting to a permanent housing destination, 95% will maintain 

housing for more than six months from the date of their program exit.

Ineligible Activities: Tax Offset Provision (States and 

territories only)

This section is not applicable for the County of Orange.