American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

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The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a federal law that was signed into effect in March 2021 to provide $1.9 trillion to help the U.S. respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. These federal funds, known in Kenmore as ARPA funds, provide an infusion of resources to address economic fallout from the pandemic, support individuals, businesses, and essential workers, and make investments to ensure a strong and equitable response to - and recovery from - the pandemic. The City of Kenmore received $6.4 million in ARPA funds.

On December 29, 2022, an amendment to the ARPA program called the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (2023 CAA) codified an option for cities to report up to $10 million under a category called “revenue replacement standard allowance,” with vastly simplified federal reporting requirements. The City chose this streamlined, cost-effective reporting option for the full $6.4 million award of ARPA funds.

From 2021 - 2023, the City of Kenmore made the following investments in community supports to ensure a strong and equitable response to and recovery from the pandemic.

Page updated on 6/4/2024.

Programs Made Possible by ARPA 2021-2023

Affordable Housing

The City originally planned to contribute $3.2 million toward an affordable housing development at 6532 NE Bothell Way. However, at the January 22, 2024 meeting, the Kenmore City Council decided not to approve the development agreement for the proposed project. See the Plymouth Development page for further details. The City expended some funds on due diligence reports that were necessary for project planning.

Kenmore Cares Direct Cash Assistance

The City of Kenmore prioritized households negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and, in partnership with the Northshore Schools Foundation, provided one-time cash assistance to households making 50% or less of area median income (AMI). Now closed to new applications, this program provided funds that helped Kenmore residents meet basic needs.

Amount of assistance: $2,000 per head of household and $250 for each additional member of household
Number of households served: 412
Number of individuals served: 789

kenmorecares logo NSF Logo

Business Assistance

The City of Kenmore recognizes that many businesses were hard hit during the pandemic, and the Kenmore City Council allocated a total of $250,000 for business assistance, including the Urgent Business Assistance Grants program for businesses with commercial locations in 2022, and the Pandemic Recovery Grants for Businesses and Nonprofits in 2023.

2022 Urgent Business Assistance

Commercial ("Brick & Mortar") Businesses only (no home-based)
Application period March 4, 2022 through March 18, 2022
28 unique applicants
12 ineligible
Minimum $10,000 per award per Council direction
6 grants awarded

2023 Pandemic Recovery Grants for Businesses and Nonprofits

Commercial and Home-Based Businesses and Nonprofits
Eligible Nonprofits
501c3
501c19
Application closed May 31, 2023
43 unique applicants
18 either withdrawn by applicant or ineligible
Documentation was reviewed by the City's Finance Director for:
Evidence of pandemic-related loss
Analysis of magnitude of loss
Grants awarded based on proportionality of harm experienced
$2,500
$6,000
$10,000
25 Grants awarded

Grants made possible by ARPA funds:

192 Brewing
Beau & Stella
Beneficial Sound
Brook Rochelle Housekeeping
Christine Suzuki Installations Inc.
CrossFit Kenmore
Dynamic Chiropractic Clinic
Fix Auto Kenmore
Golden Nails
Grenlar Construction
Jay's Cafe
Kenmore Community Club
Lakeview Yoga
Lann Thai House LLC - Sri Uma/Kataliya
M Medina Remodeling
Mail Access
Moxie & Oliver
Mr. T's Trophies
New Idol Nails
Northlake Lutheran Church
Olana LLC - The Guest House
PH&N - Lovely Nails
Rocky's Corner Store
Shari Both Jewelry
Shin's TaeKwonDo
Southshore Rehab Prosthetics and Orthotics
The Arts of Kenmore
The Butcher Shop Cafe
The North Shore Pub
Toshi's Teriyaki
Uncle Stinky's

Human Services

Kenmore Cares Mental Health Kits
Inspired by our friends at NAMI Eastside, in summer 2023 we launched our Kenmore Cares Mental Health Kits. Available to anyone in need for free at either the City Hall front desk or the Kenmore Senior Center at Rhododendron Park, the kits are designed to provide some solace to anyone needing emotional support or on the verge of a mental health crisis. They include a deck of cards filled with advice regarding your mental health, a stress ball, a pack of chewing gum, and a sleep mask. The kits are not a substitute for counseling or treatment and are not designed for someone in a crisis. If you are or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, please call the National Suicide and Crisis Line at 988 or seek other professional help immediately.

Mental Health Kits is an ongoing support that will continue to be provided as funds allow. Please visit the Housing and Human Services page for updated information.

Mental Health First Aid Training
Funded by King County MIDD Behavioral Health Sales Tax Supporting Behavioral Health and Recovery, and in partnership with Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care, the city has hosted mental health first aid training for individuals living or working in King County. The city plans to continue to provide this opportunity for as long as King County provides funding for it.

Current and Future Planning

In 2024 the City transitioned three projects inspired by ARPA community engagement to Human Services Special Projects. You can read more about these projects on the Housing and Human Services Special Projects page:

Catch-Up Learning provided by Cascadia College
Homelessness Response provided by Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness
Student and Family Counseling provided by the Center for Human Services

It takes staffing resources to design, manage and evaluate the programs made possible by ARPA funding and directed by the Kenmore City Council. The City currently has two positions, funded through the end of 2024, to carry out this work, and is exploring staffing options for the next biennium.

Using the results of the Balancing Act prioritization tool from early 2022, subsequent Council discussion, and Guiding Principles and High Level Strategy (outlined below) provided by the Council in 2021, staff is exploring other possible projects to recommend to the City Council in 2024.

2021 Kenmore City Council Vision and Direction

At the July 26, 2021 meeting, the Kenmore City Council established overarching principles and strategies shown below for spending ARPA dollars.

ARPA City Council Guiding Principles

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

How much money did Kenmore receive in ARPA funds?

The City of Kenmore received a little over $6.4 million in funds in two payments: half was received in mid-2021 and the remainder was received in mid-2022.
Why is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program sometimes referred to as SLFRF, and is there a difference between the two programs?

The U.S. Department of Treasury refers to the funds authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act as [Coronavirus] State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, or SLFRF. The City of Kenmore had already begun using the term "ARPA funds" and has retained that term for consistency. King County sometimes refers to these funds as Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funds, or CLFR. All of these refer to the same federal program with the same funding source, the American Rescue Plan Act.
When will the City spend the ARPA funds they’ve been allocated?

The City is required to allocate all ARPA funds by the end of 2024, and the money must be spent by the end of 2026.
How is the City of Kenmore spending its ARPA funds?
In May 2021, the Kenmore City Council allocated $1,000,000 for direct cash assistance to residents. (May 24, 2021 meeting minutes here.) In July 2021, the Kenmore City Council finalized guiding principles and a big picture strategy to guide the rest of the City’s funding decisions made possible by ARPA. (July 26, 2021 meeting minutes here.) Multiple avenues of community engagement provided Kenmore residents and stakeholders with an opportunity to weigh in on other preferred projects. In response, the Kenmore City Council approved the following other allocations:
- $3,200,000 Affordable Housing
- $50,000 Homelessness Response
- $100,000 Catch-Up Learning and Childcare Support
- $250,000 Human Services
- $250,000 Business Assistance (includes $75,000 for urgent business assistance in 2022)
How did the Kenmore City Council decide how to spend ARPA funds?
At the May 24, 2021 meeting, City Manager Rob Karlinsey presented a memo to Council with an overview of allowable uses of ARPA funds under the guidelines of the SLFRF (ARPA) Interim Final Rule. The ARPA agenda item and discussion begins at 3:47:18 of the May 24, 2021 meeting (video linked here) and includes Council direction to allocate $1 million for direct cash assistance to Kenmore residents hardest hit by the pandemic. Another allowable use presented in the memo was affordable housing. In addition, the City sought input from multiple sources including Kenmore businesses, residents, community members, City Councilmembers, city staff, partner organizations and other stakeholders to generate a list of other ARPA project ideas.
September 10 – October 22, 2021 – ARPA Business Recovery Survey was circulated to seek input from Kenmore businesses on their needs
November 1, 2021 – ARPA Community Listening Session facilitated by Chanin Kelly-Rae, the City's DEI consultant, was held for the community to generate ARPA project ideas

December 13, 2021 – Collected ideas presented by staff to Council for preliminary guidance and approval to proceed with community engagement tool

Mid-December 2021 through mid-February 2022 – Community engagement tool (Balancing Act Prioritize) launched to give Kenmore community members an opportunity to provide input on the City’s ARPA funding priorities

March 2022 – Analysis of community input and presentation to Council

March 28, 2022 – Council decision to allocate $650,000 of funds made possible by ARPA based on community input (meeting minutes here)

June 21, 2022 - Council approval of Plymouth Housing as affordable housing project partner; Council allocation of $3.2 million of funds made possible by ARPA for the project (meeting minutes here)
What is Kenmore Cares?

Kenmore Cares is the name of the program used to distribute the money to low-income residents through a contract with the Northshore Schools Foundation. All funds from this program have been expended and no new applications are being accepted. You can read more about Kenmore Cares Direct Cash Assistance under "Completed Programs" on this American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) page.
The funds originally distributed to very-low-income residents through Kenmore Cares weren’t sufficient to meet their needs. Will additional funds be available to those who have already received money?

The Kenmore City Council heard this feedback and raised the direct cash assistance amount from $500 to $2,000 for each primary applicant at its December 13, 2021 meeting. Second checks were mailed in late December 2021 to every head of household who had previously received funds, and new primary applicants within the application period received the full $2,000.
Will the City use some of its ARPA funds to benefit the whole community instead of just low-income residents? (For instance, road safety or sidewalk safety or other projects.)

The Kenmore City Council based decisions on how to allocate a significant portion of ARPA funding on the results of community engagement with the whole community. More details on allocations can be found on this American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) page.
Is there a program for landlords to recover rent payments lost during the pandemic?

No. Landlord and rent assistance was one of the 16 possible project ideas in the Balancing Act Prioritize community engagement exercise, but other programs received more support.
Will any ARPA funds be available to support local small businesses and Kenmore non-profits?

The Kenmore City Council allocated $250,000 to business assistance. $65,000 was granted in 2022 to Kenmore small businesses operating out of commercial locations in the City. The remaining $185,000 was granted and distributed to eligible Kenmore small businesses and nonprofits operating out of commercial or home-based locations.
Can ARPA funds be used to backfill budget areas that previously have been cut, such as road resurfacing and sidewalk projects?

When the U.S. Department of Treasury issued the SLFRF Interim Final Rule guiding recipient agencies in allowable uses, backfilling budgets was not allowed unless there was a specific relationship between the budget cut and COVID-19 impacts. However, the SLFRF Final Rule and accompanying reporting guidelines allowed more flexibility, including allowing jurisdictions to report up to $10 million ARPA funds received as "revenue replacement," whether or not there was actual revenue loss. The City of Kenmore opted to choose this category of "revenue replacement" for reporting, while still carrying out the program of work made possible by ARPA as authorized by the Kenmore City Council.
Will the City of Kenmore receive any additional ARPA funding?

No. The City received a little more than $6.4 million in ARPA funds, which represents 100% of its allocation of funds authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) legislation.
Where can I find resources and support for impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Find a list of community resources on the City of Kenmore Community Resources page.

King County has published a "2022 King County Recovery Plan" that delineates King County's COVID-19 response to date, along with an outline of programs still in progress.

Washington State Department of Commerce has COVID-19 resources on their website at https://www.commerce.wa.gov/.

U.S. Department of Commerce has a COVID-19 Information Hub on their website at https://www.commerce.gov/covid-19-information-hub.

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