City Council hearing begins process for federal recovery funds allocation
ARPA funding to support economic recovery and community goals
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I — Some $386 million in federal ARPA funds have been allocated to help the City and County of Honolulu recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Two City Council Committees launched a discussion Thursday about current needs in the community and how best to build more resilience in the local economy.
“We had the opportunity to listen and learn, as well as find solutions that can support our island communities,” said Esther Kiaʻāina, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Housing and the Economy. “We can and will assist our residents in immediate need, but we also have a once-in-a lifetime opportunity with these funds to transform our economy and address long-standing inequities on our island. This investment should be guided by input from the community.”
Council Chair Tommy Waters’ Executive Management Committee and Council Vice Chair Kiaʻāina’s Committee on Housing and the Economy organized a concurrent meeting focused on learning from past experiences to develop a clear and strategic ARPA fund allocation plan. The Council was briefed on several reports that detailed lessons learned from CARES funding spending in 2020, with an intent to improve efficiency and address underlying systemic issues. Anna Stone, one of nine independent community members who served on the City Council’s 2020 Economic Assistance and Revitalization Stakeholder Advisory Group, presented recommendations to target ARPA funds toward modernizing city systems, increasing affordable housing and executing the Oʻahu Resilience Strategy, among other priorities.
“We learned a lot during the past year,” said Councilmember Kiaʻāina. “We created programs to feed our people, including our kūpuna, by supporting local food production and we developed partnerships for job training. We realized how important it is to diversify our economy and support our local farmers — because this isn’t going to be the last time we face challenges.”
Noting that the state’s eviction moratorium lifts in “a few short days,” Chair Waters cited the importance of quickly coming up with a strategy in collaboration with the Blangiardi administration that outlines priorities and guides policies for ARPA spending. The Council invited the administration to continue the discussion in a second meeting focused on developing an ARPA spending strategy on Wednesday, that will again welcome public testimony.
“One of the main things we want to do is, identify the CARES Act funding lessons we learned last year and determine the best ways to allocate this new federal aid and to get the money to the people who need it in a timely manner,” said Waters. “We want to let the community know that their voices will be heard as part of this process, to let them know that we are thinking about what next steps we should be taking and that we’re going to be as transparent and expeditious as possible.”
Link to Aug. 4 agenda
Links to July 29 meeting agenda, reports and presentations
July 29 meeting video
Council Chair's Communication Regarding ARPA Spending Plan
Honolulu City Council Chair and Presiding Officer Tommy Waters represents Council District 4,
which includes Hawaiʻi Kai, Kuliʻouʻou, Niu Valley, ʻĀina Haina, Wailupe, Wai‘alae Iki, Kalani Valley, Kāhala, Wilhelmina Rise, Kaimukī, portions of Kapahulu, Diamond Head, Black Point, Waikīkī and Ala Moana Beach Park. He also serves as Chair of the Council Committee on Executive Management.
Honolulu City Council Vice Chair Esther Kiaʻāina represents Council District 3 which includes ʻĀhuimanu, Heʻeia, Haʻikū, Kāneʻohe, Maunawili, Kailua, Olomana, Enchanted Lake and Waimānalo. She also serves as chair of the Honolulu City Council Committee on Housing and the Economy.
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