Mayor's Office

This March marks the 2 year anniversary of the passage of The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provided critical resources to Madison at a time we needed them most. ARPA allowed us to bring immediate relief to residents and businesses struggling with the economic falloutof the pandemic, but also to tackle critical issues in new and innovative ways.

Over the course of the pandemic, Madison completely transformed our approach to unsheltered homelessness. Using ARPA dollars, we provided larger and more modern shelters for women, men and families experiencing homelessness and created the city’s first urban campground with

Pallet shelters for people who will not use congregate shelters. As a result, unsheltered homelessness in Madison is down 65%.

ARPA has also funded City of Madison youth employment programming for 900 young people over the last two summers, not only supporting our children and families but also making our community safer. It’s helped members of our community, including undocumented residents and seniors, gain access to services and resources that meet their basic needs. And ARPA allowed us to make grants to small businesses and support neighborhood business districts.

There are so many ways ARPA funds have been critical for our community over the past two years. I am grateful for the leadership of President Biden, Senator Baldwin and Congressman Pocan, who made these investments in the Madison community – and communities across the country – possible. You can learn more about how ARPA dollars have been spent in our community here.