How Huntsville spent pandemic recovery money

Huntsville spent roughly half of its $34 million federal pandemic recovery funds on 21 new fire trucks to help keep up with massive population growth.

As the federal government handed out money to local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic, Huntsville spent nearly $18 million of its State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds on ladder trucks, pumper trucks and a hazardous materials truck. The city devoted the other half of the money to tourism and recreation, according to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.

“It’s hard to measure the impacts of adding or updating a fire truck fleet, but just having those 21 extra fire trucks is just an invaluable asset to our community,” said Penny Smith, the city’s finance director.

Now the most populous city in Alabama, Huntsville continues to grow at a rapid rate, adding thousands of people each year and averaging nearly 10 new residents a day.

In September, Huntsville’s planning department said that about 235,000 people are now living in the Rocket City. That’s a stark increase even from 2021, when Huntsville became Alabama’s largest city with a little more than 215,000 people.

That growth is a 3.3 percent increase over 2022 and represents the highest single-year percentage growth in a decade.

“Administration and city council were on the same page as far as what would best serve the citizens, and what would best serve our economy as we were rebuilding during COVID,” Smith said. “And that was to focus on the citizens’ health, but then also the health of the city in terms of revenue dollars.”

State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds are part of the American Rescue Plan Act, which the federal government enacted in March 2021 to restore communities after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds must be designated for a specific project by the end of 2024. Cities have to spend the money by the end of 2026.

Huntsville city officials also used pandemic recovery funds to maintain the tourism workforce and update recreational facilities for the growing population.

Alabama Constitution Hall Park got money to rehire employees and to fund educational programming and admission assistance for students on field trips.

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center received $1 million for restaffing and STEM programs.

The city also allocated $4.5 million for Legacy Park, on the property of the former J.O. Johnson High School. The park, which opened in June 2023, includes a large play area with playground, a walking loop, green space and two separate green spaces available to rent.

Altogether, Huntsville designated projects for all but $2 million of its recovery funds as of September 2023. Smith said any remaining money will go toward initiatives already approved by Huntsville City Council.

Here’s a detailed look into the city of Huntsville’s pandemic recovery projects:

(Can’t see the graphic? Click here.)