Bay Area Recovery Dollars Data Update: March 17, 2023

Based on the latest US Treasury data, which reflects local governments' allocation of SLFRF funds through December 31, 2022:

• Bay Area municipal governments have made plans to spend $2.02 billion (67 percent) of the $3 billion SLFRF funds allocated to the region. There was a remaining $1 billion (33 percent) that was not yet obligated.
• The large majority of funded projects (80 percent) are still in progress or have yet to launch.
• Local governments in the Bay Area largely used SLFRF dollars to offset declines in their revenue. Nearly half (42 percent) of obligated dollars have gone to revenue replacement, which is the largest category of decided funding.
• In addition to revenue replacement, many jurisdictions made sizable investments to support communities weathering the financial and health challenges of the pandemic. This included 21 percent of obligated funding to public health projects that were responding directly to Covid, 8 percent to advance housing justice, and 5 percent for cash supports and projects to advance food security and bolster government infrastructure and services.
• Some Bay Area governments leveraged SLFRF funds to fund new, equity-oriented pilot programs and initiatives. Examples of these include small-scale subsidy programs to prevent families from becoming unhoused; guaranteed income pilot programs; and public health campaigns that targeted communities most impacted by the pandemic, including Black, Latinx, Native American, and Pacific Islander residents.
• A handful of municipalities used SLFRF dollars for policing and incarceration, which does not align with the stated intent of using these funds to advance equity. The cities of San Mateo and Santa Clara spent a combined $34 million on police salaries and services.