Community and Economic Investments (ARPA Funding)

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allows a variety of expenditures to support community and economic recovery in Douglas County, including but not limited to:

Allowable Investments Include:

Ongoing expenditures for COVID-19 testing, PPE or other public health expenses
Assistance to households, including food programs; rent, mortgage or utility aid; eviction protections; unemployment benefits; or cash assistance
Services to foster youth or families involved in the child welfare system
Community health care workers and benefit navigators
Grants to non-profit organizations
Affordable housing
Grants to small businesses
Aid to impacted industries (tourism, travel, hospitality, other)
Job training and re-training programs
Grants to economic development organizations, downtown development authorities or business improvement districts.
ARPA funds claimed under the revenue loss provisions could be broadly used for governmental purposes.

Proposals received to date:

Shiloh House Family Resource Pavilion

Shiloh House Family Resource Pavilion
Proposed Investment: $3,000,000 (est.)
Description: The Family Resource Pavilion creates resources for under-served populations in child welfare and adolescent services by protecting and promoting their welfare, preventing abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adolescents who also may be victims of trafficking. The program provides wrap-around support for at-risk families through services that promote children/adolescents (where appropriate) remaining safely with their families or returning to their families in a timely manner. Expansion of the Pavilion would allow relocation and expansion of the respite and school programs, as well as additional space for partner agencies and gymnasium space.

Help and Hope Center

Help and Hope Center
Proposed Investment: Up to $8,500,000
Description: The Help and Hope Center proposes the construction of a new facility in a retail-oriented location. The new facility would house its thrift store, food bank, and other client services operations in a location that would increase awareness of the organization and sales volume in the thrift store, which generates approximately half of the organization’s budget.

Douglas County Housing Authority

Douglas County Housing Authority
Proposed Investment: $1,000,000
Description: The Douglas County Housing Partnership (DCHP) is in the process of acquiring 15 units in the Stonecreek Condominiums at 532 Oakwood Drive in Castle Rock. DCHP requests $1,000,000 to offset the cost of acquisition for five of the 15 units so that the units could be used to house participants in the DC Cares program. This could include persons affected by the pandemic, veterans housing, or other beneficiaries. The housing could be temporary, transitional, or permanent housing.

Non-Profit Grants

Non-Profit Grants
Proposed Investment: $3,500,000
Description: Funding could be made available to non-profit partners through a grant program for organizations who can demonstrate they can or have increased services to meet COVID-related needs. This proposed grant project could provide one-time assistance for capital improvements which allow partners to increase their operational capacity and provide enhanced services.

Business Sector Support

Proposed Investment: Undefined
Description: Support for industries, including movie theaters, travel, and hospitality.

Lincoln Creek Metropolitan District

Proposed Investment: Undefined
Description: LCMD is seeking funding or other assistance for park, parking lot, and sidewalk maintenance and repair, property tax relief, and a public road snow plowing contract or stipend.

Aurora South Metro Small Business Development Center

Aurora South Metro Small Business Development Center
Proposed Investment: $480,000
Description: The Aurora-South Metro SBDC submitted a funding request of approximately $480,000 for the provision of a Douglas County-specific staff person “for three years into the future (2022, 2023 and 2024) in order to grow the economic impact in the south metro area.”

Recent Investments in Economic Recovery

2020

In 2020, Douglas County used funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support businesses throughout Douglas County. Funds were used to reimburse small businesses for investments in personal protective equipment and other similar expenditures and to reimburse restaurants that were closed or faced operational limitations during the pandemic. Additional information may be found by clicking here.

Authorized Expenditures

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) – Advanced Robotics Lab at DCSD Legacy Campus.

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) – Advanced Robotics Lab at DCSD Legacy Campus. ACC proposes a $1.25 M investment to relocate and expand the Robotics and Automation program to DCSD’s Legacy innovations Campus in Lone Tree. The proposed funding will be used to equip the lab with updated equipment and software.

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) – Mobile Medical Training Lab.

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) – Mobile Medical Training Lab. ACC proposes a $607,850 investment in a mobile medical training lab and simulator equipment.

Park Meadows Business Improvement District Revenue Loss.

Park Meadows Business Improvement District Revenue Loss. The Park Meadows Business Improvement District and the City of Lone Tree request replacement of lost sales tax revenue equal to that portion of sales tax that the City of Lone Tree would have shared back with the Park Meadows Business Improvement District (BID) in 2020 and 2021. The BID maintains portions of the public infrastructure in the Park Meadows area. Reimbursement of local government revenue loss is an eligible ARPA expense.

Park Meadows Retail Resort

Park Meadows Retail Resort – Extraordinary COVID-19 mitigation expenses. Park Meadows Retail Resort requests $132,114 in reimbursements for COVID-19 mitigation expenses incurred to re-open the mall in accordance with public health orders.