How L.A. County is Ensuring Data-Informed, Equity-Driven Implementation of the American Rescue Plan

Signed into law on March 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides $350 billion in funding for state and local governments to build an equitable economic recovery from the devastating economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of the Treasury specifically states that the goal of these State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund is to “promote and streamline the provision of assistance to individuals and communities in greatest need, particularly communities that have been historically disadvantaged and have experienced disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.”

The ARP provides $1.9 billion in funding to Los Angeles County to build an equitable economic recovery from the devastating economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To help the County comply with federal mandates and implement the Board of Supervisors’ vision for equitable implementation of the ARP, the County's Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative team, in partnership with internal and external stakeholders, has developed the following data tools:

• Project Dashboard: The Project Dashboard reports the County’s ARP expenditures and outcomes by project and department. As projects launch, the Dashboard is updated with data on the amount allocated, use of ARP funds, projected outcomes, number of residents served, jobs created, grants provided, and outcomes achieved.
• Projects Map: This tool displays the service areas and locations of ARP projects that have been approved to launch. Users can select projects to view their service areas or click the map to see what projects are serving that location.
• Equity Explorer Mapping Tool: This mapping tool allows users to explore census tracts throughout Los Angeles County to identify areas of the highest need based on populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19 prior to embarking on project design by either using the map or a series of filters. 
• COVID-19 Vulnerability and Recovery Index: This index helps to identify the communities most impacted by COVID-19 and those facing the greatest adverse outcomes related to COVID-19 case rates and myriad economic, health, and social factors. This index was mapped to help identify COVID-19 risk, severity, and recovery need, and provides data to reach those most impacted by the pandemic. 

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