The historic $1.9 trillion federal relief program, known as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, brought much needed financial resources to millions of Americans and businesses to generate a strong, resilient, and equitable recovery from the pandemic. That relief program included $65 billion to support counties and cities across the nation through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF).
As part of SLFRF, the County of Marin received $50.2 million, funds which must be expended by the end of 2024. It is important to note that SLFRF is just one of a number of stimulus funding programs under ARPA, and the County does receive separate ARPA funding for other specific County programs unrelated to SLFRF.
During the FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-24 budget processes, the Board of Supervisors identified the following priority spending areas for the County's $50.2 million in SLFRF funding:
- Racial equity initiatives
- Climate change and sea level rise projects
- Homelessness services and permanent supportive housing (including city and town partnerships)
- Revitalization of Golden Gate Village in Marin City
- Public health and mental health services, including ongoing COVID-19 response
- Southern Marin Health and Human Services hub
- Fire Department facility improvements
- Childcare and early education initiatives
- Enhanced funding for nonprofit partners
- Economic impacts, including specifically for West Marin
- Broadband improvements and expansion
The County’s focus in each of the priority areas outlined above will be to target support in areas where the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated racial, health, economic, social and education inequities. It is important to note that not only will racial equity be a standalone spending area (as listed above) but will be a key element of all identified spending areas. For instance, sea level rise and a lack of permanent supportive housing disproportionately affects Marin County’s low-income residents, and residents of color. The County’s Racial Equity Action Plan continues to guide the County's work in advancing racial equity in all aspects of County operations.
The County's planned use of SLFRF funds
Final guidance on how local governments may use SLFRF funding was published in the U.S. Department of the Treasury Final Rule [31 CFR Part 35], issued in November 2021 and finalized in January 2022. The Final Rule specifies that local governments may use these stimulus funds for a broad category of needs – recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of daily life for Americans: from the economy, education, mental and physical health, food security, childcare, to housing and homelessness.
However, there are extensive reporting requirements for any direct use of SLFRF funds. This includes quarterly expenditure reports submitted to the U.S. Treasury detailing all goods and materials procured, subcontracted awards and compliance with federal employment, procurement, and construction regulations and standards for all expenses. Therefore, for administrative efficiency, the County of Marin has opted to identify three qualifying "projects" that will directly make use of the entire $50.2 million SLFRF allocation. The County will then repurpose the proceeds of local funds towards the Board of Supervisors directed priority spending areas listed above.
The goal of this strategy is to a) ensure swift application and use of the stimulus funds toward the local community’s highest priorities; b) ensure full and incontestable adherence to eligible use of funds as defined by U.S. Treasury in the Final Rule; and c) minimize the County’s administrative burden in required federal reporting for $50.2 million of expenditures.
Direct use of SLFRF funding
The County Administrator’s Budget Office has analyzed the Final Rule guidance issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and identified three projects which will make direct use of the $50.2 million in SLFRF funds (listed below). Note: all required federal reporting to the U.S. Treasury on the use of the County’s federal SLFRF funds received will be for these three projects.
| Directly-funded projects |
Funding |
| 1: Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic |
$32,649,752 |
| 2: Public Sector Workforce Capacity |
$7,624,164 |
| 3: Revenue Replacement |
$10,000,000 |
| Total |
$50,273,916 |
Indirect use of SLFRF funding
The Board of Supervisors identified priority spending areas listed will make indirect use of the stimulus funds. Projects within priority-spending areas will be supported by the proceeds of local funds that result from the County applying all direct SLFRF funds to: Public Health Response, Public Sector Workforce Capacity, and Revenue Replacement.
As the Board of Supervisors approves projects within the priority spending areas, they will be added to this page as indirect beneficiaries of the County’s receipt of SLFRF funding.
Project: Santa Venetia flood control levee
Amount: $1,000,000
Board priority area: Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Related Board date: August 24, 2021
This project reduces the threat from tidal flooding for Santa Venetia from Gallinas Creek, and prepares for near-term sea level rise. This flood protection project benefits 660 parcels, largely single-family homes, county roads, stormwater pump stations and infrastructure, parks and six sanitary sewer lift stations. The levee protects water quality by keeping floodwaters out of the community, where it could be contaminated by sewage or hazardous household chemicals.
Project: Matching funds for homeless services
Amount: $500,000
Board priority area: City and Town partnerships to address homelessness and mental health
Related Board date(s): December 14, 2021, March 15, 2022
The County has approved the use of $500,000 to be used as matching funds to support the efforts of San Rafael, Novato and Sausalito to manage encampment and homelessness in their jurisdictions. The County is responsible for safety net services, including behavioral health treatment and employment supports, as well as inter-jurisdictional coordination and administrative leadership. Cities, like the County in unincorporated areas, are responsible for ensuring that adequate affordable housing (including housing affordable to people with extremely low incomes) is available within their jurisdictions and for resolving issues of public safety, including those arising in homeless encampments.
Project: Sea Level Rise & Climate Change adaptation projects
Amount: $4,000,000
Board priority area: Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Related Board date: December 14, 2021 (all projects), July 12, 2022 (Stinson beach $100k)
The recommended mitigation projects funded by the $4 million were identified in the Climate Action Plan 2030 and Drawdown Marin Strategic Plan. The projects are focused on smaller scale, high emission reduction potential projects that address the three largest sectors accounting for the County’s community GHG emissions (transportation, agriculture, and natural gas), and could be developed and launched within one year. Adaptation projects reflect countywide priorities as well as a range of project phases: construction, design, and planning studies/engagement. The projects span the county and largely reflect nature-based adaptation measures that plan for sea level rise and improve diverse habitats and wildlife.
Project: Legal services to tenants to prevent evictions
Amount: $258,000
Board priority area: Racial equity initiatives
Related Board date: March 15, 2022
The $258,000 contract with Legal Aid of Marin provides free housing-related legal services to low and extremely low-income residents countywide. In 2021, Legal Aid of Marin received more than 1,200 calls, and provided direct legal support to 400 Marin residents. The contract provides for weekly remote eviction clinics, community engagement for in-person and remote trainings, negotiation services with landlords, and navigation and representation for tenants in court.
Project: Countywide Childcare Investments
Amount: $525,000
Board priority area: Childcare and early education initiatives
Related Board date: April 26, 2022
The approved contract with First 5 Marin provides for substantial local investments in teacher recruitment and retention, safety-net navigation, and early childhood mental health services. In total, $1 million in funding is to be allocated towards childcare investment initiatives -- and the remaining $475,000 will be proposed next spring 2023.
Project: Equity Initiatives
Amount: $2,500,000
Board priority area: Racial equity initiatives
Related Board date: June 22, 2022 (FY 2022-24 Budget, completed list page 33), August 23, 2022 (Foster care initiatives $190k)
As part of the FY 2022-24 Budget process, $2.5 million was approved for 20 one-time initiatives in 14 different County Departments to advance racial equity. These include investments such as the Racial Covenant Mapping project, subsidies for Foster Youth, and several entry-level career programs in Public Works, Elections, Fire, Parks to build stronger pathways to County employment for racially diverse candidates in the community.
Project: Broadband Investments
Amount: $1,000,000
Board priority area: Broadband improvements and expansion
Related Board date: June 22, 2022 (FY 2022-24 Budget, page 28), September 13, 2022 (Bolinas Stinson Unified School District $100k)
As part of the FY 2022-24 Budget process, $1 million was approved for one-time investments related to expanding access to high quality broadband, specifically for underserved residents and geographic areas in Marin. This includes low-income, disabled and school-aged children; as well as West Marin residents, schools and organizations.
Project: 1251 South Eliseo Drive construction fees
Amount: $1,000,000
Board priority area: Homelessness services and permanent supportive housing
Related Board date: July 19, 2022
The Board approved an allocation of $1 million in indirect SLFRF allocations towards construction and real estate fees associated with the development and renovations of the 1251 South Eliseo Drive property as a Homekey Permanent Supportive Housing facility. The property will provide critical, long-term supportive housing services to up to 50 individuals experiencing homelessness in Marin County. Acquisition and renovation costs for the project are funded through the State's Homekey program, State No Place Like Home grants, and County sources.
Project: High Utilizer Case Management
Amount: $922,648
Board priority area: Homelessness services and permanent supportive housing
Related Board date: September 27, 2022
These funds will support enhanced, intensive case management for individuals experiencing homelessness. Specifically, this housing-based case management contracted through Downtown Streets Team will be prioritized for those who are high utilizers of City and County services. Services provided will focus on housing retention, increased engagement with services and health care, decreased engagement with emergency services, and other social determinants of health.
SLFRF expenditure reporting to the U.S. Treasury
The County, along with all State and local jurisdictions, is required to submit an annual Recovery Plan report to the U.S. Department of the Treasury detailing both how expended funds were used, and how future funds are planned to be spent. All annual reports will also be published and made available to the public on this webpage, www.marincounty.org/ARPA.
Schedule of the reporting period and Recovery Plan reports (completed reports are linked):
| Annual Recovery Plan Report |
Period Covered |
Report Date |
| 1 |
Award date - July 31, 2021 |
August 31, 2021 |
| 2 |
July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022 |
July 31, 2022 |
| 3 |
July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 |
July 31, 2023 |
| 4 |
July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 |
July 31, 2024 |
| 5 |
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 |
July 31, 2025 |
| 6 |
July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026 |
July 31, 2026 |
| 7 |
July 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026 |
March 31, 2027
|
In addition to annual reports published on this page, the County submits detailed quarterly expenditure reports directly to the U.S. Treasury through the SLFRF reporting portal.