SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The Board of Supervisors will provide direction to County staff at its Dec. 16 meeting for utilization of unspent Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) revenue totaling $49.6 million. The item is scheduled to be heard at 10 a.m.

Federal and State law and rules require that all CRF revenue must be spent by Dec. 30, 2020. If the County takes no action, the $49.6 million left unspent must be returned to the federal and state government.

The $49.6 million includes $8.8 million in unspent CRF money from Fiscal Year 2019-20, and $40.8 million in unspent CRF money from Fiscal Year 2020-21.

The County can avoid losing the $49.6 million if the unspent CRF revenue is reallocated to other eligible costs, primarily Payroll for Public Health and Safety Employees, which under Treasury Department rules allows for reimbursing 100 percent of salary and benefit costs. The unspent CRF revenue will also be used to fund the Dine at Home Program, homeless response, and medical staff at correctional facilities.

If the Board approves the resolution, the County will deposit $49.6 million of CRF money into County departments, including Sheriff’s and Probation Departments. It will then immediately withdraw $49.6 million in General Fund money from the departments and provide $49.6 million to the Department of Health Services. Doing so will provide the Department of Health Services the ability to spend the $49.6 million through June 30, 2021. 

The breakdown of reallocation includes: $4.9 million to Dine at Home Program, homeless response; $10.9 million to medical staff at correctional facilities; $32.2 million to Probation staff payroll; $1.6 million to Sheriff staff payroll.

“I can’t be any clearer about this: the Sheriff’s Office and the Probation Departments will not receive one additional penny in their respective budgets,” said Cindy Nichol, Interim Chief Fiscal Officer. “All of the $49.6 million will go to the Department of Health Services, which in fact will receive $8.8 million more than its current budget.”

Information about the item and a draft resolution can be found on the Board’s agenda website. Visit the Sacramento County CARES Act and CRF funding webpage for more information.