NOlathe's Blog

“The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program supports metropolitan and multijurisdictional planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of: (1) economic competitiveness and revitalization; (2) social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity; (3) energy use and climate change; and (4) public health and environmental impact. The Program places a priority on investing in partnerships, including nontraditional partnerships (e.g., arts and culture, recreation, public health, food systems, regional planning agencies and public education entities) that translate the Federal Livability Principles into strategies that direct long-term development and reinvestment, demonstrate a commitment to addressing issues of regional significance, use data to set and monitor progress toward performance goals, and engage stakeholders and residents in meaningful decision-making roles.

The Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program is being initiated in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), co-leaders with HUD in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.”  http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/sustainable_housing_communities/sustainable_communities_regional_planning_grants

Details of the 2011 HUD Sustainable Communities Grant funding by State accessed here Hud Doc totalled $71,480,165 (printed/borrowed  plus interest).

Kansas

Regional Planning Grant Award

The Flint Hills Regional Council will be awarded $1,980,000 to develop a Flint Hills Regional Plan for Sustainable Development for the Flint Hills eco-Region. The plan will build on existing work and extend that model to the remaining counties of the eco-Region through community engagement, and land use modeling. Through this approach, the consortium will identify, track, and measure performance for the eco-Region, from its natural resources to the embedded and emergent economic and land use systems.

Anticipated Project Benefits: 

• The plan will leverage the region’s unique environment to help sustain the economic viability of smaller towns throughout the region and ensure continued vibrancy of its more urban metropolitan areas.
• The plan will help ensure the 100,000 acres of Ft. Riley training land is not compromised by unplanned urban growth to maintain the fort’s ability to conduct and sustain its training missions to support national defense.

Funding Amount:              $1,980,000

Core Partners:                 Kansas State University, Fort Riley, Flint Hills Discovery Center, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce.

HUD Region:                             7

Congressional District:      KS-001

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Regional Planning Grant Award

Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) will be awarded $1,500,000 to develop a Category 1 South Central Kansas Regional Plan for Sustainable Development. Through this plan, REAP will provide the region with a framework to address economic competitiveness, social equality, energy use, and the public health and environment in a cooperative manner as well as develop an integrated policy that addresses housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments. The plan will ensure the region’s economic competitiveness by including a coordinated plan to foster long-term job creation with adequate infrastructure to affordably access employment and services as well as ensure the next generation has access to the same affordable housing, transportation and economic opportunity in the future.

Anticipated Project Benefits: 

• Creation of a shared elements plan in regional transportation, housing, water, and air quality plans tied to local comprehensive land use.
• Reduction of social and economic disparities for the low-income, minority communities and other disadvantaged populations within the region. (NOlathe note: More re-distribution of wealth?)
• Increase in participation and decision making in developing and implementing a long range vision for the region by populations traditionally marginalized in public planning processes.
• Improvement of public health outcomes that result from creating safer, more walkable neighborhoods.

Funding Amount:              $1,500,000

Core Partners:                 Wichita State Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, Environmental Finance Center, Regional Economic Area Partnership Water Resources Committee, Wichita State University Center for Community Support and Research, Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department, Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Workforce Alliance and Kansas WorkforceONE, Kansas Small Business Development Center, Visioneering, Kansas Health Foundation, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita Downtown Development Corp, Wichita Independent Neighborhoods, Inc., Ponder: Connect Marketing

 HUD Region:                             7

Congressional District:      KS-004

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