The latest update in funding distribution from the American Rescue Plan now has New Orleans receiving $388 million — up from roughly $375 million, according to city Communications Director Beau Tidwell.
The numbers can change at different stages of the allocation process, he said.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell has said that previous pandemic relief packages sent to Louisiana did not prioritize New Orleans. Tidwell praised Cantrell for advocating for her city.
“We’re grateful specifically that we’re seeing direct assistance at the local level which is something that the Mayor went out and fought really hard for,” Tidwell said.
He stressed that the money is mainly to recover from losses that the city sustained during the pandemic. The city budget was cut by $100 million in 2020.
“It’s not new money [and] it’s not free money. It’s meant to address a specific need, and we’re in the process figuring out exactly what that looks like,” he said.
