CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – The City of Champaign has been recognized as a national leader in how the city allocated federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. City officials implemented a multiyear study conducted by the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy (Institute) at The New School. Champaign’s Garden Hills Neighborhood Infrastructure and Improvement Project is featured among a select set of case studies demonstrating innovation, impact, and best practices in equitable public investment.

Champaign Mayor Deb Frank Feinen talks about why this designation is so important. “It is an honor for the City of Champaign to be recognized by the Institute’s Budget Equity Project and to be highlighted as a featured case study. I am proud of the intentional work Champaign did to engage with our residents while determining the most impactful ways in which we could use our ARPA funds.”
ARPA provided $130 billion in flexible funding for cities and counties to use for COVID-19 pandemic relief and other longer-term infrastructure investments. These federal funds targeted resources for communities of color, Tribal communities, and low-income communities severely impacted by the pandemic and systemic inequities.
Mayor Feinen describes how they decided on the Garden Hills investment. “After hearing from residents, we used a major portion of our ARPA allocation to significantly advance the construction schedule for the long-planned project in Garden Hills to construct new infrastructure, a stormwater retention basin, and a community park. This project will have a transformative impact on the Garden Hills neighborhood for generations to come, and it is rewarding to see this project highlighted by the Institute.”
The Budget Equity Project’s full findings are detailed in the new report, “Advancing Equity with the American Rescue Plan’s Local Recovery Funds”.