Helena leadership advances $2 million in ARPA requests

Andy Shirtliff pushed to allocate $2 million to the housing project.

The Helena City Commission directed its city manager to draft resolutions allocating more than $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to three local nonprofits and the fire department.

The commissioners reached a consensus on funding proposals from Tri-County Fire Safe Working Group, Helena Food Share and the Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church housing project during its administrative meeting Wednesday evening. The commission will deliberate and make a final decision on the resolutions at a future meeting.

The commission also agreed to consider a resolution to fund Helena Food Share's request for $250,000 to help facilitate the construction of a new, larger headquarters.

Rocky Mountain Development Council requested $2.4 million to help buy land and connect to city utilities for its 113-unit housing development in partnership with Helena Area Habitat for Humanity, YWCA Helena and Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church.

The plan is to build 33 Habitat for Humanity single-story duplexes, 60 RMDC-administered apartment rentals and 20 units for YWCA Helena clients unable to graduate out of the program because of the runaway local housing market at a total estimated cost of $40 million.

Andy Shirtliff pushed to allocate $2 million to the [housing] project

The total amount in ARPA allocations advanced Wednesday is $2,020,000, leaving $978,900 remaining to spend.

The remaining four finalists, Family Promise of Greater Helena, Helena Regional Sports Authority, United Way of Lewis and Clark County and Carroll College, are still in the running for a piece of the remaining ARPA pie.

Source: Helena Independent Record, https://helenair.com/news/local/helena-leadership-advances-2-million-in-arpa-requests/article_58115954-bed6-11ed-b747-0b778f298fd4.html