The County of Riverside, CA has Spent 207,200 USD in Lobbying in 2022
Author Erin Gerhart
The COVID-19 Pandemic continues to have a major impact on all facets of life, but one of the most profound and tangible impacts is the loss of homes and the increased rate of homelessness throughout the United States. Several bills and laws have been passed in response to assist with rental costs, housing assistance, and affordable housing units. One such bill being lobbied for by Kadesh & Associates, LLC is H.R. 1319. This bill has funding provisions for rental and homelessness assistance, housing counseling and assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides funding for the Department of the Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance program, providing grants to states, local governments, and territories for financial housing assistance. Low-income households and those experiencing unemployment or financial hardship are particularly eligible. Funding is also provided for emergency rental assistance vouchers through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Section 4007 of H.R. 1319 provides funding for emergency food and shelter programs, Cybersecurity and the Infrastructure Security Agency, assistance to firefighter grants, and emergency performance grants for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The Federal Transit Administration announced 8.6 million USD in FY22 Tribal Transit Program grant awards to 25 Tribal governments.
A second bill of interest being lobbied for is H.R. 8255, which provides fiscal year 2023 funding for the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy (DoE), and some independent agencies. For USACE, the bill provides funding for civil works projects such as construction, flood control and coastal emergencies, operations and maintenance, and water infrastructure finance program. For the DoE appropriates are provided for atomic energy defense activities, environmental defense activities, and the power marketing administration.
Kadesh & Associates, LLC is a bipartisan federal advocacy firm that specializes in California issues hired by the County of Riverside for 43,600 USD. The four lobbyists on record as working on behalf of the County of Riverside are Ben Miller, Christian Kierig, Dave Kirk Ramey, and Mark Kadesh. Kierig has lobbied on behalf of nearly thirty specialized areas of interest, with federal budget and appropriations being their specialization. Similarly, Kadesh has lobbied on dozens of issues over the year and the bulk of their experience is in federal budget and appropriations.
An Uncomfortable Conversation
Veterans and former service members comprise a significant portion (nearly half) of the homeless population throughout the United States. According to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs there is an estimated 40,000 homeless veterans at any given time. An accurate count is dificult to attain, but the majority of homeless veterans are male, come from disadvantaged backgrounds, suffer from mental illness, and struggle with substance abuse. H.R. 2190 was introduced in March of last year and aims to permanently extend the Department of Veterans Affairs programs and sevices. This includes reintegration programs, financial assistance, and housing assistance.
