8701

PART II: BASIC LAWS AND AUTHORITIES ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

NEW COMMUNITIES

EXCERPTS FROM HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1970 [Public Law 91-609, 84 Stat. 1791; 42 U.S.C. 4501]

TITLE VII—URBAN GROWTH AND NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

SHORT TITLE AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

SEC. 701. (a) This title may be cited as the "Urban Growth and New Community Development Act of 1970".

(b) It is the policy of the Congress and the purpose of this title to provide for the development of a national urban growth policy and to encourage the rational, orderly, efficient, and economic growth, development, and redevelopment of our States, metropolitan areas, cities, counties, towns, and communities in predominantly rural areas which demonstrate a special potential for accelerated growth; to encourage the prudent use and conservation of our natural resources; and to encourage and support development which will assure our communities of adequate tax bases, community services, job opportunities, and well-balanced neighborhoods in socially, economically, and physically attractive living environments.

PART A-DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL URBAN GROWTH POLICY

FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY

SEC. 702. (a) The Congress finds that the rapid growth of urban population and uneven expansion of urban development in the United States, together with a decline in farm population, slower growth in rural areas, and migration to the cities, has created and imbalance between the Nation's needs and resources and seriously threatens our physical environment, and that the economic and social development of the Nation, the proper conservation of our natural resources, and the achievement of satisfactory living standards depend upon the sound, orderly, and more balanced development of all areas of the Nation.

(b) The Congress further finds that Federal programs affect the location of population, economic growth, and the character of urban development; that such programs frequently conflict and result in undesirable and costly patterns of urban development which adversely

affect the environment and wastefully use our natural resources; and that existing and future programs must be interrelated and coordinated within a system of orderly development and established priorities consistent with a national urban growth policy.

(c) To promote the general welfare and properly apply the resources of the Federal Government in strengthening the economic and social health of all areas of the Nation and more adequately protect the physical environment and conserve natural resources, the Congress declares that the Federal Government, consistent with the responsibilities of State and local government and the private sector, must assume responsibility for the development of a national urban growth policy which shall incorporate social, economic, and other appropriate factors. Such policy shall serve as a guide in making specific decisions at the national level which affect the pattern of urban growth and shall provide a framework for development of interstate, State, and local growth and stabilization policy.

(d) The Congress further declares that the national urban growth policy should

(1) favor patterns of urbanization and economic development and stabilization which offer a range of alternative locations and encourage the wise and balanced use of physical and human resources in metropolitan and urban regions as well as in smaller urban places which have a potential for accelerated growth;

(2) foster the continued economic strength of all parts of the United States, including central cities, suburbs, smaller communities, local neighborhoods, and rural areas;

(3) help reverse trends of migration and physical growth which reinforce disparities among States, regions, and cities;

(4) treat comprehensively the problems of poverty and employment (including the erosion of tax bases, and the need for better community services and job opportunities) which are associated with disorderly urbanization and rural decline;

(5) develop means to encourage good housing for all Americans without regard to race or creed;

(6) refine the role of the Federal Government in revitalizing existing communities and encouraging planned, large-scale urban and new community development;

(7) strengthen the capacity of general governmental institutions to contribute to balanced urban growth and stabilization; and

(8) facilitate increased coordination in the administration of Federal programs so as to encourage desirable patterns of urban growth and stabilization, the prudent use of natural resources, and the protection of the physical environment.

URBAN GROWTH REPORT

SEC. 703. (a) In order to assist in the development of a national urban growth policy, the President shall utilize the capacity of his office, adequately organized and staffed for the purpose, through an identified unit of the Domestic Council, and of the departments and agencies within the executive branch to collect, analyze, and evaluate such statistics, data, and other information (including demographic, economic, social, land use, environmental, and governmental informa

tion) as will enable him to transmit to the Congress, during the month of February in every even-numbered year beginning with 1972, a Report on Urban Growth for the preceding two calendar years which shall include

(1) information and statistics describing characteristics of urban growth and stabilization and identifying significant trends and developments;

(2) a summary of significant problems facing the United States as a result of urban growth trends and developments;

(3) an evaluation of the progress and effectiveness of Federal efforts designed to meet such problems and to carry out the national urban growth policy;

(4) an assessment of the policies and structure of existing and proposed interstate planning and developments affecting such policy;

(5) a review of State, local, and private policies, plans, and programs relevant to such policy;

(6) current and foreseeable needs in the areas served by policies, plans, and programs designed to carry out such policy, and the steps being taken to meet such needs; and

(7) recommendations for programs and policies for carrying out such policy, including such legislation and administrative actions as may be deemed necessary and desirable.

(b) The President may transmit from time to time to the Congress supplementary reports on urban growth which shall include such supplementary and revised recommendations as may be appropriate.

(c) To assist in the preparation of the Report on Urban Growth and any supplementary reports, the President may establish an advisory board, or seek the advice from time to time of temporary advisory boards, the members of whom shall be drawn from among private citizens familiar with the problems of urban growth and from among Federal officials, Governors of States, mayors, county officials, members of State and local legislative bodies, and others qualified to assist in the preparation of such reports.

PART B-DEVELOPMENT OF NEW COMMUNITIES

FINDINGS AND PURPOSE

SEC. 710. (a) The Congress finds that this Nation is likely to experience during the remaining years of this century a population increase of about seventy-five million persons.

(b) The Congress further finds that continuation of established patterns of urban development, together with the anticipated increase in population, will result in (1) inefficient and wasteful use of land resources which are of national economic and environmental importance; (2) destruction of irreplaceable natural and recreational resources and increasing pollution of air and water; (3) diminished opportunity. for the private homebuilding industry to operate at its highest potential capacity in providing good housing needed to serve the expanding population and to replace substandard housing; (4) costly and inefficient public facilities and services at all levels of government; (5) unduly limited options for many of our people as to where they may live, and the types of housing and environment in which

they may live; (6) failure to make the most economic use of present and potential resources of many of the Nation's smaller cities and towns, including those in rural and economically depressed areas, and decreasing employment and business and opportunities for their residents; (7) further lessening of employment and business opportunities for the residents of central cities and of the ability of such cities to retain a tax base adequate to support vital services for all their citizens, particularly the poor and disadvantaged; (8) further separation of people within the metropolitan areas by income and by race; (9) further increases in the distances between the places where people live and where they work and find recreation; and (10) increased cost and decreased effectiveness of public and private facilities for urban transportation.

(c) The Congress further finds that better patterns of urban development and revitalization are essential to accommodate future population growth; to prevent further deterioration of the Nation's physical and social environment; and to make positive contributions to improving the overall quality of life within the Nation.

(d) The Congress further finds that the national welfare requires the encouragement of well-planned, diversified, and economically sound new communities, including major additions to existing communities, as one of several essential elements of a consistent national program for bettering patterns of development and renewal.

(e) The Congress further finds that desirable new community development on a significant national scale has been prevented by difficulties in (1) obtaining adequate financing at moderate cost for enterprises which involve large initial capital investment, extensive periods before investment can be returned, and irregular patterns of return; (2) the timely assembly of sufficiently large sites in economically favorable locations at reasonable cost; and (3) making necessary arrangements, among all private and public organizations involved, for providing site and related improvements (including streets, sewer and water facilities, and other public and community facilities) in a timely and coordinated manner.

(f) It is, therefore, the purpose of this part to provide private developers and State and local public bodies and agencies (including regional or metropolitan public bodies and agencies) with financial and other assistance necessary for encouraging the orderly development of well-planned, diversified, and economically sound new communities, including major additions to existing communities, and to do so in a manner which will rely to the maximum extent on private enterprise; strengthen the capacity of State and local governments to deal with local problems; preserve and enhance both the natural and urban environment; increase for all persons, particularly members of minority groups, the available choices of locations for living and working, thereby providing a more just economic and social environment; encourage the fullest utilization of the economic potential of older central cities, smaller towns, and rural communities; assist in the efficient production of a steady supply of residential, commercial, and industrial building sites at reasonable cost; increase the capability of all segments of the home-building industry, including both small and large producers, to utilize improved technology in producing the