GOVERNMENT
2022 HEALTH CARE EDITION
Two years in, Austin has spent hundreds of millions on COVID 19 aid Austin has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on COVID-19 support since February 2020, and o cials are still spending millions more to address lingering public health needs and general commu- nity services. A signi cant portion—more than $286 mil- BY BEN THOMPSON FEDERAL FUNDING City leaders are using nearly $190 million from one of the federal government’s most signi cant COVID-19 relief packages, the American Rescue Plan Act, on various public health and economic e orts linked to the pandemic. The funds must be used by the end of 2024. FY 2020-21 allocations FY 2021-22 allocations FY 2020-21 spent or encumbered * $6M Total
$0M $248,194
Emergency response
lion—of the funds have come from various federal programs and relief packages including the Coro- navirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, could still reimburse nearly $100 million. However, the city could foot up to $150 million. That money is directly tied to sta responding to the pandemic and will likely have to be sup- ported by city dollars without federal reimburse- ment, according to o cials. The city has also set aside tens of millions of dollars through 2022 and beyond to manage the pandemic. Council voted to approve $41.91 million in pandemic-related contracts with various orga- nizations June 9 and extend its contract for an isolation center for up to $744,000. While much of the spending has been directly focused on the pandemic, city o cials have said
$4.95M
$11.7M Total
Homelessness
$83.6M
$18.08M
Economic support
$36.7M Total
$10.68M
$3.04M
Medical and public
$39.8M Total
health needs $0M
Total allocations for
Total allocations for
2020-21: $94.2M
2021-22: $94.28M
*ASSIGNED TO A PROJECT BUT NOT SPENT
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
food access and workforce development. More than half of Austin’s ARPA allotment was directed to homelessness last spring, with just under $5 million spent so far. Much of the remain- der is expected to go out this year through larger contracts for housing and supportive services.
they are also aiming the “historic” amount of federal ARPA dollars received at many other eco- nomic, health and safety initiatives. City Council voted June 9 to appropriate the remaining $94.28 million of the city’s $188.5 million for other work, including support for the city’s creative sector,
40 WATERFRONT LOTS FOR SALE
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JUNE 2022
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