AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN

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What is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)?

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was passed by Congress in March 2021 to provide additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.
ARPA funding provides for rental relief, as well as State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). SLFRF can be spent at the discretion of the jurisdiction receiving the funds so funds can best serve local communities. Harris County expects to receive $915M in ARPA funding from the US Treasury, 50% of which has already been received, and 50% of which will be received in June 2022. Funds must be committed by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. For information about the Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, visit the US Treasury website. Commissioners Court unanimously approved guidelines for how the money should be spent, as described in the Judge's Letter. Read the Bill

Other Resources

Eviction Assistance Harris County COVID-19 Hub

Community Engagement

Thank you to all who have shared your views on investment priorities through interviews, webinars, or our public survey. Click below to learn more about our input process.
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Investment

As projects are approved by Commissioners Court, we’ll share information on how ARPA funding is being spent. Investments aim to strengthen our community in an equitable way, both in the short-term and the long-term. Click below to learn more about investments to date. Learn More

Priority Areas

Commissioners Court has set out four clear priorities: Health, Housing, Jobs and Education, and County Operations. Teams are studying opportunities in each area. Priority investment categories are shown below.
Commissioners Court has adopted an Equity Framework to guide project selection, design, implementation, and evaluation. The Equity Framework calls for investments to be made fairly, taking into account who has been most impacted by the pandemic, with community member engagement throughout all project phases.

Treasury Reports

Harris County must prepare and submit an annual Recovery Plan to the U.S. Department of Treasury. Our Treasury reports describe investments advancing initiatives in the priority areas of Health, Housing, Jobs & Education, and County Operations.