American Rescue Plan Act

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American Rescue Plan Act

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The money available for residents and local initiatives is unlike any previous federal program. It gives us a chance to improve lives, solve problems, and profoundly change efforts city government is making to address our challenges in a manner that puts racial equity and inclusion front and center.

The City of Milwaukee has been allocated approximately $394.2 million in direct ARPA assistance.

It is the city’s goal to use the funds to enable the city and community to recover from the pandemic, address the needs of residents, families and neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic, and put our city on a path to a strong, inclusive and equitable recovery.

How can the funds be used?

The funds may be used to:

  • Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services up to the amount of revenue lost due to the pandemic
  • Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, by supporting the health of communities, and helping households, small businesses, impacted industries, nonprofits, and the public sector recover from economic impacts
  • Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors
  • Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, to support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand affordable access to broadband internet

Additional information about the American Rescue Plan’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program is available on the US Treasury website.

Funding Highlights

The city received an initial allocation of $197.1 million in 2021 and will receive a second allocation of $197.1 million in 2022. The projects funded with the first half of funds build on Milwaukee’s efforts to bring the pandemic under control while addressing the urgent needs of residents, families and neighborhoods hardest hit by the public health emergency. The funds are also intended to create broader economic recovery and drive rebuilding. These priorities are among the many investments that will drive equitable recovery from the pandemic. 

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  Affordable Housing

Affordable housing: The City of Milwaukee will increase investments in housing and homeownership programs and prevent the displacement of residents. $1 million to develop net-zero energy homes using advanced building construction, $1.8 million toward eviction prevention support, $4.5 million for existing affordable housing programs, $9 million to complete Westlawn Garden Affordable Housing Project, $15 million to make a historic investment in city property renovations.

  Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education: The City of Milwaukee will ensure children have the opportunities to take important steps toward learning individual skills, talents and attitudes critical to their cognitive, social and emotional development. $1.9 million for Dual Enrollment & Fellowship programs to build diversity in the workforce, $5.1 million to financially aid the Milwaukee Early Childhood workforce.

  Health and Safety

Health and Safety: The City of Milwaukee will strengthen and expand services to support the health, safety and well-being of residents and neighborhoods most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. $26 million for the improvement of lead abatement across the city, $15 million to continue responding and adapting to COVID-19 pandemic, $3 million to invest in the City’s Office of Violence Prevention to address significant increases in crime, $10 million for improvements to street lighting, $2.3 million to beautify neighborhoods through the Big Clean Initiative, $7.1 million toward comprehensive reckless driving prevention effort.

  Workforce Development

Workforce development: The City of Milwaukee will connect workers with family supporting jobs and career opportunities. $3 million to support Employ Milwaukee in training for career opportunities in lead abatement and energy efficiency, $1.3 million to continue funding the 2022 Earn & Learn Summer Youth Program.

Funding Plan Dashboard

View common council approved funding allocations by priority area and project.

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Spending Dashboard

Review spending through March 31, 2022 by priority area and project.

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Reports

January 2022 Project and Expenditure Report

2021 City of Milwaukee Recovery Plan Performance Report 

2021 City of Milwaukee Interim Report

Funding Allocation Actions

February 8, 2022 - Common Council File 211526: Resolution relating to the adjustment of allocations for the first tranche of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

November 5, 2021 – 2022 Budget Adoption: Amendments 20C and 20D of the 2022 adopted city budget reallocated American Rescue Plan Act funds originally allocated in Common Council File 210894.

October 21, 2021 – Common Council File 210894: Substitute resolution relating to the appropriation of the remainder of the first tranche of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

September 21, 2021 - Common Council File 210792: Substitute resolution relating to the appropriation of American Rescue Plan Act funds for a Reckless Driving Initiative - Police Department as set forth in the City of Milwaukee Stronger Summer Plan.

September 21, 2021 - Common Council File 210745: Substitute resolution relating to the appropriation of American Rescue Plan Act funds for a Reckless Driving Initiative - Department of Public Works as set forth in the City of Milwaukee Stronger Summer Plan.

September 21, 2021 - Common Council File 210743: Substitute resolution relating to the appropriation of American Rescue Plan Act funds for a Milwaukee emergency medical services augmentation project as set forth in the City of Milwaukee Stronger Summer Plan.

September 21, 2021 - Common Council File 210738: Resolution relating to the appropriation of American Rescue Plan Act funds for eviction prevention - Milwaukee right to counsel as set forth in the City of Milwaukee Stronger Summer Plan.

July 13, 2021 - Mayor Barrett’s Milwaukee Recovery and Resilience Plan (El Plan del Alcalde Tom Barrett para la Resiliencia y Recuperación de Milwaukee - Español) In the fall of 2021, the common council appropriated funds for a portion of the projects included in the plan, also referred to as the City of Milwaukee Stronger Summer Plan, through the common council files listed above. Not all of the projects included in the plan were ultimately funded.

June 15, 2021 - Common Council File 210268: Substitute resolution authorizing acceptance of an American Rescue Plan Act grant and allocating $3.8 million to fund the Earn and Learn Program.

Public Engagement Efforts

Public Survey

Prior to appropriating its American Rescue Plan Act funds, the City of Milwaukee administered a public survey, available in English, Spanish, and Hmong to identify the funding priorities of survey respondents in the areas of housing access, eviction prevention, internet access, early childhood education, economic and workforce development, infrastructure and transportation, public health, and public safety. The survey results provide a summary of the top priorities for survey respondents overall, as well as breakdowns for city residents and responses by ZIP code.

 

Public Meetings

The City of Milwaukee has held a variety of public hearings, meetings, and information sessions to gather feedback on funding priorities and provide the community with updates on the funding allocation process.

November 30, 2021 – American Rescue Plan Act Community Update (View a recording of the meeting)

September 23, 2021 – Public Engagement Meeting (View a recording of the meeting)

August 19, 2021 - Public information session on the American Rescue Plan (View a recording of the information session)

July 19, 2021 - Mayor Barrett's Recovery & Resilience Plan Presentation (View a recording of the meeting)(View the presentation slides)

May 27, 2021 – Bilingual Public Hearing

May 26, 2021 – Finance & Personnel Committee Public Hearing (View a recording of the hearing)(View the Budget Office presentation slides)

May 17, 2021 – MKE Virtual Collaborative Urban Investment Town Hall Meeting (View a recording of the meeting)

May 12, 2021 – Mayor’s Information Session (View the presentation slides)

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