LYNN — An update regarding the implementation of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was presented at the last City Council meeting.
Through ARPA, the City of Lynn received approximately $75.13M in federal relief funding. At the time of the meeting, on Nov. 26, the city had allocated these ARPA funds to 117 projects. Of these projects, 63 were managed by city departments, while 54 were managed by partnering nonprofit organizations that were awarded funds by the city.
Community input was a crucial part of how the city ultimately decided to distribute the ARPA dollars, Lynn Policy Director Danya Smith said.
“We launched an extensive community engagement process to see where the community wanted to see their dollars flow,” Smith said. The process started in 2022, when Mayor Jared Nicholson took office and involved a variety of strategies, such as community meetings and surveys.
The Nov. 26 presentation provided an overview of program outcomes, and an update on where the funding stands. At the time of the meeting, all but approximately $174,506 of the funding had been allocated.
“These dollars have accomplished a lot across a range of different issue areas,” Smith added.
One project highlight included work with the Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC) of Lynn to give 508 grants to small businesses in Lynn, 85% of which were awarded to minority- or women-owned businesses.
Other highlights included work with Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND) to assist more than 500 Lynn renters and homeowners, the creation of more than 560 affordable housing units through various developers, new Department of Public Works (DPW) Vehicles & Equipment, a new Leading through Empowering Opportunities (LEO) Preschool on 156 Broad St., set to open in winter of 2025, and an eviction prevention program with Northeast Legal Aid that helped more than 300 Lynn residents.
Smith also pointed to a handful of new park projects throughout the city as a demonstration of what ARPA funding has enabled. For example, Lynn Woods was recently completed in October, and Kiley Park is set to have its ribbon cutting ceremony this Friday.
“We are excited to have maximized the opportunities presented to us through the ARPA process. We were thoughtful and intentional in determining how to allocate the revenue. We offered many opportunities for public input and worked closely with the City Council,” Mayor Jared Nicholson said. “We are very pleased to have helped more than 500 small businesses, provided more than 500 residents with rental assistance, 400 youth with summer jobs and executed an $18 million upgrade to our parks and playgrounds. We took seriously the charge from the federal government to utilize this funding efficiently and expeditiously and it shows in the final results.”
