The National League of Cities (NLC) reports that funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) are increasingly being spent on public spaces. After the pandemic reinforced the value of public parks and recreational facilities, policymakers have refocused their sights on investing in these public spaces.

 

In developing these local parks, trails, community centers, and other public facilities, the policymakers that the NLC are promoting deem these public spaces as positively impacting the surrounding populace. Some of the ways that local governments are investing are Capital Investment and Maintenance, Youth, Family, and Senior Services, Arts, Education, and Cultural Enrichment, and Public Workforce Development.

The NLC applauds municipalities for their investment in public spaces and encourages them to continue to invest ARPA funds for those purposes listed above. The NLC also pushes for equity and accessibility to be considered when investing in public spaces, stating that the facilities will better meet the needs of the residents.

https://www.nlc.org/article/2022/08/18/arpa-and-public-spaces-how-cities-are-investing-in-places-to-live-work-and-play/