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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The city has federal funds available to address community and economic development needs related to the coronavirus pandemic.
				The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development earlier this month sent the city a grant agreement for $915,761 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES Act.
				The funding comes through HUD&rsquo;s Community Devel0pment Block Grant Program and is separate from the $1.9 million for the city&rsquo;s Fiscal Year 2020 Action Plan.
				&ldquo;They did approve it,&rdquo; Joyce Morrash Zaykowski, director of the city&rsquo;s Office of Economic and Community Development, said Monday. Her office prepared t
				&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t used any of the funding yet,&rdquo; Zaykowski said.
				Zaykowski provided copies of the June 2 letters from HUD for the CARES Act and Action Plan grants.
				Mayor George Brown added the next step is for the city to submit a plan to HUD on how the money will be spent.
				Knowing HUD&rsquo;s approval could take up to 45 days, city council acted quickly and held a special meeting on April 30 for the second and final reading of an ordinance on the funding.
				The initial CARES Act COVID-19 funding plan prepared by the city outlined a community development and housing program &ldquo;to support infectious disease response.&rdquo;
				The <a href="https://www.wilkes-barre.city/sites/g/files/vyhlif4086/f/agendas/0560_001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">city&rsquo;s funding budget</a> listed: 
				&#8226; $125,000 for building improvements including rehabilitating a community facility to establish an infectious disease treatment clinic.
				&#8226; $518,361 for special economic development assistance such as providing working capital to small businesses to retain jobs held by low- and moderate-income persons who faced job losses from closings due to social distancing.
				&#8226; $135,000 for planning, capacity building and technical assistance.
				&#8226;$137,400 for public services to provide food to homebound and disabled seniors, homeless shelters, crime victim counseling and community policing.

CARES Act funding approved for Wilkes-Barre