Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan speaks at a news conference about the coronavirus outbreak Monday, March 16, 2020, in Seattle. Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all bars, restaurants, entertainment and recreation facilities to temporarily close to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the state with by far the most deaths in the U.S. from the disease. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, Pool)
Elaine Thompson/AP
The City of Seattle will be spending another $52.2 million on services and construction projects related to pandemic relief, bringing the total amount of federal funds spent through the city’s so-called "Seattle Rescue Plan" up to roughly $180 million.
The funds were appropriated to the city through two federal stimulus bills: the American Rescue Plan and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The city plans to spend the money on rental assistance, support for seniors and construction efforts on a new RapidRide bus line along Madison Street. It will also be used to backfill lost revenue from the city’s streetcars and monorails, as well as McCaw Hall.
"Seattle is still grappling with the long term effects of the pandemic," Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a Monday news release about the funds. "By working together, we are quickly deploying these additional Seattle Rescue Plan resources, which will help create a strong economic recovery and build the resiliency of our residents."
The city will spend the bulk of the funds — $28.7 million — on rental assistance, meaning the city will help tenants who are behind on rent keep their homes by subsidizing payments. The news release said the city will also partner with United Way of King County to help small landlords who may be behind on their mortgage payments.
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More than $7 million will go toward services for seniors, the release said. The money will pay for meals, family caregivers, and vaccine access, among other things. Nearly $11 million will go toward expediting construction on the rapid bus line being built along Madison Street, a project that has been delayed several times.
Roughly $2.5 million will be spent to offset revenue losses from the city’s monorail and streetcars, and another $2.2 million will be used to offset losses to McCaw Hall. The performing arts center, which has been closed for more than a year, will use the money for payroll, utility bills and other business expenses.
This is the second round of funding distributed through the city’s rescue plan. Earlier this year, the city spent nearly $130 million in federal funds on a number services.
