COLORADO SPRINGS - The City of Colorado Springs has received an allocation of $76,039,132 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to support COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery efforts in the city. The breakdown was presented to City Council again today.
According to the allocation rules, funds can be used to support public health expenditures, address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, replace lost public sector revenue, provide premium pay for essential workers, and invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.
The City’s plan for use of these funds was developed through a combination of community input, the City’s strategic plan, input from key stakeholders, as well as identified priorities of City leadership. The plan promotes a broad response to the pandemic and economic recovery, incorporating support for new and existing businesses, populations of citizens disproportionally impacted by the pandemic including children, families, and seniors, community public health and safety, and other community-wide benefits
City staff developed a comprehensive list of projects and programs reflective of the priorities identified in this plan, coupled with the goals, objectives, and compliance requirements identified in the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund interim final rule.
Of the city’s funding, nearly $28M is going to essential government services to include delayed capital improvement projects while nearly $27M is being directed to infrastructure. $13M was dedicated to economic recovery, to include assistance to local businesses. The full breakdown was presented today and can be found here.
A key area of interest, $17M of new federal funding is directed to affordable and low-income housing assistance locally. This figure includes $11M in Rental Assistance from the U.S. Treasury, plus $6M in HOME funds from HUD. This funding comes in addition to CARES rental assistance granted earlier this summer. The City asks those in need of assistance to contact 2-1-1 for assistance in filing an application. Funds are available and the City is ready to help those in need.
Today marked the third time City staff presented the plan to the City Council. Other presentations were made at the annual Mayor/City Council retreat held on June 10, at the City Council Work Sessions held on July 12 and September 13, 2021.
To view today’s presentations in full, visit https://coloradosprings.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=9791609&GUID=4DFF…