ARPA dollars headed to housing project, other City programs

Published on September 29, 2022

Millions of dollars pledged to Fort Worth through the American Rescue Plan Act will be spent on helping a deeply affordable housing project, the Tarrant Area Food Bank expansion and a gun violence prevention program.

The three projects are among several proposed to spend a remaining nearly $49.4 million in federal monies. The City Council approved the proposed allocations Sept. 27.

The City Council has already approved projects totaling just under $120.4 million.

The City is receiving more than $173.7 million in ARPA funds.

Among some of the areas included in this last spending round include $8 million for the 288-unit Tobias Place housing development, $3.2 million to the Food Bank to help buy an 80,000-square-foot facility to double its capacity, and $4.4 million to the United Way One Second Collaborative to a gun violence prevention program for the Police Department.

More than $3.4 million will be spent on COVID-19 health claims for police and fire employees.

In addition, $16 million will be spent on streetlights and pedestrian safety across the city, $2.5 million on Cobb and Highland Hills parks, $1.5 million to the Fort Worth Zoo, $200,000 to Texas Wesleyan University for public utility work and $5 million to Texas A&M’s planned downtown campus.

Nearly $7.9 million will be used for improvements, including Americans With Disabilities Act compliance, at Will Rogers Memorial Center.

City staff vetted an extensive list of recommendations for the remaining money after input from the City Council.

The American Rescue Plan Act puts $350 billion at the state, local, territorial and tribal government levels in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaces lost revenue for governments.

See how Fort Worth is spending its share.

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