DAYTONA WEST
Observer
COVID’S TOLL PAGE 4
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 2, NO. 6
FREE
• FEBRUARY 2021
Tiny homes to end homelessness? Questions and answers with Mark Geallis, Homeless 2 Home founding director
Stables to expand
Posing for a cause
PAGE 6
Ormond Memorial Art Museum’s virtual Dogapalooza photo contest raises $1,176 for local pet charities www.ormondbeachobserver.com
Horse stable gets Ormond Beach’s permission to expand from 12 to 20 horses. PAGE 3
BRIEFS Summer lifeguard tryouts to begin Are you interested in a job that involves sun, sand and saving lives? Volusia County’s Beach Safety Division is hiring lifeguards to help keep beachgoers safe this summer. Upcoming tryouts are mandatory for those interested in a position. Swim tryouts are 8 a.m. to noon Feb. 27 and March 13 at the Ormond Beach YMCA, 500 Sterthaus Drive, Ormond Beach. Applicants must be at least 16 on or before June 1 and be able to swim 500 meters freestyle in under 10 minutes, swim 50 yards freestyle in under 30 seconds, and run a half-mile in under 3 minutes, 15 seconds. For more requirements, visit volusia.org/ beach or call 386-239-6414.
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Volusia to receive $16.7 million for rental assistance The program will aid those at or below 80% of the area median income; up to 15 temporary county employees will be hired to process applications and manage the program.
GARY DAVIDSON COMMUNITY INFORMATION, VOLUSIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Volusia County is in line for more than $16 million in federal aid to help local residents struggling to pay their rent due to the financial fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic. On Jan. 19, the County Council formally blessed the new coronavirus aid initiative by giving approval to the county’s Community Services staff to launch the grant program once the money is received. Last year, the county allocated $27.5 million of its federal coro-
navirus relief funds for rent and mortgage assistance to Volusia County residents. So far, a total of 7,974 applications for assistance have been approved. Although requests are still being processed, the deadline to apply expired on Dec. 30. However, the new COVID-19 stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump last month included $25 billion for emergency rental assistance. Volusia County has been told that its share will be $16.7 million. While approving the program Jan. 19, the council also authorized the hiring of up to 15 tem-
porary county employees to help manage the program and process the rental assistance applications. The positions will be paid for out of the grant funds. The program will target people earning at or below 80% of the area median income, with preference given to those at 50% or below. To qualify for assistance, one or more members of a household must have qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs or experienced other financial hardship due to the coronavirus outbreak.