Council hears ARPA quarterly report outlining housing and infrastructure investments

Gina Armstrong, Special Project Manager, delivered the quarterly ARPA update for the period ending Sept. 30, 2024, reporting $25,613 expended in the quarter and $40,602 obligated on the financial summary slide. Armstrong told councilors that the city has $9.2 million in ARPA grant agreements across 37 community partners and had expended approximately $6.3 million through Sept. 30.

She summarized completed and ongoing projects: income‑qualifying water meter installations ($195,000 invested, serving 113 low‑income households); $1.2 million Cleveland water treatment plant upgrades; upgrades at fire stations; HVAC projects for school buildings; and library repairs and repaving. Armstrong highlighted three housing projects: First Street Apartments (renovation at Zion Lutheran Church, ARPA allocation $1.5 million toward a multi‑partner project creating 9 micro‑units for people experiencing homelessness), First Street Housing Resource Center (ARPA allocation $4.6 million for shelter and services including commercial kitchen, showers and laundry), and West Housatonic micro‑apartments (ARPA allocation $300,000 toward a $1.7 million project, providing 28 permanent micro‑apartments and on‑site supportive services).

Councilors asked detailed questions about reconciling ARPA report numbers with federal filings, the definition and typical size of a "micro apartment," disbursement timing for projects such as Roots Rising on Parker Road, and higher construction costs for Pontusick Lake (Armstrong said the contract with Western Earthworks was approximately $966,000 and ARPA will pay a portion of that cost). Armstrong acknowledged there were timing differences between local reporting and federal submissions and said reconciliation would occur in the next reporting cycle.

On a motion, the council accepted the presentation and placed the ARPA report on file unanimously.