ARRA Stimulus Funding

The City of Roanoke is a recipient of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding upon completion of required grant applications and approval by designated grant authorities as follows:

U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

Community Development Block Grant program – Grant Amount = $500,675 (No Match Requirement)
- Funding to be used to undertake infrastructure improvements in several low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Improvements to be made include sidewalk, curb and gutter, curb ramps, and residential and commercial entrances in public rights-of-way.
- In order to receive these funds, the City is required to prepare a substantial amendment to its current HUD-approved five-year Consolidated Plan, which, along with Annual Updates, must be prepared in order to receive annual allocations of regular Community Development Block Grant funds. (Click here to see attached Substantial Amendment PDF document.)
Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) – Grant Amount = $766,017 (No Match Requirement)
- Funding to be used to establish a Resource/Day Center for a prevention and rapid re-housing program that will provide short term rental assistance, security deposits for displaced families, utility payments, and other housing expenses, job training, etc.
- Grantees eligible to receive funds under the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) are required to complete a substantial amendment to their Consolidated Plan 2008 Action Plan. To maximize transparency, HUD strongly recommends that each grantee post its substantial amendment materials on the grantee's official website as the materials are developed. (Click here to see attached Substantial Amendment PDF document.)
Lead Hazard Control Program – Total Amount = $1,588,222 (Grant Amount: $1,406,633; Local Match: $100,000; In-kind Contributions: $81,589)
- Funding to be used for the identification and control of lead-based paint hazards in approximately 75 eligible privately owned rental and owner-occupied housing units.

U.S. Department of Justice

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program – Grant Amount = $697,090 (Direct Formula Award – No Match Requirement)
- Funding to be used by the Roanoke Police Department in the following program areas: Neighborhood Bicycle Patrol Program, the Curfew Center, technology/electronic equipment, DARE Camp funding, Digital Radio Replacements, and a Crime Analyst Assistant.
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Recovery Program - $747,175 (Competitive Grant awarded 7/28/09- No Match Requirement)
- Funds will be used to fund salaries and benefits of five (5) police officer positions to increase and enhance community policing and crime prevention efforts during a three-year period.
V-Stop Recovery Grant (Domestic and Sexual Violence Law Enforcement Victim Services) – Grant Amount = $70,657 (Competitive Grant Application; Match Requirement = $23,552 in In-Kind Contributions)
- Funding used to preserve the Roanoke Police Department’s Domestic Violence Specialist V-STOP position, upgrade the Sexual Violence Hispanic Outreach Coordinator VSDVVF position to full time status and create an evening shift Domestic Violence Specialist that will respond to the scene of domestic and sexual violence incidents to provide “first responder” victim services.

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant – Grant Amount = $963,700 (Direct Formula Grant – No Match Requirement. Award received on Sept. 30, 2009.
- Funding to be used for Courthouse retrofit to T-Lighting, Municipal South Boiler Replacement, LED lighting replacements in traffic signals, and LED lighting retrofit of Market Avenue garage.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources

Food Stamp Benefits Program administered by Department of Social Services – Allocation =$145,276
- ARRA funding must be used to cover the cost of increased food stamp benefits. In Virginia, the average family size is 2.2; therefore, the expected benefit increase is $32.00, effective 2009.

U.S. Department of Transportation via VDOT

City of Roanoke Clean Drinking Water Projects:
- Rorer Avenue Water Line Replacement - $100,550
- Rugby Boulevard Water Line Replacement - $173,800
City of Roanoke Transportation Enhancement Projects:
- Roanoke River Greenway - $1,400,000 (Click here to view attached Agreement Amendment PDF document.)
Greater Roanoke Transit Company = $580,000 in grant funding via the urbanized area apportionment for transit operations through the public transit portion for the following: Shop Equipment $30,000; Purchase 6 Replacement Vans $360,000; Purchase ADP Software $100,000; Purchase Fare Collection Equipment (Fareboxes) $60,000; Purchase Support Vehicles $30,000 (Source: Commonwealth Transportation Board’s Recovery Act Transit Funding Report)

Other ARRA Funding directly impacting citizens and local government:

First-Time Homebuyer Credit

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides a federal income tax credit equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000. The credit is for first-time homebuyers only, which is defined by HUD as having not owned a home in the previous three years. The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit. In addition to this federal incentive, the City of Roanoke offers up to $8,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance for first time homebuyers for homes purchased in the City of Roanoke through the Affordable Down Payment Assistance Program. However, income limits do apply, please review the guidelines for the Down Payment Assistance Program.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers = $5,251,000 -

$2,585,000 for the flood reduction damage and greenway features and $2,666,000 to complete the flood damage reduction features. All contracts managed by the Corps, with a local match required. Local match has not been determined but funding has been set aside for said project via the Capital Improvement Program funds. Funding announcement was made on 4/29/09. (Source: Army Corps of Engineers – Civil Works Expenditure Plan (Construction) Report.

U.S. Department of Labor (Employment & Training Administration)

Western Virginia Workforce Development awarded $1,020,072 in Workforce Investment Act Funds.
- $176,091 to be used for Adult Programs, $424,795 for Dislocated Worker Programs, and $414,795 for Youth Programs, including summer employment.
- As of July 8, 2009, 9 jobs have been created (5 long-term case managers and 4 temporary jobs.)

Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) = $3,250,682

for its capital program (Source: Virginia Municipal League’s Feb. 29, 2009 Housing Capital Fund Report)

Roanoke City Public Schools

(2009 – 2011) = Fiscal Stabilization $4,378,625.00; Title I, Part A - $4,485.089.40; First half of Part B, Section 611, Flow-Through Special Education Grants - $1,666,229.00; First half of Part B, Section 619, Pre-school Subgrants - $56,110.50.; Education Technology - $114,955.00. (Source: Department of Education’s website:

www.doe.virginia.gov

Kuumba Community Health & Wellness Center = $140,177

(Virginia Municipal League’s March 27, 2009 Department of Health and Human Services Grant Announcement) Funding used to support health center efforts to expand its capacity to provide primary and preventive health services to medically underserved populations and create employment opportunities in underserved communities over the next 2 years.