ARPA Funding

• Signed on March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a $1.9 trillion measure designed to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.
• The American Rescue Plan will deliver $350 billion for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to respond to the COVID-19 emergency and replace lost revenue for governments.
• Congress has allocated Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) to tens of thousands of eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments, including $45.6 billion for cities.
• The Act states that funding can be used to:

1. Respond to public health emergency with respect to COVID-19 or its negative economic impacts,
2. Provide premium pay to workers performing essential work during COVID-19 public health emergency,
3. For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to COVID-19 public health emergency,
4. To make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.  

• Additional funding for the Houston Airport System, Emergency Rental Relief, stimulus checks, and tax credits are also part of the ARPA.

Houston Uses

• The City of Houston will receive $607,769,139 in Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (LFRF) funds across two years. Half of this funding ($303,884,569.50) was received on May 20, 2021, and the remaining half ($303,884,569.50) will be available in May of 2022.
• Like most state and local governments across the nation, the City of Houston faces record revenue loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic; this lost revenue would have funded critical services for many Houstonians. On June 2, 2021, Houston City Council approved $198.624 million of LFRF from the ARPA Funds for the provision of government services due to revenue losses during COVID-19 public health emergency, to maintain and sustain critical services in the FY2022 Budget. View a department breakdown of government services funded (.pdf)
• Additional priority projects that address homelessness, behavioral health, and solid waste are being considered.
• SURVEY: Help Houston prioritize ARPA dollars by sharing your opinions and comments in our ARPA survey. What programs under policing, solid waste and housing do you believe the City of Houston should allocate ARPA funds? Take the survey by clicking here. ... Encuesta en Español