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Ohio Recovery Housing (ORH) Repairs Fund Application Open for Eligible Applicants

Client Alert

The Ohio Recovery Housing (ORH) Repairs Fund Application is open for eligible organizations and/or operators of recovery housing facilities throughout the state of Ohio!

Funded by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OHMHAS) and the Ohio Department of Development (ODD), this opportunity is open for non-ORH certified recovery housing operators seeking to gain certification through ORH and help expand housing opportunities throughout the state of Ohio. Eligible applicants include operators:

  1. who meet the Ohio statutory definition of “Recovery Housing.” See R.C. §340.01(A)(3);
  2. are not currently certified by ORH; and
  3. are owned by the organization operating the recovery house or by the county ADM board.

Eligible applicants may apply for up to $10,000.00 per property (refunded by ORH subsequent to repairs), and funds must be used for physical improvements identified during the ORH certification and inspection processes. The application as well as other certification criteria can be found on the ORH website.

If you have any questions regarding your eligibility for this funding opportunity, or need any assistance in the ORH application and/or certification processes, please contact Monica Andress at (330) 253-9153 or mbandress@bmdllc.com.


UPDATE: Governor Dewine Signs HB 606 Granting Short Window of Immunity from COVID-19 Personal Injury Lawsuits

The Ohio General Assembly, in Am. Sub. H.B. No. 606, is in the final stages of passing a law that will prohibit lawsuits seeking damages from COVID-19. This includes injury, death, or loss to person or property if the lawsuits are based, in whole or in part, on the exposure to, or the transmission or contraction of the coronavirus, unless the defendant in the lawsuit acted intentionally or recklessly. In circumstances where this immunity does not apply, H.B. 606 prohibits such claims being aggregated and brought as a class action.

Revised Department of Labor FFCRA Guidance, Effective September 16, 2020

In response to attacks on the legality of the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Final Rule regarding the Families First Coronavirus Act (“FFCRA” or the “Act”), which took effect in April 2020, the Department of Labor issued new guidance on Friday, September 11th to formally address ongoing questions and concerns related to the COVID-19 legislation.

FCC Adds $198 Million to Strengthen Telehealth for Rural Healthcare Providers

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has added an additional $198 million in funding to its Rural Health Care Program. These funds will be used to increase broadband services and telecommunications to bolster telehealth/telemedicine services for rural healthcare providers. Funding for rural healthcare providers was initially capped at $605 million in 2020, but the added funds will now allow the FCC to provide over $800 million to eligible providers.

Finding Opportunity in Adversity: Optimism for the Construction Industry

Looking for good news? If so, you are not alone. Aside from the collective mental, physical and emotional human toll imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, entire sectors of the economy have been ravaged, and old, familiar ways of doing business have been disrupted. Although deemed essential, the construction industry has not been immune to interruption and uncertainty during these unprecedented times. Amid new health and safety concerns, coupled with financial uncertainty, progress on projects has slowed, and the start dates for a number of new projects slated to begin in 2020 have been deferred. However, resilience has always been a trademark of contractors, subcontractors and other industry professionals. Reports indicate that while the construction industry lost more than one million jobs February through April, at least 600,000 of those jobs had been gained back by the end of June.

Yard Sign Do’s and Don’ts: How to Avoid Legal Challenges to Municipal Sign Codes this Election Season

As the nation heads into the tail end of the 2020 general election, municipalities will inevitably face challenges as they seek to regulate the seasonal proliferation of yard signs on residential property. While the matter may seem trifling, a seemingly benign yet content-based sign ordinance can result in significant legal exposure for municipalities that have not heeded recent Supreme Court decisions on content neutrality.