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AUSTIN (KXAN) – The city of Austin secured over $70 million in grant funding toward aviation, environmental and emergency response, but the lasting federal government shutdown leaves more funding up in the air, according to a city memo. Several offices within the U.S. Department of Justice have seen staff members furloughed, meaning submitted grant applications are still pending approval, the Austin Government Relations Grants Division (AGRGD) said in the Saturday memo. This includes grants from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence Against Women, the memo states. Grants from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are also impacted. AGRGD reported DSHS will “reevaluate the situation” if the shutdown extends past Friday, while the Austin Housing Department does not expect HUD to award any grants during the government shutdown, per the memo. Grant funding was awarded to the following city divisions for the period Sept. 1 - Oct. 20, according to AGRGD: The city has more grant applications still in progress. This includes more funding for Austin Police as well as grants for Austin Public Health, Austin Transportation and Public Works and Austin Forensic Science, according to the memo.
