Ensuring an equitable and prosperous recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is the city’s top priority. To do that, we need your help. Get involved today to help set the city’s priorities for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. To get the conversation started, please join us for a Virtual Forum on ARPA Funding on Wednesday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m.

In March, President Biden signed ARPA into law. This $1.9 trillion package is intended to combat the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. ARPA allocates hundreds of billions of dollars nationally for public health and vaccines, assistance for vulnerable populations, education and housing stabilization, economic recovery assistance, and direct assistance for families and individuals. 

Somerville will receive more than $77 million dollars in Local Relief Funds from ARPA. The Virtual ARPA Forum will begin our community-wide discussion exploring how Somerville can use this once-in-a-generation investment of federal funds. The city has engaged the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s community engagement team to facilitate a range of conversations to be sure we hear from the full community. Focus groups with residents, outreach to local business owners, listening sessions with residents and community leaders, input gathering from nonprofits, a community survey supported by a multilingual team of outreach workers, and more will follow. 

To learn more about ARPA in Somerville, visit our project website at somervillema.gov/ARPA or watch this video of a presentation to the City Council. In the future, you can sign up for updates, register for forums and engagement events, learn more about ARPA, and take the ARPA spending survey.     

ARPA Virtual Forum: Wednesday, October 27, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.  

Join online, call in from any phone, or livestream. Visit somervillema.gov/virtualtownhall at the start time of the meeting for the online link or the call-in number. Or, call 311 (617-666- 3311) for the meeting call-in number. Closed captioning in English and interpretation into Spanish will be provided. Other Questions? Please reach out to: Erica Satin-Hernandez, ARPA Specialist at eshernandez@somervillema.gov   

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Nancy Bacci at 617-625-6600 x 2250 or nbacci@somervillema.gov.