Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, is coming to an end. That has government bodies, including the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, moving to get their dollars allocated.
ARPA was signed into law by President Biden in March of 2021 to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, but all funding needs to be spent or obligated by the end of the year.
Washtenaw County has been allocated just over $71 million through ARPA; about 21% remains to be used.
Public Information Officer Crystal Campbell says the recommendations to the County Commission on what to target with the remaining dollars will be well vetted.
“We’ll talk to the organizations that are receiving the funding about how they are experience with the funding. We’ll use information that has been gathered around families and residents around Washtenaw County who have been recipients of the services.”
The County Commission voted this week to shift $1.2 million of ARPA funds originally earmarked for broadband affordability and other allocations to different projects, including the Dorsey Estates Down Payment Assistance Program in Ypsilanti.
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