FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Sept. 16, 2021
Media Contact: Julie Patterson
Senior Communications Strategist
303.739.6617
Aurora hosting virtual listening sessions as part of community outreach for American Rescue Plan Act funding
AURORA, Colo. – The city of Aurora is hosting four virtual listening sessions starting Sept. 28 as part of an effort to gather feedback from residents, businesses and service providers on how millions in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars coming to the city could have the greatest positive impact on the community.
The American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law in March 2021 to provide significant resources to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts. The city of Aurora will receive $65.4 million in one-time direct federal aid, with additional funding provided for programs related to rental and housing assistance.
Aurora community members are invited to attend any of four listening sessions to share their most pressing needs and what will help the community thrive. The one-hour sessions are scheduled at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28; 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30; noon Friday, Oct. 1; and 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, on Webex. No registration is required. To connect to the sessions, visit EngageAurora.org/ARPA. Spanish interpretation will be provided. Other language interpretation requests must be emailed to [email protected] by Sept. 21.
In August, the city launched a survey and idea boards at EngageAurora.org/ARPA to gather community feedback on how the city should spend the funds allocated to Aurora. The deadline to participate is Oct. 8.
Paper surveys also are available in several languages at the following Aurora public library facilities: Aurora Central Library, Hoffman Heights Library, Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Mission Viejo Library and Tallyn’s Reach Library. Paper surveys are available through Oct. 1.
Based on the parameters set by the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act, the city has identified three main categories for use of these federal funds: community assistance, infrastructure funding and service preservation. The survey asks the community to rank their choices of potential priorities in these three categories, and the idea boards allow participants to write in their own ideas in the same categories.
For more information, visit EngageAurora.org/ARPA.
American Rescue Plan Act Listening Sessions Release
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