How Should Oceanside Use $32M American Rescue Plan Funds?

OCEANSIDE, CA — The City of Oceanside continues to seek community input on how to use the $32.3 million the city will receive in federal funding as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).

The city held two Community Needs Assessment Meetings last week and is holding another meeting on Tuesday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m. at John Landes Recreation Center located at 2855 Cedar Road. Community input will help guide the use of the funds for immediate recovery needs and help maximize the impact in our community.

Community feedback will be used to develop a draft spending plan that carefully considers the use of these one-time resources within the designated time frame, as an investment in the community. Meetings will be held throughout the City to engage directly with residents to assess needs and explore how the funding can best align with local priorities; A translator will be available at each meeting.

• Tuesday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m. at John Landes Recreation Center located at 2855 Cedar Road

• Monday, November 29, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. VIRTUAL MEETING via Zoom

• Thursday, December 9, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. at Bishop Recreation Center located at 5306 N. River Road

Residents, businesses, and community organizations can also provide feedback through a survey. Take the Survey, Spanish: Responde la encuesta

About the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

In March 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which established the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Since the signing of ARPA, City leaders have been intently focused on planning Oceanside initiatives that meet the requirements of the ARPA.
The ARPA funds must be used by December 31, 2024, and all proposals must adhere to the ARPA legislation, which permits specific uses for the funding:

• Support public health expenditures by funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff
• Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic;
• Provide hazard pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have borne and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors; and,
• Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet.

The US Treasury released rules on the use of these funds. Use of Funds Fact Sheet

For more information, please contact the Housing & Neighborhood Services Department at 760-435-3360.

A second community meeting starts tonight at El Corazon...Join us, #Oceanside! https://t.co/29Is7khzXM
— City of Oceanside (@CityofOceanside) November 10, 2021

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