Statement: House’s ARPA spending bill will make important investments

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council today released the following statement on the Massachusetts House of Representatives' bill outlining American Rescue Plan Act spending:

"The Metropolitan Area Planning Council is pleased to see the House release H.4219, An Act relative to immediate COVID-19 recovery needs. The provisions laid out in this bill, many of which are aligned with MAPC’s ARPA spending priorities, will make important one-time investments to improve the resilience of our public health infrastructure, expand access to affordable housing, strengthen workforce development programs, and protect our communities from the threats of climate change. While additional investments and longer-term policy reforms are still needed to address the inequities laid bare by the pandemic, by prioritizing the needs of disproportionately impacted communities, these investments will help set the stage for an equitable and resilient recovery. We are glad to see the House move swiftly on this proposal, and urge the Senate to do the same so cities and towns can quickly take advantage of these programs."