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 percent of the Area Median Gross Income (AMGI) or having a poverty rate of 25 percent or more; and
Whereas, The 2021 designations became effective January 1, 2021; and
Whereas, The city of Milwaukee has a significant number of Qualified Census Tracts; and
Whereas, An equitable recovery consistent with the goals of the American Rescue Plan Act requires a focused distribution of funds, with an emphasis on dollars being spent in Qualified Census Tracts, as those areas have been most disproportionally affected by COVID-19; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that City of Milwaukee departments receiving American Rescue Plan Act funds shall track the geographic distribution of ARPA funds, and prioritize funding and services in Qualified Census Tracts; and, be it
Further Resolved, That geographic information about ARPA expenditures shall include the location of infrastructure, housing or other capital improvements, the location of service providers and/or the residence of individuals receiving goods or services, as best represents the relationship between the expenditure of ARPA funds and the benefit received; and, be it
Further Resolved, That each City Department tasked with administering ARPA-funded programs shall collect and track sufficient information related to the amount of ARPA expenditures, locations where ARPA-funded goods, services, and infrastructure, housing or other capital investments are provided, and residence of individuals and households receiving goods or services and provide this information to the Department of Administration for preparation of the report; and, be it
Further Resolved, That each City Department shall require contractors or other third parties providing ARPA-funded services and activities on behalf of the City to do the same; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Administration shall report on the collected geographic data of ARPA expenditures to the Common Council on a quarterly basis.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB176778-3
Luke Knapp
6/30/2021