EVERETT—The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law on March 11, 2021, by President Joe Biden, provided $350 billion through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Metropolitan cities, such as Everett, received funds in “an amount determined for the metropolitan city consistent with the formula under section 106(b) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5306(b)), except that, in applying such formula, the Secretary shall substitute ‘all metropolitan cities’ for ‘all metropolitan areas’ each place it appears.” (Allocation Methodology for Metropolitan Cities)
In Everett’s case this amounted to $20,695,570. The City also earned interest of $447,976.
The intent behind ARPA funding was to provide support to state, local governments and the community and help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Cassie Franklin’s vision, as supported by Council, was to prioritize infusing this money into the community to bolster the local economy and address some of the most pressing concerns shared by Everett residents like homelessness, behavioral health, early childhood education, business support, infrastructure investments and more.
To learn more about the survey that was done in 2021 to get community ideas for allocations, check out the ARPA webpage.
Total ARPA Funding Received
- ARPA funds received: $20,695,570
- Interest earnings: $447,976
- Total resources: $21,143,546
Total ARPA Expenditures for the City of Everett – $21,127,026
- Two rounds of Everett Forward Grants to impacted businesses and nonprofit organizations – $901,688 (Round 1) and $693,187 (Round 2)
- Round one of the program provided funding to over 50 projects across the city. This included improvements to storefronts, help for local early childhood education providers and support for arts and cultural programs and special events.
- Pallet Shelters (housing security for unhoused persons) – $483,224
- Revenue replacement for the provision of government services including:
- Lighting at the Arboretum at Legion Park – $19,910
- Clean Everett Program (Everett Cleanup Day & Everett at Work app) – $77,428
- CHART 2.0 – Behavioral Health Services – $17,135
- Digital Permit Accelerator – $66,736
- Economic Development Event Ads/City Public Event Promotion – $9,800
- EPD Gun Buyback Program – $25,709
- Utility Delinquency Assistance – $372,552
- Sponsorships – Public Music Festival, 4th of July, Cruzin’ to Colby, Everett Farmers Market, Apex Racing – $120,000
- Police and Fire Labor Costs – $17,891,681, plus $447,976 from interest earnings
To ensure that the community would benefit from the City’s full ARPA allocation, Council approved reallocating the unspent ARPA funds as of mid-2023 and 2024 to pay for General Fund Police and Fire labor costs (except for funds set aside and remaining for Everett Forward Grant Programs 1 and 2).
- By using the $17,891,681 in ARPA funds (and interest earnings of $447,976) received for Police and Fire labor costs, the “reimbursed” funds became unrestricted, affording the City more flexibility in their use to carry on the programs originally approved and additional programs and projects approved through future Council actions, and removing the limited timeframe for expenditure
Ending Balance: $16,520 remains unspent in Everett Forward Grant Round 1 allocations. The City’s internal deadline to spend down these funds is December 31, 2025, although the grant allows until December 31, 2026.)
City of Everett – Local COVID Relief Program Summary (2023- Present)
Resources
- Funding: $18,822,918
- The reimbursed, unrestricted funds (mentioned above) were used to create the City’s local COVID Relief Program. Total resources in this fund as of June 30, 2025 include $18,339,657 from the General Fund and $483,261 in interest earnings.
Allocations – $16,684,408 (as of 6/30/2025)
- Pallet Shelters – $2,700,000
- Clean Everett (Everett Cleanup Day & Everett at Work) – $522,572
- CHART 2.0 (Behavioral Health Services) – $852,865
- CHART is the Chronic-Utilizer Alternative Response Team composed of criminal justice, mental health, emergency response and service agencies to help reduce overuse of emergency services and direct individuals to the care they need.
- Downtown Public Restrooms – $1,250,000
- Daytime Services Access (Day Shelter) – $2,000,000
- Mental health pilot (social workers) Fire/Library – $1,475,000
- Embedded Mental Health Professionals within the Fire Department and Everett Public Library to provide greater support for those unsheltered or with behavioral health needs in Everett.
- EPIC Bridge Design – $450,000
- EPD Property Room Reallocation – $400,000
- The Culmback building (3013 Colby) renovation would provide a new Police Evidence Storage site for EPD. It is large enough to incorporate future growth for the Police department beyond evidence storage.
- Fire Training Facility – $400,000
- The firefighting training facility would support the training of firefighters who would respond to Naval Station Everett in the event of a structural or shipboard fire. Design for site is necessary for federal construction grant eligibility.
- Gun Buyback Program Round 2 – $50,000
- Incentive based program for community members to voluntarily turn in unwanted firearms/ guns.
- Tree Planting/Urban Forester – $300,000
- Provide funding to support an urban forest inventory and tree planting program
- Digital Permit Accelerator – $433,264
- Improving efficiency of permitting process by bringing much of it online
- South Everett Business & Economic Development Strategy – $200,000
- Create a strategy to support wealth creation and preservation of established local businesses & community in South Everett – to support small business owners, property owners, and developers affected by anticipated redevelopment from the Everett Link light rail.
- Historical Signs – $8,000
- ESDA Murals – $27,500
- City Council COVID Allocation – $1,400,000
- City of Everett Council members allocation of ARPA funds to appropriate to a project or initiative that addresses recovery efforts that are necessary due to impacts of Covid‐19
- Grant Administrative Support – $250,000
- Temporary position to assist with, contract management, compliance and administration of ARPA funds and projects as needed.
- Council of Neighborhoods – $100,000
- Funding directed to Everett’s Neighborhood Associations.
- Housing Hope Childcare – $1,000,000
- Everett Early Learning – $150,000
- Compass Health Mental Health Facility – $1,000,000
- Re-establish Everett Chamber of Commerce – $600,000
- 2024 Budget Replacement for Human Needs – $1,115,207
- (Related Programs supported Human Needs grants, Clare’s Place supportive housing contribution, VOA management fee contract Carl Gipson Comm. Center, Bezos Academy facility support, and Alliance for Housing Affordability dues)
Totals
- Total allocations as of 6/30/2025: $16,684,408
- Total expenditures as of 6/30/2025: $7,783,651 (see attached Excel for the breakout for each allocation of what’s been spent)
- Remaining funding: $2,138,510 (not allocated yet)
Next steps
The Administration will work with Council to determine how the remaining funding will be allocated, with the best interests of our community in mind.
Source: City of Everett
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
One Response
I thought the funds were to be spent on existing needs that were in the negative due to Covid.
Much waste on things like;
EPIC Bridge Design
Planting Trees
Historical Signage
Council of Neighbors – I’m in a neighborhood, have not seen any money spent?
Murals ?
Establish Everett Chamber of Commerce, many cities do fine without one & who supports it next?
Everett early learning, who is this?