Pittsfield Nearing the End of $40M ARPA Program
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In five years, the city has dispersed almost all of the $40.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pittsfield has a year-end deadline to spend the last $400,000. Special Project Manager Gina Armstrong said if remaining projects conclude as planned, she will deliver a final report in July.
"Which is really hard to believe," she said to the City Council on Tuesday.
"In a way, it feels like we just started planning the use of the funds, and here we are. We're really measuring the impact, which is significant in just a broad scope of investments for the city."
In 2021, Pittsfield was awarded $40,602,779 to be spent on public health, addressing negative economic impacts, infrastructure, and revenue replacement. Some of that money also went to administrative expenses.
Funds for public health, $4.7 million, and infrastructure, $5.9 million, have been fully expended. As of March 31, $39,612,438 was spent on 84 projects; 95 percent of them are complete.
Armstrong said this funding had a significant impact on the availability of affordable housing and support services for people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Housing projects saw an $8.6 million ARPA investment, creating 84 affordable units, seven single-family homes that are in progress, and the Housing Resource Center at The First.
The Westside Legends received more than $375,000 for two single-family homes at 17 South Church St. and 34 Daniels Ave. with a revolving loan program. The Church Street home, which is on the market, needed a full interior renovation and some exterior work.
Pittsfield's Affordable Housing Trust was granted more than $981,000 to disperse to partner organizations: Westside Legends, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, and Hearthway.
Heathway's ARPA funding supported lead abatement, window replacement, and porch renovation at 18 George St., which has six units. The funding also supported the development of several homes by Habitat for Humanity.
The Housing Resource Center was a $4.6 million ARPA investment and opened in February. The 7,700 square foot center in the basement of the Zion Church offers public restrooms and showers, a quiet room, warmth, staff to connect them with resources, laundry machines, and lockers.
There were also nine studio units constructed within the church building, which are occupied.
Pittsfield had an update meeting with Hearthway and ServiceNet, which operates the Housing Resource Center, and learned that an average of 50 people visit the space every day, and it is going "very, very well."
The only remaining open city project is the Old Town Hall HVAC installation, expected to be completed in the next month, so that the Pittsfield Police Department can use the space.
The schools saw a $3.6 million ARPA investment for heating and HVAC systems, as well as the track and backdrop at Taconic High School. The Fire Department was allocated $468,000 for Jaws of Life equipment and improvements to four stations.
"These were really important following the pandemic," Armstrong explained about the HVAC improvements.
"We wanted to make sure we were really addressing air quality issues at the time."
Tags: ARPA, housing,
