[Archived] City of Alexandria Seeks Community Input on Priorities for Use of American Rescue Plan Act Funding

For Immediate Release: April 30, 2021

The City of Alexandria is seeking community input on the use of forthcoming federal funding as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). A list of potential programs and projects has been developed to help guide the use of the funds for immediate recovery needs, as a long-term investment, and to inform other potential federal funding opportunities.

Residents, businesses, and community organizations are being asked to provide feedback about their priorities for the use of these funds by ranking a list of potential programs and projects that are already under consideration, or by proposing new projects. Beginning May 4, the survey and supporting materials will also be available on the City’s website in Spanish, Amharic and Arabic.

The City will host virtual public meetings on Saturday, May 8 at 10 a.m. and Monday, May 10 at 7 p.m. to review the funding guidelines, provide input on proposed projects and discuss specific project proposals. The deadline to provide feedback is May 13.

The U.S. Department of theTreasury has not yet confirmed the exact funding amount. Alexandria is expected to be allocated between $30 and $60 million. The funds must be used by December 31, 2024, and all proposals must adhere to the ARPA legislation, which permits specific uses for the two allocations of funding:

To respond to the public health emergency with respect to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality; or
For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue of such metropolitan city, nonentitlement unit of government or county due to such emergency; or
To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

The feedback will be used to develop a two-phase draft spending plan that carefully considers use of these one-time resources, within the designated time frame, as an investment in the community. The Alexandria City Council will consider the first-phase spending plan for funds expected to be received in 2021 at their legislative meeting on July 6. The second-phase spending plan will be further developed in the fall of 2021, in anticipation of the second funding allotment in 2022.

Visit alexandriava.gov/AmericanRescuePlan for more information about American Rescue Plan Act funding and ways to get involved.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For translation services to attend a public meeting, contact dana.wedeles@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3862 by May 5.

ይህ የተለቀቀው ዜና በአማርኛ እዚህ ጋር ይገኛል።

Este boletín informativo está disponible en Español

هذا البيان الصحفي متاح باللغة الأمهرية.