Rancho Santa Margarita Council To Choose Strategy For ARPA Funds

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — Businesses in Rancho Santa Margarita that were impacted by COVID-19 could see government assistance in the near future. Rancho Santa Margarita City Council will discuss and possibly adopt a grant spending strategy that would put roughly $900,000 into economic stimulation throughout 2021-2022.

The grant money comes from the Americans Rescue Plan Act, signed into law early March of this year. The act is designed to give $1.9 trillion in financial assistance to states, localities and metropolitan areas that have been impacted by COVID-19. Of this $1.9 trillion, Rancho Santa Margarita received roughly $4.7 million.

At Wednesday's meeting, council members will decide how to spend it.

According to the staff report, approximately $900,000 of ARPA grant funds would go toward stimulating the local economy. This means that shopping centers, nonprofits and other businesses could receive government support services to help bolster their business and promote local employment rates.

If the ARPA spending strategy is approved by council members, grant funds will also go into the public health sector, government building and software updates, revenue replacement and administration.

Rancho Santa Margarita City Council meets 7 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers at 22112 El Paseo.