The Los Angeles Post

American Rescue Plan Fuels LA County Recovery With $975 Million in Community-Focused Phase One Investments

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Seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape and rebuild Los Angeles County as it emerges from a devastating pandemic, the Board of Supervisors today approved a $975 million American Rescue Act (ARP) Phase One spending plan that invests federal recovery funds in hard-hit communities and advances a broad range of innovative, equity-focused programs.

The plan invests heavily—and directly—in hard-hit disadvantaged communities and in programs to address entrenched challenges ranging from homelessness and poverty to the unique needs of immigrants, small businesses, justice-involved individuals, and survivors of trauma, including domestic violence and hate crimes.

Highlights include:

  • More than $468 million for housing and related services for people experiencing homelessness, for services to prevent people falling into homelessness, and for development of affordable housing.
  • More than $290 million in direct community investments and partnerships with community-based organizations.
  • More than $89 million to expand the system of care and reduce reliance on incarceration; support justice-focused community organizations; create jobs for justice-involved individuals; and address trauma and violence in communities. This ARP funding includes $47.1 million for Care First, Jails Last programs, which will augment $100 million in additional County funding for Care First and Community Investments (also known as Measure J investments.)
  • $12.5 million to support immigrants and immigrant-focused community-based organizations that provide a broad range of services, including legal representation, wealth-building assistance and organizational capacity building—in addition to a broad range of other ARP-funded assistance, from nutrition to childcare to health outreach, intended to benefit immigrant and other high-need communities.
  • $70 million for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits hit hard by the pandemic.

The plan is based on three strategic pillars that reflect the Board of Supervisors’ priority to invest in a “Better Than Before” recovery in Los Angeles County. The strategic pillars are Equity-Focused Investments, Building A Bridge to an Equitable Recovery and Fiscal Stability and Social Safety Net.

The funding represents Phase One of a $1.9 billion allocation under the American Rescue Plan, with the remaining funding to be provided to the County in May 2022. In addition, ARP funding has also been awarded to each of Los Angeles County’s 88 cities, for a grand total of more than $4.5 billion across all jurisdictions.