The White House recently released a report on how American Rescue Plan’s programs and funding have advanced equity across the nation. The report includes implementation case studies on lowering barriers to work, small business relief, securing dignified housing, equity for children and young adults, and closing health disparities. The report also notes barriers to equitability and proposes solutions to making programs more equitable.
The report notes that the American Rescue Plan provided $21.5 billion for the second round of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) and detailed the impact of those funds. Grantees have made nearly 5.3 million payments to eligible renters and landlords, with very low-income households receiving over 80% of the funds delivered. In the fourth quarter of 2021, more than 40% of ERA recipients self-identified as Black and 20% as Latino, with female applicants making up two-thirds of beneficiaries.
The report also highlights the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program’s Housing Search Assistance, Continuum of Care Partnership, and Technical Assistance as efforts to advance equity. 18,385 households have successfully used EHVs to secure new leases as of April 2022, and 29,157 households that were actively seeking housing received vouchers. Over 433 PHAs in all states and territories have issued over 50% of their EHVs successfully. Other housing-related equity initiatives discussed in the report include housing and assistance and supportive services for Native Americans and Native Hawaiians, the Homeowner Assistance Fund, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the Funding for Water Assistance Program.