Congress has substantially increased support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. That should help finance thousands more units.
State agencies are trying to address technical shortcomings that led to as much as $135 billion in fraud during the pandemic. But declining and volatile federal funding for administration is impeding those efforts.
The state’s Environmental Finance Authority acts as a bank, a development authority and an aid agency all at once. The agency’s mission is about to get even larger as it will manage $1 billion of federal aid.
A 6-year plunge in federal funding that aids victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse is causing alarm among state and local organizations that rely on those dollars to provide services.
The Louisiana Department of Health found that 81 percent of the state’s population were serviced with A or B grade water systems. But 115 of the state’s systems, mostly in rural areas, were ranked with a D or F.
Inside Winnie’s Wagon is a mobile classroom with learning tools, games and books all designed to provide the state’s homeless children, whose number has dramatically increased since the pandemic, with individualized academic support.
They'll need a lot more federal help to stay afloat.
Updates to the financial form have led to major delays in students' completion and colleges offering aid. Some analysts worry large numbers of students won't get the help they're entitled to.
The state estimates it will have between $300 and $400 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding still available for use. The problem will be figuring out how to prioritize which programs get money.
Last month, Washington increased funding for the preschool program by $275 million. Additional funding for salaries may help address workforce shortages that have led to a steep decline in enrollment.
After borrowing billions from the federal government to pay for unemployment during the pandemic, the state’s debt now stands at about $21 billion and growing. The state also currently accounts for about 20 percent of the nation’s unemployment.
The lower number in completed applications for aid has education advocates worried about a smaller fall enrollment this year. An overhaul of the form has caused delays and setbacks across the country.
Many school districts still have a lot of money that could be spent on effective long-term interventions. States should help them build federal dollars into their budgets for years to come.
The federal Affordable Connectivity Program has helped 23 million low-income households afford Internet connections to schedule or attend health-care appointments. But the program will soon run out of funds.
An audit by a federal watchdog found several instances of poor planning, misallocation of funds and a lack of workers which undercut millions of dollars of federal aid meant to keep stormwater at bay.
As the national debt continues to climb past $34 trillion, lawmakers are considering extending a broadband program that would drive inflation higher and deepen deficits, all while providing already-connected residents with Internet service.
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