County reports ARPA spending progress; revolving loan fund fully deployed, Vallejo navigation center and 47-unit Broadway Village near opening

Solano County staff reported to the Board of Supervisors that nearly three-quarters of the county’s ARPA Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds have been spent or obligated and that locally administered recovery projects remain on track to meet federal expenditure deadlines.

At the board meeting, county project managers said 61 ARPA projects had been recorded to the U.S. Treasury, with roughly $62–63 million of about $87 million disbursed as of the last quarterly report. “We have over $62,000,000… almost $63,000,000 of that 80 [sic] nearly 87,000,000 that we received that was spent,” Principal Management Analyst Megan Richards told the board.

Revolving loan fund: Chris Rico, president and CEO of the Solano County Economic Development Corporation, reported the county’s revolving loan fund — created with ARPA support — had fully deployed its available capital to local businesses. “I’m pleased to report that we have loaned out all the money,” Rico said, and thanked partner organizations including the Small Business Development Center, Valley Strong, Travis Credit Union and local chambers of commerce. A video shown to the board featured small-business owners describing loans that funded equipment, inventory and safety upgrades.

Vallejo navigation center and Broadway Village: Natalie Peterson, assistant to the Vallejo city manager, updated the board on two city projects funded in part by county ARPA dollars.

- Vallejo Navigation Center: Peterson said the 1937 Broadway navigation center provides 125 shelter beds for adults and will be operated by 5 Keys Schools and Programs under a contract the Vallejo City Council approved June 3. The city expects to open the navigation center by the end of June and hold a ribbon cutting on June 23. Peterson said 15 percent of beds (about 19) are dedicated to countywide referrals through Resource Connect Solano, and the remainder will serve Vallejo encampment populations. Partners for operations and funding include Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, North Bay Health, HUD and the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

- Broadway Village: The 2441 Broadway project is a 47-unit permanent supportive housing development that Peterson said is at 99 percent completion, with elevator inspections and a temporary certificate of occupancy pending. The city expects move-ins in July and a 90-day lease-up window. Firm Foundation Community Housing is the developer; Shelter Inc. will operate the property. The city reported project-based vouchers from the local housing authority will provide operational support.

Other ARPA items: Richards told the board the county met the December 31, 2024 obligation deadline and that three projects had been canceled and reallocated before the obligation deadline. She said 23 projects were fully expended and 35 remained in progress, with several expected to be complete by the end of the fiscal year as contracts close. She also noted a housing trust fund loan to Prospera Homestead with units opening a wait list the same day as the meeting.

Board discussion and next steps: Supervisors asked about program sustainability — notably the Vallejo navigation center’s operations — and were told the city has about two years of operational funding and will pursue other grants and general-fund options for continued operations. The board asked that staff track expiring contracts carefully to ensure remaining ARPA funds are spent before the federal deadline (December 31, 2026). County staff said they maintain a line‑item tracking spreadsheet and will return to the board if reallocations are needed.

End note: The board received the presentation and asked staff to continue monitoring expenditures and report back in the recovery-plan update required in July.