Hamilton County ARP Annual Report
2021 Report on State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
Hamilton County is receiving $158.7 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The ARP is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package signed into law on March 11, 2021, with the goal of expediting the nation’s recovery from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first half of the County’s award has been received and totals $79 million. The second half will be comparable and will arrive approximately one year after the first payment.
Throughout the second quarter of 2021, the County held stakeholder sessions and two public hearings to help develop its planned uses for ARP funding. At the conclusion of these efforts, on July 1, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners approved the allocation of ARP funds, with an amendment on August 26, 2021. The County’s Plan is a strategic allocation of the $158.7 million to help the County recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and become a stronger community. It builds on the County’s momentum to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control under the CARES Act; addresses the urgent needs of residents, families and neighborhoods hardest hit by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and makes investments to catalyze broader economic recovery and rebuilding. The County’s Plan (that continues to be refined) includes projects that fall into the following four broad categories:
- Strengthening Public Health Systems - $24,500,000
- ($10,000,000 to disproportionately impacted communities)
- Strengthening County Finances and Departments - $33,000,000
- Addressing Negative Impacts - $70,000,000
- Enhancing Community Infrastructure - $19,000,000
The County’s Plan is further divided into two categories: 1. Programs that will be initiated in 2021; 2. Programs that require additional stakeholder engagement and expertise. The stakeholder process, further described under Community Engagement, will begin in September with specific program recommendations anticipated by the 4th quarter, 2021.
Read the report here.