PALM BEACH COUNTY

Recovery Plan

State and Local Fiscal 

Recovery Funds

2021 Report
Palm Beach County

2021 Recovery Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

General Overview......................................................................................................... 3

Executive Summary....................................................................................................... 3

Uses of Funds .................................................................................................................. 3

Promoting Equitable Outcomes.................................................................................. 6

Community Engagement ............................................................................................ 7

Labor Practices.............................................................................................................. 8

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category ............................................................ 8

Qualified Census Tracts, Exhibit 1..................................................................11
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes $290.7 million in direct local recovery 

assistance for Palm Beach County. The County’s Plan fully complies with the U.S. Treasury 

Department’s Interim Final ARPA Rule. It guarantees that the direct ARPA assistance will 

be allocated prior to the December 31, 2024 deadline and that all ARPA expenditures 

will be completed by December 31, 2026, as required by federal law. 

Like the Country, Palm Beach County has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prior to the pandemic the County’s unemployment rate was 3.1% and it rose to 13.3% in 

May 2020. The rate decreased to 4.8% in January 2021 but has increased slightly to 5.3% 

in June 2021. In August 2020 the County’s daily positivity test rate was 10.21% but dropped 

to a low of 2.78% in the beginning of June 2021. With the delta variant causing a rapid 

resurgence we have now experienced a rise in the daily positivity test rate to 17.9% in 

August 2021. In addition, in August 2020, COVID positive patients in area hospitals was 

reported at 420 patients, but hospitalization reports reached a census of 967 patients 

admitted in August 2021. Palm Beach County has needs as the pandemic continues to 

impact our citizens.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the County was able to use CARES funds to assist small 

businesses, provide mortgage and rental relief for housing, broadband enhancements 

for teleworking and virtual learning, emergency food distribution, assist not-for-profits, 

childcare, and direct public health assistance through testing, vaccines, contact tracing 

and personal protection equipment (PPEs). 

Palm Beach County’s Recovery & Resilience Plan is a strategic allocation of $290.7 million 

to help the County fully recover and provide long lasting projects that will impact our 

citizens for years to come. It builds on County momentum to bring the COVID-19 

pandemic under control; addresses the urgent needs of residents, families and 

neighborhoods hardest hit by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and makes 

investments to generate economic recovery and rebuilding. 

USES OF FUNDS

The Board of County Commissioners has approved general categories to meet the needs 

of our citizens. The County has not spent funds to date but has approved broad categories

and will develop a more detailed plan with specific projects by fall 2021.

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PUBLIC HEALTH:

Behavioral Health - $10 million –

Infrastructure improvements to the 

behavioral health system of care for the 

uninsured, underinsured, and low-income 

population. Service request statistics 

reported by the 211 Palm Beach/Treasure 

Coast helpline consistently list calls for 

mental health, crisis intervention, suicide 

prevention, and substance use disorders 

among the highest percentage of calls for 

assistance. During the COVID-19 

pandemic, these calls exceeded the 

number of calls during the prior year for 

most months, and over the past 90 days, 

the volume of behavioral health-related 

calls has increased from 27.7% of all calls to 

211 to 29.9%. Over the past five (5) years, 

Palm Beach County has experienced a 

number of non-profit behavioral health 

facility closures, leaving the uninsured, 

underinsured and low-income population 

vulnerable when trying to obtain services. 

Investing funds into the local Behavioral 

Health infrastructure will expand the 

capacity for behavioral health operators 

to provide services to this low-income 

population. 

Testing, vaccines, antibodies treatment -

$3 million – direct support for testing, 

vaccines, and treatment

Public health expenses - $4 million – public 

education messaging, PPEs, and COVID-19 

related expenses

County Buildings Infrastructure - $35.3 

million – improvements to HVACs and 

projects to create safe spaces against 

COVID-19

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NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS:

Infrastructure Cultural Organizations - $4 

million – matching funds to provide safe 

spaces against COVID-19 and assist in 

projects delayed due to the pandemic. 

The County’s cultural sector generates 

more than $633 million in economic activity 

annually and creates more than 14,000 

jobs. COVID-19 has impacted the cultural 

sector significantly and many performing 

arts organizations have not reopened due 

to safety concerns. 

SERVICES TO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES:

Housing - $60 million – Increase retention 

and supply of affordable and workforce 

housing. Due to COVID-19’s community 

impact, we are implementing a multifaceted approach to address the growing 

housing crisis in the County. These 

strategies are designed to support the 

creation and improvement of affordable 

and workforce housing within and/or 

adjacent to Qualified Census Tracts (QCT) 

(see map labeled as Exhibit 1). The housing 

strategies will require funding for 

construction, gap financing for 

contractors/developers, as well as, first 

and/or second mortgages to homebuyers.

Hunger Relief - $10 million – Pantry 

infrastructure, support to extend the life of 

food, increase the quantity of food, and 

other related projects to support 

underserved households struggling with 

the long-term economic consequences 

caused by the pandemic, that continue to 

rely on the food assistance and services 

provided by the Food Bank and pantry 

system that serves this population.

Before

After

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INFRASTRUCTURE:

Water & Sewer - $75 million – investments in 

water, sewer, storm water, and other 

resiliency projects including septic to sewer 

conversion and storm water.

Broadband & Cybersecurity - $43 million –

Allows for the County to increase its 

broadband infrastructure. We do not 

currently have the foundational fiber 

installed to provide coverage throughout 

the county. This expansion of our 

infrastructure will be leveraged to (1) 

increase our public offerings of internet 

signals (libraries, parks, etc.) and (2) offer 

internet coverage to students, as 

determined through our partnership with 

the School District. Additionally, the wider 

offering of our signal will require underlying 

additions to our cybersecurity framework.

REVENUE REPLACEMENT:

Revenue Replacement - $46.4 million – Allows for governmental services to continue without 

lowering or deleting services. According to the calculation provided in the Interim Final Rule, 

Palm Beach County is eligible to use $196.6 million for this purpose.

PROMOTING EQUITY 

The ARPA funds will provide long lasting investments to these communities and will focus on 

Qualified Census Tract areas. Palm Beach County has a history of supporting and providing 

services to disproportionate communities and has several departments that provides services 

year round.

 Office of Equal Business Opportunity that targets small, minority and woman owned 

businesses to increase their participation in the procurement of goods and services

 Housing & Economic Development administers programs for housing, business 

development, and community initiatives

 Community Services that supports various health and human services to our very 

diverse low income citizens, homeless, veterans, and seniors

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 Office of Community Revitalization works to improve the appearance of underserved

neighborhoods and address community concerns regarding safety and activities for 

area youth

 Youth Services that supports youth by providing quality service, education, and access 

to resources and opportunities

The County’s Housing strategies will help strengthen and improve housing options for low to 

moderate income, Black/African American and minority residents who reside in/or adjacent 

to a QCT. Our affordable and workforce housing options will promote equity for Black/African 

Americans and provide improved access to homeownership to all low-to-moderate income 

minorities; while educating them on the value of quality housing and sustainable 

neighborhoods. Through strategic steps, each of the individuals assisted will be provided with 

the opportunity to transition from unaffordable rental and/or blighted housing, to quality, 

sustainable affordable housing; which could increase household wealth.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Palm Beach County consistently includes communities when developing projects by meeting 

with the citizens in that area, presenting to local chamber of commerce and other 

organizations, mailing notices or door to door hang tags, and using various media sources –

radio, newspapers, and television. In addition, many projects that require regulatory approval 

contain public notice requirements and provision of relevant information for the public to 

review. Palm Beach County’s Community Services Department has hosted community 

outreach events that assisted individuals experiencing homelessness to receive their federal 

stimulus checks, and helped them understand how to use the funds toward a transition into 

permanent housing opportunities. They have also provided Community Health Workers to 

assist homeless and low-income individuals receive COVID-19 vaccinations and testing 

resources, and they have dispatched mobile units into underserved neighborhoods to assist 

residents with online applications for rent and utility assistance. They also hosted a rental 

assistance orientation session for landlords. 

Palm Beach County has had a public meeting to approve the general use of the ARPA funds. 

Staff is in the process of detailing recommendations under the broader use categories to 

specific projects and will engage community stakeholders in a series of meetings to develop 

final recommendations for the Board of County Commissioners. A public survey will be 

developed and imbedded in our county website to use for continual input throughout the 

plan’s existence.

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LABOR PRACTICES

The County has had a living wage policy since 2003 for County construction contracts and 

provides funding to Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County for wage theft services, both 

nonpayment and under payment of wages. Additionally, ensuring contractors are paying a 

prevailing wage has always been a requirement when using federal funds and supports the 

need for paying a living wage.

TABLE OF EXPENSES BY EXPENDITURE CATEGORY

At this time Palm Beach County does not have any expenditures.

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination 0

1.2 COVID-19 Testing 0

1.3 COVID-19 Contact Tracing 0

1.4 Prevention in Congregate Settings (Nursing 

Homes, Prisons/Jails, Dense Work Sites, 

Schools, etc.)

0

1.5 Personal Protective Equipment 0

1.6 Medical Expenses (including Alternative Care 

Facilities)

0

1.7 Capital Investments or Physical Plant 

Changes to Public Facilities that respond to 

the COVID-19 public health emergency

0

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses 

(including Communications, Enforcement, 

Isolation/Quarantine)

0

1.9 Payroll Costs for Public Health, Safety, and 

Other Public Sector Staff Responding to 

COVID-19

0

1.10 Mental Health Services 0

1.11 Substance Use Services 0

1.12 Other Public Health Services 0

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic 

Impacts

2.1 Household Assistance: Food Programs 0

2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and 

Utility Aid 

0

2.3 Household Assistance: Cash Transfers 0

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Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

2.4 Household Assistance: Internet Access 

Programs

0

2.5 Household Assistance: Eviction Prevention 0

2.6 Unemployment Benefits or Cash Assistance to 

Unemployed Workers

0

2.7 Job Training Assistance (e.g., Sectoral jobtraining, Subsidized Employment, Employment 

Supports or Incentives)

0

2.8 Contributions to UI Trust Funds* 0

2.9 Small Business Economic Assistance (General) 0

2.10 Aid to nonprofit organizations 0

2.11 Aid to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality 0

2.12 Aid to Other Impacted Industries 0

2.13 Other Economic Support 0

2.14 Rehiring Public Sector Staff 0

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

3.1 Education Assistance: Early Learning 0

3.2 Education Assistance: Aid to High-Poverty 

Districts

0

3.3 Education Assistance: Academic Services 0

3.4 Education Assistance: Social, Emotional, and 

Mental Health Services 

0

3.5 Education Assistance: Other 0

3.6 Healthy Childhood Environments: Child Care 0

3.7 Healthy Childhood Environments: Home 

Visiting 

0

3.8 Healthy Childhood Environments: Services to 

Foster Youth or Families Involved in Child 

Welfare System 

0

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 0

3.10 Housing Support: Affordable Housing 0

3.11 Housing Support: Services for Unhoused 

persons 

0

3.12 Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance 0

3.13 Social Determinants of Health: Other 0

3.14 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Health Workers or Benefits Navigators 

0

3.15 Social Determinants of Health: Lead 

Remediation

0

3.16 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Violence Interventions 

0

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay

9
Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

4.1 Public Sector Employees 0

4.2 Private Sector: Grants to other employers 0

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure

5.1 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater 

treatment

0

5.2 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater 

collection and conveyance

0

5.3 Clean Water: Decentralized wastewater 0

5.4 Clean Water: Combined sewer overflows 0

5.5 Clean Water: Other sewer infrastructure 0

5.6 Clean Water: Storm water 0

5.7 Clean Water: Energy conservation 0

5.8 Clean Water: Water conservation 0

5.9 Clean Water: Nonpoint source 0

5.10 Drinking water: Treatment 0

5.11 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution 0

5.12 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution: 

lead remediation

0

5.13 Drinking water: Source 0

5.14 Drinking water: Storage 0

5.15 Drinking water: Other water infrastructure 0

5.16 Broadband: “Last Mile” projects 0

5.17 Broadband: Other projects 0

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue 

Replacement

6.1 Provision of Government Services 0

7 Administrative and Other

7.1 Administrative Expenses 0

7.2 Evaluation and data analysis 0

7.3 Transfers to Other Units of Government 0

7.4 Transfers to Non-entitlement Units 

(States and Territories only)

0

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Exhibit 1

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