Number
210368
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. RAINEY, STAMPER, HAMILTON, COGGS AND MURPHY
Title
Substitute resolution relating to a poverty-level based apportionment of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Analysis
This resolution directs City of Milwaukee departments receiving funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to prioritize funding and services in Qualified Census Tracts as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and track the geographic apportionment of ARPA funds. The Department of Administration is also directed to collect ARPA geographic apportionment data, and present it to the Common Council on a quarterly basis.
Body
Whereas, On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) (ARPA) into law; and
Whereas, The American Rescue Plan Act allocated funds for eligible local governments to address the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee has been allocated approximately $394.2 million in direct ARPA assistance; and
Whereas, The federal government has required funds 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, or invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure; and
Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected low-income, predominantly Black, and predominantly Latino communities in Milwaukee; and
Whereas, COVID-19 vaccination rates have had similar disparities among racial and economic lines; and
Whereas, Every year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development creates a statutorily mandated designation of Difficult Development Areas and Qualified Census Tracts; and
Whereas, Qualified Census Tracts are defined as census tracts having 50 percent of households with incomes below 60 perce...
Click here for full text