City Of Louisville: Metro Leaders To Discuss Plans For 2nd Round Of ARP Funding To Boost Public Safety, Affordable Housing And To Reduce ...

Press release from the City of Louisville:

November 04, 2021

Call the LOU HEALTH helpline 502-912-8598.

City officials today will testify before the Metro Council Budget Committee on the proposal to invest $78 million in public safety initiatives and $100 million to boost affordable housing and reduce homelessness, both substantial commitments for inclusion in the second round of American Rescue Plan (ARP) spending.

“It’s critical that we use this second round of funding to address and make investments in some of our city’s most pressing needs,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Thank you to Metro Council for their continued partnership and work to craft the ordinance before the Budget Committee today.”

“Today’s meeting is the next step in the process of allocating local American Rescue Plan funds.  We began by listening to the public, at meetings and through written comments, then set priority areas, and had work groups discuss various ideas within them,” said Metro Council Budget Chair Bill Hollander. “The ordinance filed last week makes recommendations, and the Council is now discussing them. We are all determined to make the best uses of this remarkable opportunity for Louisville.”

These initiatives are included in an ordinance that Mayor Fischer and Council leaders outlined last week, proposing to spend $262.9 million of federal ARP funding on critical initiatives to address challenges in public safety and homelessness, build more affordable housing for the community, continue to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, and recognize the efforts of public employees.

Read more on the proposed ordinance here.

Public Safety:

LMPD Technology: $6 million to LMPD for new equipment and increased storage capacity.

Homelessness and Affordable Housing:

The second-round proposal includes $100 million that would support the city’s plan to address chronic street homelessness and boost affordable housing in the city through immediate, intermediate, and long-term solutions. They include:

Marilyn Harris, Director of the city’s Office of Housing, has said no one solution exists to the city’s homeless and affordable housing challenges, and the proposed ARP-funded initiatives are designed to work in partnership with the others, and with external partners in the city. By beginning with the Safe Outdoor Space pilot project, the city is aligning with the “Housing First” philosophy promoted by the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to quickly and successfully connect those experiencing homelessness to housing without preconditions or barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service participation requirements.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a terrible impact on our city’s most vulnerable and the goal with Safe Outdoor Space is to quickly help those living in unsafe and unhealthy situations on our streets transition into more stable shelter and then put them onto a path to permanent, supportive housing,” said Harris.

Louisville Metro’s Office of Resilience and Community Services is in discussions with service providers about potential wrap-around services – including mental/behavioral health services, recovery services, addiction counseling and employment services – at the site.

Other Metro leaders at the hearing to discuss housing and homelessness include Louisville Forward Co-Chief Jeff O’Brien, Chief of Community Building Keith Talley, and Tameka Laird, Director of the Office of Resilience and Community Services.

Support from external partners:

“The diverse group of thought leaders that were assembled to consider this once-in-a-generation spending on community safety has crafted an innovative and comprehensive plan for Council’s consideration,” said Jennifer Hancock, President and CEO, Volunteers of America. “From more restorative justice programming that can intervene earlier with youth, to a community-based approach to responding to violence, our community has an opportunity to heal and grow in the face of unprecedented violence. Together, with Metro Council, we are committed to achieving the outcomes we all want – a safer community for all.”

“Now is the time for us to invest in a comprehensive public safety strategy that will keep us all safe,” said Anthony Smith, Executive Director, Cities United. “The ARP funding gives us an opportunity to invest in strategies that address the root cause of community violence and strategies that are focused on healing and justice.”

MORE:

Louisville Metro Government has been allocated $388 million in ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, approved by Congress to meet the most urgent needs of communities across the country as they rebuild from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The first round of spending went to COVID-related emergency needs, including $45.2 million for Public Health and eviction prevention, and was approved by Metro Council in June. The ordinance before Council now outlines a second round of spending developed through LMG/Metro Council workgroups. Assuming committee approval, the ordinance could be voted on by the full Council on Nov. 11.

Early next year, after continued coordination and discussion with Metro Council and community partners, Mayor Fischer and Metro leaders will propose an ordinance for additional ARP funding to address workforce development and healthy neighborhoods.

Metro Government continues to monitor developments with the proposed federal Build Back Better and infrastructure legislation, to identify additional opportunities to improve the lives of Louisvillians.

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This press release was produced by the City of Louisville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.