cityofboston.gov - Official Web Site of the City of Boston - Thomas M. Menino, Mayor

Benefits for Boston

How much funding will the City receive?

The City will receive funds through four channels: direct appropriation from the federal government, competitive grants from the federal government, bond tools from the federal government and competitive grants from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Through ARRA, Boston has been allocated nearly $300 million in formula and competitive grants as well as bond placements. City officials expect to receive are awaiting decisions on several competitive grants that represent significant resources in the near future to help fund future capital projects.

Funding from ARRA is allocated primarily for a variety of capital, maintenance, and infrastructure projects throughout the City of Boston. Based on guidance from the federal government, certain portions of the funding may be used for targeted programming as well as personnel retention in specific City departments. However, the one-time funding that ARRA provides may not be used in whole to bridge an anticipated shortfall in the City of Boston's fiscal year 2010 or 2011 operating budget. City agencies will continue to work to efficiently allocate resources from ARRA so that funded projects and initiatives have as positive an impact as possible on our neighborhoods.

Where will that funding go?

The City of Boston initially received funding in the seven categories listed below:

• Transportation: The City worked through the state's Executive Office of Transportation to access transportation funding that the state's Metropolitan Planning Organization will be directing. The City has been allocated $42.5 million in funding from the Commonwealth:
  • $16.5 million for Dorchester Avenue
  • $21.5 million for repaving streets citywide
  • $5 million for traffic light and management technology upgrades
• Public Safety: The Boston Police Department (BPD) received $3.9 million through Byrne-JAG formula grants to retain 50 officers. BPD was also awarded $11.8 million in competitive grant funds from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant to be used to save the jobs of 50 police officers over a three year period.
• Housing: The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) received $33.1 million through the Public Housing Capital Fund, over two years, in direct funding for capital maintenance, and energy efficiency upgrades. Officials have allocated $10 million to help redevelop the Washington Beech housing complex. BHA also competed for energy efficiency funding from a national competitive grant process and was awarded an additional $40 million for capital projects.
• The Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) will receive $5.3 million in direct funding through Community Development Block Grants and $8.2 million for the expansion of homeless prevention services. DND also competed for grant funding from the federal government's $2 billion Neighborhood Stabilization Program and was awarded $13.6 million.
• Education: The City of Boston received notification from the Commonwealth in March of 2009 regarding IDEA funding. $10.2 million has been allocated for the regular IDEA grant and $400,000 for the Early Childhood portion of IDEA equaling a total of $10.6 million. The Boston Public Schools also received $20.8 million in Title I funding for FY 2010. Title I and IDEA funds combined to make critical investments in BPS� infrastructure and saved 215 positions (180 teachers) in the district. Funding amounts for FY 2011 will be similar to these prior allocations.
• Workforce Development: Boston received $2.54 million in ARRA funding for the City's summer jobs program and an additional $1.86 million for job training for disadvantaged and dislocated adults.
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: The City received $6.5 million in direct funding from the Energy Efficiency Block Grant. Funding is actively at work to launch the Renew Boston program.

ARRA Specific

I heard about a list of projects in Boston that this money was going towards. What was on the list?

Starting in October, the City assembled a list of shovel-ready and shovel-worthy projects in response to requests from the State and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. That list was used to communicate the expected benefits for Boston of a federal stimulus program; it does not reflect the actual projects that will be funded.

Who leads the City of Boston's Economic Recovery Team?

Boston's Economic Recovery Team is led by Jake Sullivan, Federal Relations Officer for Mayor Menino's Office of Intergovernmental Relations. Joining Sullivan on the team are members of the Mayor's Cabinet and Commissioners from Departments receiving appropriations from ARRA.

What are the reporting requirements for ARRA funding projects?

Both the City of Boston and the federal government will regularly report on investments and impact of ARRA. The federal government has issued a full description of reporting requirements.