This week’s edition of the Office of Recovery Newsletter features information about the Tourism Attraction Sub-grants for Kansas (TASK) that were awarded to eight tourism sites across Kansas. Nearly $2 million in grants were awarded to boost tourism and travel as these industries work to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also included is an update on the Kansas Homeowners Assistance Fund (KHAF). Distributed by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), the KHAF program has already provided over $24 million in support to over 2,300 homeowners. KHAF is still accepting applications from homeowners to provide funding to help with mortgage, property tax or utility payments. Read on to learn more about this program and how to apply.

For the latest Treasury updates and information about resources available to Kansans, see the “Updates to Services and Support” section of this newsletter. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Office of Recovery website at: COVID.ks.gov 

ARPA Impacts Across Kansas

TASK Awards Aim to Boost Tourism Across Kansas

Kansas Tourism, in partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation, is providing nearly $2 million to eight tourism projects across the state to enhance Kansas’ growing tourism industry. The Tourism Attraction Sub-grants for Kansas (TASK) were announced on October 27, 2022, in Hutchinson.

The TASK program is administered by Kansas Tourism and provides funding for public and non-profit groups to develop new tourism attractions or to enhance existing ones. The tourism industry is the 9th largest employer in Kansas, generating $11.8 billion in economic output annually and saving the average Kansan $600 in yearly taxes.

Through the Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is focused on accelerating the recovery of communities that rely on the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation sectors. $510 million of EDA’s American Rescue Plan funds have been allocated to State Tourism Grants across the country, which are awards to help states quickly invest in marketing, infrastructure, workforce and other projects to rejuvenate safe leisure, business and international travel.

The EDA provided $1.5 million in ARPA funding for TASK, with an additional $462,000 provided by the Patterson Family Foundation for awardees in rural counties.

The TASK recipients and amounts awarded include:

City of Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau, Barton County, $337,500
Flint Hills Discovery Center, Riley County, $200,000

Grassroots Art Center, Russell County, $172,226
Horse Thief Reservoir Benefit District, Hodgeman County, $299,918
Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Johnson County, $201,168
Miners Hall Museum Foundation, Crawford County, $337,500
Strataca: Kansas Underground Salt Museum, Reno County, $174,750

The Nature Conservancy, Logan County, $238,950

Additional details and project descriptions can be found at https://www.travelks.com/task-grant-awardees/.

The TASK grant application process opened on January 14 and closed in mid-March. For more information, please visit https://www.travelks.com/travel-industry/programs-and-resources/grants/ or contact Kansas Tourism grant program manager Taylor Hartshorn at [email protected].

Housing Update

KHAF Support Still Available, Thousands of Homeowners Have Already Received Assistance

Six months after its launch, the Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund (KHAF) has distributed $24.8 million in mortgage, property tax, and utility aid to 2,321 Kansas homeowners.

The funding for the temporary relief initiative is being distributed by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) to help Kansas homeowners experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship avoid foreclosure and catch up on their mortgages and property taxes. The program assists with mortgage payments, property taxes and charges, utility and internet fees, and more.

Over 2,300 KHAF applications have been granted assistance, and additional funds remain to assist homeowners. Kansans who have fallen behind on their mortgage and/or property tax payments are encouraged to apply now.

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

You own your home in Kansas and are at least 30 days past due on mortgage or property taxes.

The property (a single-family home, one-to-four-unit dwelling, condo, townhome, or manufactured home) is your primary residence.
Your recent income did not exceed 150 percent of your area’s median income.
Your household has experienced financial hardship during the COVID pandemic.

Kansans requesting KHAF assistance are encouraged to apply online. If approved, funds are paid directly to the service provider(s), who apply them to the homeowner’s account(s).

More than 200 mortgage loan servicers have partnered with the KHAF program as participating lenders. The program will remain open until program funds are fully expended. Homeowners are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is processed in a timely manner.

Applicants in need of assistance may call 1-855-307-KHAF (5423) from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.

Updates to Services and Support

New SLFRF Self-Service Resource Available to Local Governments

The U.S. Department of Treasury recently released a new self-service resource for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) recipients that provides information on all levels of funding. This new tool provides recipients with a one-stop guide for all SLFRF-related questions. The SLFRF Self-Service Resource provides information on topics including allowable uses of funds, reporting, technical problems and much more.

The SLFRF program has delivered $350 billion to state, local, and Tribal governments across the country to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. The use of these funds must follow guidelines for spending and reporting set forth by Treasury in the Final Rule.

Federal Funding Available for Several Kansas Counties

On September 29, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the release of Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) payments to certain counties. The LATCF provides a total of $1.5 billion to “eligible revenue sharing counties” under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

A total of 2,086 local governments, which includes approximately 50 counties in Kansas, are considered eligible revenue sharing counties under the LATCF formula. Click here to see the full list of eligible recipients.

Each eligible county must apply to claim the funding allocated to them. Treasury’s online portal provides application instructions and information on specific funding levels for each eligible county.

The deadline for counties to apply through the Treasury’s online portal is January 31, 2023. Should a county miss the application deadline, it will not be eligible for any LATCF payments.

For more information on eligibility of counties, eligible uses of funds and reporting requirements please visit the National Association of Counties website.