Guide to Local Recovery Update: April 6

Support is needed for a federal bill that protects and expands the use of American Rescue Plan Act dollars; the U.S. Department of the Treasury has released an updated reporting guide for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program; federal agencies have provided new resources for infrastructure programs; the National League of Cities has released new resources for the federal infrastructure law; and the White House has launched one-stop-shop for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, treatments, and masks.

Bipartisan bill protects and expands the use of ARPA dollars for cities

A bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill that protects and expands the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars for cities is advancing through Congress. The League of California Cities has been working for nearly a year with Sen. Padilla and the National League of Cities (NLC) to advance greater flexibility in the use of ARPA funding, and the inclusion of the expanded eligible use of funds is a huge win for cities.

If signed into law, the bill would give cities expanded authority to use a portion of their ARPA recovery funds for transportation, Community Development Block Grant activities, and disaster response. The bill does not reclaim any already distributed funding for states and local governments. It also allows small and disadvantaged communities to better leverage federal infrastructure dollars and simplifies compliance during emergencies like natural disasters.

Cal Cities and NLC are asking city officials to contact their senators and representatives and voice their support for the $10 billion COVID response bill, which the Senate is expected to vote on when senators return from a two-week recess.

U.S. Transportation Department releases anticipated funding opportunity dates and resources; announces $1.96 billion in funding for transit projects in California

The U.S. Department of Transportation has released a list of anticipated dates for several funding opportunities authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Of particular note for cities is the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program, which will open in May. The program supports local initiatives that prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets, commonly referred to as ‘‘Vision Zero.’’ 

Other upcoming opportunities include funding for transit in mixed-use developments, bridges, railroad crossing eliminations, and culvert repair. 

The Transportation Department will hold two explanatory webinars on the recently announced common application, one on April 7 and another on April 12. Known as the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity, the application allows cities to apply for three grants with one application when broader gains, including across multiple transit modes, can be shown.

The April 12 webinar is targeted at communities with areas of persistent poverty and historically disadvantaged communities. Participants will be able to ask questions throughout both webinars. 

The Transportation Department also announced that California will receive  $1.96 billion for infrastructure projects as part of the federal spending package, the second-highest amount for any state. The funding is directed at 23 "urbanized areas" throughout the state and can be spent on new buses and railcars, repair backlogs, fleet modernization, and new technologies that address climate change.

New ARPA reporting guidance

The U.S. Department of the Treasury released an updated reporting guide for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program, which was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act. The updated guide includes information on how to navigate the Treasury Department’s reporting portal and how to access its Project and Expenditure Report templates. 

This guide also provides detailed instructions to help recipients submit the following information: 

• Project data
• Subrecipient, beneficiary, or contractor data
• Subaward or direct payment data
• Expenditure data

The updated guide should be used in conjunction with the Compliance and Reporting Guidance, which contains relevant information and guidance on the reporting requirements.

New federal broadband subsidy program available for residents

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit program has been replaced by the Affordable Connectivity Program, which many cities relied on to increase broadband access. Funded by the federal infrastructure package, the program provides enrolled qualifying households with a $30 monthly discount on broadband service.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

• Participates in certain assistance programs, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), or Lifeline.
• Participates in tribal-specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance.
• Participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program.
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program.

Subsidies for participating households are paid directly to broadband providers, who then discount subscribers’ monthly bills.

The FCC’s website includes an outreach kit and a list of participating providers. (Local broadband providers can still enroll in the program.) Data on current enrollment levels by county and ZIP code is also available.

National League of Cities releases new federal infrastructure law resources

The National League of Cities (NLC) has released several resources for cities, including a detailed review of the Transportation Department’s common application. NLC is also hosting an April 14 webinar on upcoming workforce development funding opportunities from the Departments of Labor and Transportation. The webinar is part of NLC’s "Ready to Rebuild: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Webinar Series” series. 

NLC is also seeking feedback on the challenges and success cities have faced using their APRA dollars. The feedback will inform the organization’s future activities and will be shared with relevant federal agencies. 

New, centralized federal resource for vaccines, tests, treatments, and masks

The White House has announced new resources to help local leaders navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID.gov is a one-stop shop that helps people access vaccines, tests, treatments, and high-quality masks. The website is available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese and is accessible to those using assistive technologies. The information is also accessible through the National Hotline at 1-800-232-0233, which supports over 150 languages.

As part of COVID.gov, the Administration also launched Test-to-Treat, a locator tool that helps people access oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19. There are over 2,000 Test-to-Treat locations nationwide, including pharmacy-based clinics, federally-qualified community health centers, long-term care facilities, Veterans Affairs clinics, and Indian Health Service facilities.

Broadband technical assistance webinars

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is hosting several webinars in connection with the six new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the federal infrastructure spending package. The series will cover the agency’s various broadband programs and help applicants to prepare high-quality grant applications. The April 27 webinar will focus on digital equity and inclusion.