The Atlanta City Council divvied up $170 million in federal coronavirus relief funds Monday.
The funds come from the American Rescue Plan, the latest pandemic relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in March. The council voted Monday afternoon on how it will allocate the money.
Of the $170.9 million, which will be sent to the city in two batches, $123 million will help Atlanta offset the pandemic’s fiscal impact on the city’s budget following revenue reductions.
Roosevelt Council, the mayor’s chief financial officer, told the City Council’s Finance and Executive Committee last month that the city is expecting a $38 million revenue shortfall and a $16 million deficit from expenses in the current fiscal year 2021 budget.
Almost $16 million will go toward the city’s COVID-19 response, including $3.25 million for IT, procurement and grants and $7.5 million for public safety and violence prevention.
The remainder of the funds, $42.2 million, will be directed toward addressing the economic impacts of the pandemic. According to the city, $20 million will go to small businesses and nonprofits, $3.5 toward affordable housing and $2 million to fight food insecurity.
Here’s a full breakdown of how Atlanta plans to spend its COVID relief funds:
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