BOSTON - Wednesday,
June 30, 2021 - Today, Mayor Janey and the Boston City Council passed the
largest Operating, Capital and Schools budgets in Boston's history. This
budget includes an additional $31.5 million in funding for the emergency
relief plan, building on the previously announced $50 million. In total, the City of Boston has proposed
$81.5 million to support an equitable recovery and reopening for Boston
residents, workers and small businesses in partnership with the City
Council, using funding the City of Boston has received from the federal
government following the passage of the American Rescue Plan. As part of
Mayor Janey’s commitment to an equitable recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic, funding will be allocated to City and community programs and
initiatives, focused on public health, the economy and resources for
individuals hardest hit by the pandemic. Boston expects to receive over
$500 million through the American Rescue Plan to support the City’s
recovery from the pandemic through the end of 2024, with millions in other
federal funds going directly to our schools and rental relief efforts.
Also today, Mayor
Janey’s proposed budgets were passed by the Boston City Council, including
the Fiscal Year 2022 Operating Budget, passing with a 10-2 vote; the
Capital Plan, passing with 12-0 vote; and the Boston Public Schools budget,
passing with a 10-2 vote. Mayor Janey’s previously resubmitted budgets can
be found here.
“The budgets passed
today make Boston stronger, more equitable, and will help every resident
through this year of recovery, reopening, and renewal,” said Mayor Kim
Janey. “I am proud to lead our city with funding priorities that reflect
our shared values. I thank the Boston City Council and the residents of
Boston for their partnership and participation in our Fiscal Year 2022
budgeting process.”
The $81.5 million
emergency relief plan will focus on the following priority areas:
$14 million to
support public health response:
·
$7
million for COVID-19 response including mobile vaccine and testing
operations and outreach
·
$6
million for behavioral health and substance use, including funding for
opioid treatment and services
·
$1
million for maintaining digital access to City services
$32.9 million for
communities most impacted by COVID-19:
·
$22.4
million for investments in affordable housing and housing navigation
services
·
$20
million for acquisition of occupied buildings to prevent displacement
·
$2
million for additional land acquisition opportunities
·
$400,000
for housing navigation assistance and stabilization services
·
$3.5
million for addressing health disparities and social determinants of
health
·
$2.5
million to tackle key gaps in social determinants of health, as outlined by
the Health Inequities Task Force
·
$1
million for community violence intervention programs
·
$2
million for supporting childcare and early learning initiatives
·
$2
million for BPS student and family supports, including additional dollars
for social workers to ensure a full time social worker in every school
·
$2
million for ensuring pedestrian safety through additional support to the
Slow Streets program
·
$500,000
for green building retrofits
·
$500,000
for supporting language access, communications, and evaluation
$18.6 million to
address the economic impact of the pandemic on food access, housing, arts,
culture, and tourism:
·
$4
million for arts and culture, including $3 million for the creative economy
industry to help working artists reopen safely and $1 million to support
other projects and creative professionals across the city
·
$3.1
million for programs strengthening homeownership and supporting individuals
facing housing insecurity
·
$3
million for food access and equity, including initiatives to support
community-based solutions, expand local growing spaces, pilot an affordable
community supported agriculture (CSA) model, provide assistance with
applying to safety-net programs, and destigmatize utilization of food
resources
·
$3
million for expansion of Green Jobs program, building on the $1 million
investment in the FY22 budget
·
$3
million for digital equity and access, including an initiative to integrate
digital literacy training into job training programs to meet labor market
needs and an initiative to expand WiFi in public housing
·
$1
million for basic needs assistance for families not eligible for previous
COVID-19 benefits
·
$1
million to expand reach of All-Inclusive Boston campaign and support the
tourism industry
·
$500,000
for expansion of Young Adult jobs pilot, building on the $300,000
investment in the FY22 budget
$16 million for
small business relief:
·
$8
million to build on previous small business funds and create a new,
flexible grant fund designed to help small businesses cover expenses
related to their reopening, recovery, and growth
·
$7.5
million to meet existing demand for the Commercial Rental Relief Fund,
designed to stabilize small businesses and prevent commercial displacement
due to the pandemic
·
$500,000
for expansion of High Roads Kitchen Restaurant Relief Fund
The allocation of
this immediate funding was guided by the City of Boston’s Equitable
Recovery Coordinating Committee (ERCC), which is being formed to ensure the
equitable and efficient coordination of stimulus resources for the short-
and long-term benefit of Boston residents, with an intentional focus on
those who have been hurt most by the pandemic. The ERCC is steered by City
leadership, with additional representation across City departments and
external stakeholders.
The ERCC will
continue to be informed by residents and community stakeholders. The $81.5
million emergency relief fund represents 15 percent of the overall $500
million federal investment that Boston expects to receive through 2024. The
City of Boston will launch a citywide engagement process and work with the
people of Boston to program the remaining federal funds.
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