Boulder County has committed $36.5 million of federal money to projects meant to address the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Monday, Boulder County published a performance report on the county’s spending of the American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, or ARPA SLFRF. The report highlights Boulder County’s funding allocations for approved projects through June 30 of this year.
The federal government provided over $63.3 million to Boulder County from ARPA SLFRF and the county has approved two primary rounds of funding. That includes $5.5 million for immediate needs and $36.5 million for Phase 2 projects as well as funding for administrative costs and reserves.
There are 21 immediate needs projects underway, addressing issues like COVID testing and vaccination, food insecurity, employment services and housing voucher support. Another $1.8 million of initial funding has gone toward administrative projects like increasing capacity and administrative support.
In June, the Boulder County commissioners approved how the $36.5 million of phase two funding would be split, with up to $13.5 million going toward economic challenges, $12 million for housing affordability and $11 million for mental health and social resilience.
As of June 30, the phase two projects had not yet begun as recipients had not received the funding distributions as capacity was still being added to implement the projects.
The economic challenge projects with funding approved include nonprofit grants and direct cash assistance to families with young children, at $7.5 million and $6 million respectively. For housing, the county will allocate $7 million to an affordable housing pipeline and $5 million to assist with manufacturing housing park acquisition and upgrades. Another $11 million is planned for mental health, including mobile response teams, a navigation hub, community grants, vouchers and more.
Slightly more than $9.9 million in ARPA funds remain unallocated in addition to remaining funds available within the county’s 10% administrative allocation and $5 million reserve fund.
The report is available on the county’s ARPA website and includes details of the investments centering on equity.
“Our efforts continue to bridge the work of the county as it moves toward recovery to support community members that historically have been excluded due to systemic racial, social and gender inequalities,” Boulder County Commissioner Martha Loachamin said in a release.
