The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved more than $5.6 million to be allocated in the current Fiscal Year – FY2022 – for urgent community needs and public improvement projects that will be funded by Johnson County’s Local Fiscal Recovery Fund allocation of $29.3 million. Priorities include affordable housing, childcare solutions, eviction prevention, and infrastructure improvements.

Initiatives funded in FY2022, which is from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, include the following approximate amounts:

• $300,000 for expanded public health services;
• $525,000 in aid to communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
• $1.1 million to address negative economic impacts in Johnson County;
• $3.5 million for water and broadband infrastructure improvements across the County; and
• $243,000 for costs to improve public assistance program efficacy and accessibility.

“For ten months, the Board has worked with staff, residents, service providers and community stakeholders to understand the urgent needs and opportunities for transformational change,” said Pat Heiden, Chairperson. “These initial investments support public health response and economic recovery to build a more resilient Johnson County.”   

In early 2021, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and ARPA Leadership Team implemented a three-pronged approach to guide Johnson County’s ARPA funding investments:

1. Stabilize our communities through equity-focused response, including aid to workers, families, small businesses, and residents who faced economic harms as a result of the pandemic.
2. Strategize with residents and stakeholders to invest in future prosperity through infrastructure improvements and public assistance programs that address systemic challenges in Johnson County; and
3. Organize resources and leverage other state and federal funding opportunities to ensure inclusive recovery for residents and area health and human service providers.

Additional information, including public meeting materials, Johnson County’s public input process report, and a complete list of funded priorities can be found at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/arpa.