EAST POINT, Ga. — On Monday, the East Point City Council adopted a resolution designed to prioritize the use of American Rescue Plans (ARP) funds for initiatives that will drive long-term recovery and equity. The resolution, developed by the Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP), serves as a springboard for city leaders to consider what an equitable recovery should mirror through best-uses of incoming ARP funds.
“The City of East Point is excited to be the first Southern city to adopt SEAP’s model resolution regarding the use of ARP funds,” Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham stated. “We are committed to strategically using ARP funds to support our continued recovery from the COVID-19 recession through making investments in infrastructure and initiatives that will accelerate dismantling systemic inequities and benefit all East Pointers.”
The resolution’s primary push is to have cities commit to setting equity at the forefront of all planning and decision-making in every area, whether public health, infrastructure, or economic recovery. In Fulton County, where East Point sits, there are more than 109,000 COVID cases and nearly 1,400 deaths. From July 10 — August 6, 2021, Blacks accounted for 61.5 percent of the deaths while 30.8 percent accounted for whites.
Aiming to create an equitable recovery, the resolution also emphasizes community engagement, highlighting and pushing for feedback from underserved and neglected communities, as suggested by the US Department of Treasury.
The resolution also aligns with East Point’s multi-year Equitable Growth & Inclusion Strategic Plan, adopted this past Spring. The plan consists of a set of initiatives and objectives for the East Point community that, when completely implemented, would significantly improve the city’s position of diversity and inclusion.
Along with the resolution, SEAP’s ARP Assistance team provides city leaders with outreach resources and tools, including a community engagement guide and policy briefs. These published briefs highlight the urgency to address a wide range of topics, including evictions, transportation and equity in economic development.
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About the Southern Economic Advancement Project
The Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) is your partner and resource. SEAP amplifies existing organizations and networks’ efforts to broaden economic power and build a more equitable future. Broadening economic power brings attention to how race, class, and gender intersect social and economic policy in the South. SEAP explores policy ideas designed to address these connections directly. SEAP focuses on 12 Southern states and marginalized/vulnerable populations within the region.