CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The City of Champaign was among thousands of municipalities to receive money from the American Rescue Plan Act, but researchers at a university are recognizing how it spent the funds.
The New School, a university in New York, published a study Tuesday conducted by its Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy highlighting the city’s use of ARPA funding to support equity among its citizens as a case study.
“Our study shows the positive impact and ripple effects of flexible federal recovery funds when anchored by clear equity guidelines,” Sarah Treuhaft, a report co-author, said. “Leading cities are demonstrating that centering equity throughout the process and engaging with the most-impacted communities results in investments that drive transformative change.”
Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen said the city used their ARPA funds to accelerate the progress in their long-planned project in Garden Hills after hearing from residents.
“It is an honor for the City of Champaign to be recognized by the Institute’s Budget Equity Project and to be highlighted as a featured case study,” Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen said. “I am proud of the intentional work Champaign did to engage with our residents while determining the most impactful ways in which we could use our ARPA funds.”
“This project will have a transformative impact on the Garden Hills neighborhood for generations to come, and it is rewarding to see this project highlighted by the Institute,” she added.
ARPA provided $130 billion in funding for cities and counties across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic to use for relief along with longer-term, transformational investments.
The full report can be found on the Institute’s website.
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