Today, President Joe Biden signed a minibus spending package for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 into law, which includes $12,627,287 in funding for community projects across Wake County secured by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). This legislation includes critical investments in affordable housing, public safety projects, climate resilience, public transportation, and more.

“After months of political gridlock, I am excited that we finally passed legislation to keep the government open and deliver critical investments to Wake County,” said Congresswoman Ross. “I fought for funding for these community-driven initiatives because they will address critical public safety, affordable housing, and transportation needs and make a real difference in the lives of Wake County residents. I am looking forward to seeing the progress and positive change that these projects will create and will continue to work with local leaders to bring transformational federal resources back to our community.

 "While I’m relieved that Republicans finally decided to work with Democrats to fund the government, it should not have taken months to get here. This constant chaos and dysfunction is no way to govern. Although this bill is far from perfect, it represents the product of bipartisan compromise, and I thank President Biden for signing it into law.”

Last Congress, Congresswoman Ross secured more than $36 million in federal funding for community projects in the FY 2022 and FY 2023 government funding packages. The 15 projects and funding in the FY 2024 package are listed below.

Community Projects

Project Name: CASA Supportive Housing for Youth Transitioning out of Foster Care in Raleigh

Amount Secured: $1,000,000

Description: CASA will use the funding to develop a safe, supportive, and affordable housing community for youth aging out of foster care who are experiencing homelessness. This new construction project will consist of an apartment building with 9 residential units, an office, small community space, and laundry facilities. CASA will partner with the Hope Center at Pullen (HCP), a nonprofit supportive services provider for youth transitioning out of foster care, to provide referrals for the units and onsite wraparound services for the residents. HCP will work with Wake Housing Authority to secure Foster Youth to Independence vouchers for each of the potential tenants. The units will be targeted for households making less than 30% of the area median income.

 

Project Name: CASA Grosvenor Gardens Apartments Rehabilitation

Amount Secured: $1,500,000

Description: Grosvenor Gardens is an historic and affordable apartment community in downtown Raleigh. CASA acquired the property in November of 2022 to prevent the displacement of the 62 households that call the Grosvenor Gardens home. Built in 1939, the building needs rehabilitation, including the replacement of the original roof, outdated electrical systems, and aging plumbing. This funding will help ensure the long-term preservation of the building so that it can continue to serve as affordable housing in a highly walkable, transit-oriented area with great economic and educational opportunities.

Project Name: Alexander Jones Wright YMCA Youth Center Construction

Amount Secured: $1,000,000

Description: The Alexander YMCA will use this funding for the construction of a 10,000 square foot youth center to include: multipurpose gym for youth sports; multipurpose space for academic assistance, afterschool, day camp and teen leadership programs; and outdoor areas for group and individual recreation, wellness activities, and outdoor play. The center will provide space to expand afterschool and summer programs for youth in Raleigh. Enhanced sports, wellness, and leadership development programs provide a safe, enriching environment for children and teens to thrive.

Project Name: Raleigh-Durham Airport Replacement Runway 5L/23R – Phase 1 Construction

Amount Secured: $1,116,279

Description: The aging runway 5L-23R consists of deteriorated concrete pavement that is in urgent need of upgrades. This funding will help construct a new runway at RDU airport, enhancing safety, efficiency, and operational reliability while also ensuring continued high-quality service for passengers and airlines as travel continues to increase at the airport.

Project Name: GoTriangle Eastern Wake Transit Access Improvements

Amount Secured: $800,000

Description: This project aims to improve access to regional transit service in Eastern Wake County in the Towns of Wendell and Zebulon. The project will construct 10 new bus stops to support expanded transit service connecting Eastern Wake County residents to Raleigh as well as to community destinations in Wendell and Zebulon. The proposed stops will improve access for existing transit riders and enhance mobility options for residents of a rapidly growing part of Wake County. Residents will be better connected to a key regional route that connects emerging job hubs in Wake County, as well as to retail employment destinations, medical services, and affordable housing.

Project Name: Raleigh Police Department Public Safety Intelligence Management System

Amount Secured: $629,000

Description: The Raleigh Police Department's Public Safety Intelligence Management System project will help modernize the Intelligence Center with real-time actionable information on crime patterns and emergencies. The department seeks to partner with SAS to purchase their software, enabling detailed analysis to preemptively identify crime trends and patterns. This technology is crucial for law enforcement to target criminal acts in progress and drive police response to areas needing greater attention and enforcement action. The funding will improve public safety outcomes, enhance homeland security threat research, and enable law enforcement to affect outcomes by leveraging advanced analytical capabilities.

Project Name: Town of Knightdale Police Department Cruiser Replacements and Upgrades

Amount Secured: $360,000

Description: The Town of Knightdale will use this funding to replace and upgrade police cruisers. Knightdale is one of the fastest growing communities in North Carolina, which increases call volume and officer response times to calls. Adding to Knightdale’s patrol vehicle fleet and replacing outdated cruisers is critical to public safety and service delivery. This project will allow Knightdale to field modern police cruisers equipped with all the tools necessary for officers to perform at a high-level, thus increasing the police department’s visual presence in the community and maximizing vehicle service life.

Project Name: Town of Morrisville Police Department Body-Worn Camera and In-Car Camera Systems Upgrades

Amount Secured: $120,000

Description: The Town of Morrisville Police Department will use this funding for a body-worn camera and in-car camera systems upgrade project. The addition of new camera systems and moving to a cloud-based server would meet both current staffing needs and proposed future staffing needs in the coming years. This upgrade project is essential for improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of the Morrisville Police Department, ultimately leading to a safer community.

Project Name: Town of Apex Police Department Modular Vehicle Barrier System

Amount Secured: $182,000

Description: The Apex Police Department will use this funding for a Modular Vehicle Barrier System (MVBS) for crowd safety at community events. In 2022, the Town of Apex hosted 14 community events in its downtown footprint with a total estimated attendance of 80,240 people. The town’s largest single event attendance estimate reached 25,000 people. By purchasing a MVBS, the Apex Police Department will be able to reduce the number of staff assigned to street closures and increase flexibility of staff working the event footprint. This system provides the security the town needs to keep the crowd safe while allowing for quick flow of emergency vehicle traffic should the need arise.

 Project Name: Town of Cary Walnut Creek Stormwater Management Project

Amount Secured: $1,919,504

Description: The project will acquire land parcels and implement innovative green stormwater practices, including revegetation and stream bank restoration, in an area prone to frequent flooding. These initiatives are designed to deliver dual benefits – safeguarding against the detrimental effects of stormwater runoff while also promoting environmental and economic well-being. Overall, this funding will help mitigate the effects of flooding and contribute to local climate change resilience efforts. Congresswoman Ross secured this funding with Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13).

 Project Name: Town of Apex Cash Corporate Center Sewer Interceptor

Amount Secured: $1,919,504

Description: The funding will support the construction of a gravity sewer main through the Cash-Perkins property, linking it to the future Upper Middle Creek Gravity Interceptor and the proposed Middle Creek Gravity Interceptor and regional pump station for Horton Park. This project will lead to significantly enhanced service efficiency and reduced maintenance costs for public utilities. Congresswoman Ross secured this funding with Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13).

 Project Name: Town of Rolesville Library Site Development

Amount Secured: $325,000

Description: This project will develop a new library in Rolesville, which is currently the only municipality in Wake County without one. The new library will not only fill this gap but also serve as a catalyst for economic development in downtown Rolesville. Additionally, it will help provide essential resources to residents.

 Project Name: Town of Rolesville Main Street Park Improvements and Enhancements

Amount Secured: $406,000

Description: The Town of Rolesville has grown over 150% within the last decade, making it the fastest growing community in North Carolina with a 5,000+ population. Main Street Park is central to the town's vision of transforming historic Main Street into a vibrant town center. Completing the park improvements in a timely manner is crucial to align with ongoing state and local investments. This project will help Rolesville fulfill the town's Master Park Plan.

 Project Name: Town of Apex South Salem Street Bicycle Connection

Amount Secured: $850,000

Description: This project will create a three-mile bicycle connection from downtown to Pleasant Park, addressing a crucial local need for safe and accessible cycling infrastructure. The design and environmental study, scheduled between July 2023 and June 2024, are key steps toward realizing this vision. Identified as a high priority in “Bike Apex: The Comprehensive Bicycle Plan,” this project will enhance safety for cyclists, promote active transportation, and support multimodal connections to transit, aligning with the town's goals for sustainable growth and community connectivity.

 Project Name:  Town of Cary Walnut Creek Greenway Design

Amount Secured: $500,000

Description: The project will fund the design of the Walnut Creek Greenway bicycle and pedestrian trail through the Town of Cary, including grade-separations under and over four-lane median-divided roadways, crossings of streams and a rail line, and at-grade roadway crossings. The greenway trail will create a safe and equitable transportation option that will enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for residents and visitors.

 The Fiscal Year 2024 minibus funding package also includes:

• $7.03 billion in funding for Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), an increase of $1.3 billion above the 2023 level, to ensure the program is fully funded and meets the President’s request;
• Robust funding for rail and transit systems that were gutted by House Republicans in the proposed Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) bill for FY 2024;
• $75.5 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – an increase of $3.4 billion above FY 2023 – to expand affordable housing options for people experiencing homelessness and to prevent the eviction of nearly 5 million low-income individuals and families; and,
• Increased funding for weather forecasting capability, climate change research, and more than $15 billion for clean energy and science investments to help address the climate crisis.

After repeated calls from Congresswoman Ross, Democrats were successful in removing House Republicans’ harmful policy riders from these bills that would ban mifepristone, slash efforts to fight climate change, and threaten the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.

 A detailed summary of the bill is available here.