Staff warn of federal grant freeze risk; committee hears program updates on norovirus, volunteer portal and food program

Mary Keating, a Community Services staff member, told the DuPage County Human Services Committee that federal guidance announced earlier in the week briefly froze access to federal funds the department administers and created short-term uncertainty for program work funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and related federal streams.

Keating said roughly 80% of the department’s budget is federally funded — “potentially up to $20,000,000,” as stated in the meeting — and described a timeline in which funds were frozen on Tuesday, a temporary restraining order affected the status of that freeze, HUD staff were later advised not to speak with local jurisdictions, and a subsequent reversal restored access to funds. Keating cautioned there remains uncertainty about some types of work, notably fair-housing activities and outreach to minority- and women-owned…