Community and Economic Development Policy & Advocacy Committee Congressional City Conference 2012 Helping Cities Leaders Build Better Communities

Priorities for Cities and Towns Protect Local Sources of Revenue Authorize cities to collect taxes owed from on-line sales Preserve Funds for Hometown Investment. Support federal investments in cities through CDBG and other federal programs. Invest in America’s Human Capital Modernize the Workforce Investment Act and the Education Act Enact a New Transportation Program Invest in America’s roads, transit, bridges, and highways

HUD Budget Challenges 3.2 % increase to $44.8 B 80 cents of every dollar to maintain current level of assistance Short funding Project-based Section 8 contracts CDBG flat $2.9 billion (-25% over 2 years) HOME flat $ 1billion Sustainable Communities $100 million

Congress Views and Estimates HUD budget fails to impose spending discipline Resources should be allocated to fewer programs CDBG: "Concerns have been raised that some CDBG money is used to fund projects that reflect exclusively local priorities” Clarity of purpose, poor management, questionable uses, and slow spend out rates Funds for Sustainable Communities Initiative and Choice Neighborhoods should be transferred to CDBG and Project-based Section 8

Transportation-HUD 302(b) allocation

CDBG Dear Colleagues

Current CDBG Signers

Home Regulatory Reform

Economic Development Administration

Eminent Domain H.R. 1433, the Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2011 Prohibits federal, state, and local governments that receive federal economic development funds from using eminent domain to acquire land for economic development purposes. “Economic development” defined as private, for-profit projects, or projects designed to increase tax revenue, the tax base, or employment. Punitive measures on governments for violating the ban and creates a cause of action for landowners who have property wrongfully taken by a state or local government. Safe harbor for “public purpose” such as the construction of roads, hospital facilities, airports or military bases

Presidents Housing Proposal Aimed at middle class homeowners who may be underwater Mostly current on mortgage payments over the course of a year Any qualifying homeowner unable to refinance in the private market could refinance through a federal entity Cost $5 to $10 billion; paid by proposed “Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee” on financial institutions $15 billion in FY 2013 for Project Rebuild

Committee Communication

Federal / Local Roundtables Development Roundtable Val Piper, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, CPD, HUD Judy Canales, Admin for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs, USDA Administrator for Housing and Community Facilities Programs, USDA Sustainable Cities Roundtable Shelley Poticha, Director of OSHC, HUD Matthew Dalbey, Ph.D., Director, Federal and State Division, EPA SC2 Roundtable Sarah Ray – Department of Education Jake Ament – HUD, Office of Policy Development Kheng Mei Tan – HUD, Office of Policy Development Iris Goodman, Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research, EPA Choice and Promise Neighborhoods Bonnie Carter, Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education Caroline Clayton, Office of Public Housing Investments, HUD

Advocacy This Week 1. Tell House to “Sign Brady CDBG Letter” 2. Tell Senate to “Sign Leahy CDBG Letter” 3. Bonus! Tell Senate to Support Casey/Blunt Amendment to fund local bridges in the Transportation Reauthorization bill

Contact Michael Wallace Principal Associate, Federal Relations National League of Cities Blog: