We’re learning more about how the city of Dallas will be spending the latest round of crucial COVID-19 relief money.
The city is getting $377 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act that was just signed by President Joe Biden last month.
During Wednesday’s work session, the city council will go over an extensive presentation from the city’s chief financial officer about how to manage all of that money.
In March, President Biden signed the latest COVID-19 relief bill, worth $1.9 trillion.
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Billions will flow through federal programs to help people with rental assistance, homeless services, emergency housing, food, and mortgage payments. Even airports and transit authorities will get money to help cover operating costs, payroll and PPE during the pandemic.
Billions more are going toward state and local governments, with Texas itself getting nearly more than $27 billion total in fiscal recovery funds.
In North Texas, nearly $900 million will be distributed to cities with Dallas itself getting $377 million.
Dallas has yet to make a firm decision on how it will spend it but they're crafting a battle plan for long-term sustainability, which you can see broken down into different tiers.
In the next six months to a year, the goal is to use it toward immediate relief for public health and safety, helping people in crisis, replacing lost revenue, and taking actions to further fiscal sustainability for the city.
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Longer-term priorities include economic development and infrastructure investment.
Unlike previous relief bills, cities will have until the end of 2024 to spend this money. It will be released in two portions. Dallas will get half the money next month and the other half in 2022.
This latest round of money will also allow cities to use the money to replace any revenue lost during the pandemic and even get reimbursement on vaccine efforts.
This is crucial because this money could help with the budget deficits some city departments like Dallas Fire-Rescue and the hospitality sector are experiencing because of COVID-19.
The city council briefing begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday and can be watched through a live stream by clicking here.
