Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams at a press conference on Tuesday
Harrisburg has received millions in COVID relief funds, and now Mayor Wanda Williams said that she wants to see it allocated—and soon.
On Tuesday, Williams held a press conference to call out City Council, which has yet to vote on her proposed plan to spend the bulk of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
“We put a $42.7 million plan in front of council last May,” she said. “And I want to make sure that the residents understand that it’s been a year. All the people of Harrisburg have done is wait.”
Williams first announced her proposed plan in May 2022, which includes allocations for affordable housing, a spray park and home repair and tree removal services for low-income and elderly residents, among other items. She has proposed using $42.7 million of the city’s total $47 million share of funds.
In June 2022, council voted to use about $15.6 million of the ARPA funds to replace the HVAC system in Harrisburg’s Public Safety Building, to give one-time bonuses to uniformed personnel in the Harrisburg Fire Bureau and Bureau of Police and to reimburse the city for lost revenue during COVID.
In March, city officials presented a proposal to council to use another $28.1 for the affordable housing, spray park and other items. In April, council held three town hall meetings to hear from residents on the city’s proposed use of the funds.
“We are tired of waiting,” Williams said. “That’s why I’m calling on council president [Danielle] Bowers to put this American Rescue Plan money up for a vote the first chance she gets.”
Williams said that she receives calls from residents every day asking about the ARPA funds and how to apply for the various programs.
She also expressed concern over the amount of time left to spend the funds. Under ARPA guidelines, the city must allocate the money by the end of 2024 and spend the money by the end of 2026.
“When you consider the months-long process of contracting, consulting and public bidding, we are pushing up against a deadline we never thought we would have to consider,” Williams said.
Council has the ARPA plan on their work session agenda for discussion on Tuesday night. They will then need to add the proposal to a future legislative session for a vote.
For more information, visit Harrisburg’s website.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
