News Story

City of Alameda highlights local investments on the one year anniversary of the passage of the American Rescue Plan

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), historic legislation that allows the City of Alameda to directly invest $28.6 million into our community. This funding is addressing the critical needs of our residents and driving Alameda’s economic recovery.

“The ARPA relief money that the City of Alameda received was a lifeline during the pandemic and continues to provide resources to address the immediate needs of our residents, businesses, and nonprofits, as well as long-standing social and economic inequities,” said Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft.

The City’s ARPA spending plan is focused on addressing housing, homelessness, and behavioral/mental health; investing and building broadband infrastructure; providing household and local small business assistance; and supplementing revenue loss – all with an emphasis on those in our community who were and continue to be disproportionality impacted by the pandemic.

Working with community leaders and the City Council, the City of Alameda has put into place plans to use ARPA funding for:

• The Midway Shelter of Alameda: ARPA funds will replace three portable units that house the kitchen/community room, staff/children’s room, and a 25-bed dormitory at this shelter for women and children suffering from homelessness and domestic violence.
• The Alameda Food Bank: ARPA funds will repair the Food Bank’s disbursement facility and will keep volunteers dry, warm, and out of the elements.
• Wireless Hotspot Lending Program: ARPA funds will help bridge the digital divide for families by providing wireless hotspots lent out at the Alameda Free Library at no cost to borrowers. The lending program allows students, parents, teachers, and families working and studying remotely to access a free and reliable internet connection.
• Transitional Housing: ARPA funds, along with other grant funding, will be used to build and operate a 46-unit modular housing project for individuals who are formerly homeless.
• Emergency Supportive Housing: ARPA funds will be used to operate an emergency homeless housing program that will provide emergency housing for up to six months with wrap-around services to assist each person with individual challenges and locate permanent housing.   
• Feed Alameda: ARPA funds provided funding to Alameda’s local restaurants that were hit the hardest during the pandemic, who in turn provided hot meals to individuals who are unhoused and others who are food insecure. The program was initially launched with community support and was able to continue using ARPA funds.
• Commercial Streets: ARPA funds supported the survival of Alameda’s small businesses and the health and safety of people who live, work, and visit Alameda through the creation of an on-street parklet program, reconfiguring the main streets in our two downtown districts, and implementing parking improvements.

This June, the City will receive another round of critical ARPA funding, and will educate and engage the community about additional relief programs funded by ARPA that will improve lives in Alameda.