Plan invests $52.2 million of targeted federal dollars to continue City’s COVID recovery
Budget Chair Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda celebrated the successful passage of the Seattle Rescue Plan 2 by a unanimous 8-0 vote, which builds upon the original Seattle Rescue Plan by allocating an additional $52.2 million of federal funds towards rental assistance, senior support services, and transportation infrastructure.
Chair Mosqueda, Council President M. Lorena González and Mayor Jenny Durkan worked collaboratively on Seattle Rescue Plan 2, along with Councilmember Lisa Herbold who worked on senior care investments, which is made up of targeted federal funds from the federal government that must be spent in certain spending categories.
“As the Delta variant shows, we’re not out of the woods yet when it comes to battling this virus and returning to a new normal. Many Seattle families are still struggling financially and unable to pay their rent, many seniors are still isolated from their loved ones and communities, and our transportation systems struggle with ridership as more businesses push back their return-to-office dates. While these are targeted federal dollars that must be allocated to certain spending categories, I know this latest infusion of $52.2 million will serve our City’s recovery by boosting relief to our most impacted communities,” Mosqueda said.
The legislation includes funding for:
- $28.7 million in rental assistance will go to community-based organizations, United Way of King County, and the Office of Housing to provide rental assistance, other housing related costs including internet services, and homelessness prevention services for low-income households.
- $7.8 million to seniors for supportive services such as transportation, case management, meal delivery, caregiver support, and programs to address the mental health impacts of senior isolation.
- $13.5 million for specific transportation-related projects, including construction of the Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and funding to backfill lost revenues and to support the maintenance and operations of the Streetcar and Monorail.
- $2.2 million to aid McCaw Hall, after a grant was awarded to McCaw Hall for expenses such as payroll, utility, payments, and other businesses expenses such as maintenance costs (predetermined grant from the federal government, Seattle is acting as a pass through).
In June, the Council passed the $128.4 million Seattle Rescue Package, which allocated $49.2 million toward homelessness; $23.5 million to community and small business recovery; $41 million to community well-being; $7 million to community assistance and programming; and $7.6 million to reopening city programs and services.
The City expects to receive an additional $116 million in flexible funds in May 2022.