By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
At its meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 19, Toledo City Council will review Mayor Kapszukiewicz’s proposed plan for spending $180.9 million under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The city received half of the ARPA funding last May and the other half is expected in May of 2022. ARPA funds must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
The Mayor’s plan organizes purposes for the funds under five categories: Avoiding Cuts to City Services; Green & Healthy Housing; Job Creation & Economic Development; Safe & Livable Neighborhoods; and Youth, Recreation, & Parks. The plan designates funding for individual programs and projects but is limited in terms of specific details.
While interim guidance has been issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the expected final guidance specifying how ARPA funding can be spent has not yet been issued. City Council could vote on the proposal as early as its meeting on October 26, however it is expected to hold committee hearings to further review the plan and hold a vote at a later session.
ARPA funding is intended to assist communities in their response to the public health emergency and its negative economic impacts. The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce has encouraged regional leaders to focus these funds on purposes that create future revenue streams, address identified economic development needs, improve quality of life and reduce burdens on tax and rate payers, and target one-time cost projects.
Toledo City Council meetings and hearings can be attended in person and are held in Council Chambers at One Government Center located in downtown Toledo. Sessions can also be viewed via video on the on the city's website.
Toledo Recovery Plan proposed allocations
While interim guidance has been issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the expected final guidance specifying how ARPA funding can be spent has not yet been issued. City Council could vote on the proposal as early as its meeting on October 26, however it is expected to hold committee hearings to further review the plan and hold a vote at a later session.
ARPA funding is intended to assist communities in their response to the public health emergency and its negative economic impacts. The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce has encouraged regional leaders to focus these funds on purposes that create future revenue streams, address identified economic development needs, improve quality of life and reduce burdens on tax and rate payers, and target one-time cost projects.
Toledo City Council meetings and hearings can be attended in person and are held in Council Chambers at One Government Center located in downtown Toledo. Sessions can also be viewed via video on the on the city's website.
Toledo Recovery Plan proposed allocations
- $1M for covering costs for administration of the city’s ARPA funding.
- $72.3M for projected revenue loss recovery due to impacts of COVID-19 through 2024.
- $8.6M for one-time premium pay for City employees deemed essential workers during 2020.
- $10M for replacing 3,000 private lead lines and public lead lines where co-located with private lines.
- $10M for at least 500 new affordable housing units for seniors, the unhoused, and young people.
- $4M for grants to help make residential properties code compliant.
- $6M for clean-up, demolition, and redevelopment of brownfield sites.
- $5.2M for water and sewer updates in the Uptown Social Innovation District.
- $1M for financial incentives for businesses to provide healthy food options in food deserts.
- $2.5M for support to arts, cultural, and tourism organizations via an agreement with Toledo Area Cultural Leaders.
- $0.5M to help bring vacant first-floor commercial spaces up to code and prepare them for customization and occupancy by a business.
- $4M for demolition of blighted residential and commercial buildings.
- $1.5M for neighborhood blight removal with funds targeted at dumping and alley cleanup.
- $0.5M for lighting improvements in neighborhoods for enhancing public safety.
- $2.3M for gun violence reduction in neighborhoods with highest instances.
- $2M for investments in new and updated safety cameras.
- $1M for safety improvements for vehicle traffic and pedestrians.
- $3M for upgrades to senior centers and community centers.
- $2.5M for replacement of unsafe and damaged sidewalks.
- $2M to help mental health providers respond to impacts of COVID-19 via an agreement with Mental Health & Recovery Services Board.
- $0.5M for tree canopy restoration via an agreement with Metroparks Toledo.
- $19M for a new Wayman Palmer YMCA facility.
- $12M for improvements to recreational facilities and playground equipment.
- $6M for increased youth programming to promote healthy living and address youth violence.
- $2.5M for seed money for universal pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds.
- $1M to open a Glass City Metropark Resource Center in the Garfield neighborhood.
 | Tim Schneider As Manager for Local Government Advocacy, Tim Schneider advocates for local policies and laws that safeguard and foster a pro-business environment in the Toledo Region. Tim has more than 10 years of legislative and public policy experience with the local, state and federal levels of government. |
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