Cambridge Reports 60 Percent of $88 Million ARPA Funds Spent as Deadline Approaches

CAMBRIDGE — August 7, 2024 — Cambridge Finance Committee reviews ARPA spending with $53 million spent and year-end deadline pressing. City Manager Yi-An Huang and Matt Nelson, Director of Administration and Operations, told the committee Wednesday that roughly $53 million — about 60 percent — of the city's $88 million American Rescue Plan Act allocation has been spent, with nearly all remaining funds under contract or in active disbursement across close to 100 projects. All contracts must be obligated by the federal hard deadline of December 31, 2024, though recipients have until late 2026 to spend their funds. Nelson said no external program budgets have been cut and the city expects only a small reallocation pool once reconciliation is complete, with candidate uses including energy efficiency upgrades, bike-lane and infrastructure work, and housing support. Councillor Wilson and Vice Mayor McGovern pressed for creative use of any remaining dollars to keep families housed, while Chair Patricia Nolan urged the city to publish outcome data — not just spending totals — so residents can assess program impact.