LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Council unanimously approved a plan for how to spend the second round of federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding Thursday night. The city is planning to dedicate $89 million to affordable housing and nearly $16 million to violence prevention programs.
Metro Councilmember Jecorey Arthur, who represents District 4, called the move "historic."
"We approved more money last night for affordable housing than we have approved in the last seven years combined," he said.
According to the Coalition for the Homeless, more than 800 families in Louisville are either in shelters or homeless. The funding approved by Metro Council will allow the city to create 300 to 400 housing units for those families in need.
The money dedicated to helping the homeless community will also help fund the upcoming Safe Outdoor Space, the Down Payment Assistance Program and other initiatives.
Additionally, the money approved for violence prevention will help equip the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods with the tools it needs to properly serve the community.
Arthur said the investment in these two areas will be key in bettering the community.
"Housing is an immediate intervention measure that we can use to help deter violence across this city," he said.
With the ARP funds, Arthur said Louisville has the ability to cut the number of people experiencing homelessness in half.
On Saturday, Dec. 11, the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods is hosting a training session for the One Love Louisville Ambassador Institute, a local violence prevention initiative.
The training session will include information on suicide prevention, conflict resolution and the city's public health approach to violence. The training is free and you can register here.
Now that the ARP funding plan has been approved by Metro Council, Mayor Greg Fischer will have to sign off on it before it will be implemented. He is expected to do so within the next few days.
Contact reporter Gabrielle Harmon at gharmon@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@_GabbyHarmonTV) and Facebook.
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