St. Louis County recently announced the allocation of $54.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which have been used to support various community projects. Over 100 initiatives have been completed, with county officials noting the wide-reaching effects these investments have had across the region. According to a bulletin from St. Louis County, Administrator Kevin Gray shared these updates during the most recent County Board meeting, acknowledging the Board’s role in effectively prioritizing the use of these funds.
St. Louis County is on track to meet the U.S. Treasury's documentation deadline by December 31, 2024, outlining how the ARPA funds were allocated. A number of projects were highlighted, with a focus on addressing the COVID-19 public health emergency and economic challenges. Investments were made in areas such as water, sewer, broadband infrastructure, and support for communities most impacted by the pandemic, as reported by St. Louis County.
Among the projects funded, $12.5 million was allocated to a new leachate treatment facility to protect groundwater, while $7.3 million supported youth programs such as the Check & Connect initiative aimed at helping students remain in school. Additionally, $7.25 million was directed toward road improvements to address gaps caused by reduced state aid. Housing initiatives, including shelters and affordable housing projects, received $6.9 million. The ARPA funds also covered $4.7 million in pandemic-related county expenses, helping to prevent increases in property taxes, and $2 million was allocated to establish an Urgent Care Behavioral Health Center.
The county's commissioners acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the collective efforts behind these programs. "There were so many good projects that we did - investments in childcare, housing and veterans," Commissioner Mike Jugovich told St. Louis County, having chaired the Board during key years of the pandemic. Commissioner Ashley Grimm added, "This was tiring work with competing priorities, and I'm genuinely grateful to everyone on this Board for working together." Indicating a strategic approach, Commissioner Paul McDonald emphasized, "We had the foresight to look into the future and see what was going to be the most bang for the buck." These comments highlight the county leadership's recognition of the efforts to enhance services and infrastructure in St. Louis County through the allocation of ARPA funds.
