ARPA Town Halls: Join us to gather input on where and how Sonoma County might best invest ARPA dollars. Each virtual Town Hall will be hosted by the supervisor for that district and will include an overview of ARPA funding along with small group community conversations. Please make sure to register by clicking on the links below.
- September 23, 6 - 8 pm (District 3 - Supervisor Coursey) : Register Now
- September 30, 5:30 - 7:30 (District 5 - Supervisor Hopkins) : Register Now
- October 4, 5:30 - 7:30 (District 1 - Supervisor Gorin): Register Now
- October 13, 6 - 8 pm (District 2 - Supervisor Rabbitt): Register Now
- October 20, 5:30-7:30 (District 4 - Supervisor Gore): Register Now
On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) into law. The $1.9 trillion package, based on President Biden's American Rescue Plan, is intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including public health and economic impacts.
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the $362 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund provides local fiscal aid to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts, cover increased expenditures, replenish lost revenue and mitigate economic harm from the COVID—19 pandemic.
The distribution of the $362 billion is allocated as follows:
- States Fiscal Recovery Fund ($219.8 billion)
- Local Fiscal Recovery Fund ($130.2 billion)
- Coronavirus Capital Projects ($10 billion)
- Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund ($2 billion)
Funds may cover costs from March 3, 2021 through December 24, 2024.
Sonoma County's Share of the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund
Sonoma County is receiving a direct allocation of $96 million. The first half of these funds were received in 2021, and the second half will be received in 2022.
The County may use the funds to:
- Support public health expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency
- Serve low income communities and individuals, families and businesses hardest-hit by the pandemic
- Provide premium pay for essential workers
- Replace public sector revenue lost due to the pandemic
- Invest in necessary improvements to water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure
Overview of County Distribution Process
During FY 2021-22 Budget Hearings, the Board of Supervisors approved a process for the distribution of ARPA funds. This plan calls for funding to be distributed in three primary areas:
- Funding for COVID-19 pandemic response
- Funding for strategic investments in County departmental services
- Funding for direct community support
At Budget Hearings, the Board of Supervisors allocated approximately $20 million to fund COVID-19 response costs that are not otherwise reimbursable through Federal funding and set a timeline for the other funding distributions, with the following dates set for Board action on ARPA funding:
- June 18, 2021: Board of Supervisors approves ARPA distribution process
- July 27, 2021: Board receives an update on the process for distributing funding directly to the community
- September 14, 2021: Board reviews preliminary departmental proposals for ARPA funding and selects proposals for further development (no funding allocation decisions)
- November 2, 2021: Board defines community funding areas based on needs analysis (no funding allocation decisions)
- December 14, 2021: Board allocates funding to specific departmental proposals and community funding areas
See the details of the Board of Supervisor's meeting item American Rescue Plan Act: County Departments-Agencies' Preliminary Proposals
[Please click here to read more]
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