By Eugene T. Lowe
June 28, 2010

The Community Development and Housing Committee met June 12 to consider 17 resolutions that have been previously submitted. Green Bay Mayor James Schmitt served as Acting Chair of the Committee, which also was briefed by two high ranking administration officials. Executive Director Barbara Poppe of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez presented the current activities of their agencies and how they will provide assistance to mayors and cities.

Poppe thanked the mayors for the adoption of a resolution to support the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness in leading the effort to develop a federal strategic plan to end homelessness. Poppe said that her agency was in the final stages of preparing that plan. The plan, she added, would have a framework with the following goals: to further reduce chronic homelessness, to prevent and end homelessness among veterans, to prevent homelessness among families, children, and youth (those on the streets and those aging out of foster care), and to set a path for ending all types of homelessness. Poppe said that through online and regional forums, and through a conference call with mayors, several important themes emerged that will be considered in the development of the strategic plan: 1) leadership, interagency cooperation and intergovernmental relations; 2) affordable housing and the development of permanent supportive housing; 3) access to mainstream federal programs for people experiencing homelessness; 4) healthy communities for homeless people; and 5) move away from a shelter system to a system that get people connected to housing. (The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was released on June 22 and can be found on the HUD website, www.hud.gov or www.usich.gov.)

velopment of permanent supportive housing; 3) access to mainstream federal programs for people experiencing homelessness; 4) healthy communities for homeless people; and 5) move away from a shelter system to a system that get people connected to housing. (The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was released on June 22 and can be found on the HUD website, www.hud.gov or www.usich.gov.)

Fernandez, who is also the Administrator of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), thanked the mayors for adopting resolutions on the reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration and on regional innovation clusters. He said as the nation comes out of the recession, it is important "that we don-t go back to business as usual." President Obama, he said, wants an ambitious agenda for sustainable economic growth. EDA's role is to help build globally competitive regions. Fernandez, formerly the mayor of Bloomington (IN), said that as mayors we often think in terms "of a specific city." This kind of competition between cities will never go away, he added. But companies are not choosing between cities down the street but between regions. President Obama's goal is to develop a strong system that encourages regional collaboration. In response, EDA is focusing on regional clusters. The FY2011 budget has $75 million for regional innovation clusters. Pans for the clusters are developed by communities along with EDA's assistance.

Adopted Resolutions

• Reaffirming Policy in Support of the CDBG and HOME Programs — urges Congress in FY2011 to provide no less than $4.2 billion in CDBG formula funds and $2 billion in HOME formula grants.

• Housing Government'sponsored Enterprises — calls on the federal government to enact legislative changes for improved oversight of housing GSE practices, policies and operations especially with respect to foreclosed property while still ensuring community lending.

• Reauthorizing and Supporting the Economic Development Administration (EDA) — supports the reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration so that it may continue to fulfill its mission to prepare America's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.

• Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funding and Operational Improvements — support additional formula-based grants directly to local governments for a third round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding.

• Federal Home Loan Bank System's Importance as a Resource For America Cities — support legislation, regulatory changes and other initiatives designed to expand the FHL banks- ability to work through their members to serve the housing, community and economic development needs of cities through their investment authority, introduction of new business and activities, and development of new initiatives and products.

• Supporting the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness — endorses the goals, objectives, and strategies within the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.

• U.S. Conference of Mayors in Support of Financial Planning Clinics for Retirement Preparedness and Financial Literacy — urges Congress to adopt a budget resolution to support the creation of financial planning clinics to be held once a year during Financial Planning Month (October) in various cities across America.

• Support for Sustainable Development in Cities — calls on Congress to adopt the Livable Communities Act, the Enhancing Livability for All Americans Act, or similar legislation and support full funding for the Sustainable Communities Partnership in the President's Budget.

• HUD, DOT and EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities — congratulates HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson for their leadership in creating the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and pledges that the Conference of Mayors will work with the three agencies to enhance and promote the Partnership programs and principles.

• Regional Innovation Clusters to Strengthen Competitiveness and Productivity of Regional Economies — supports fully funding several initiatives in the FY2011 budget including the Economic Development Administration's $75 million Regional Innovation Clusters program, the Small Business Administration's $11 million effort to align with clusters, the National Science Foundation's $12 million Innovation Ecosystems program, the Department of Agriculture's Regional Innovation Initiatives, and the Department of Labor's Workforce Innovation Fund.

• Calling on the Obama Administration to Create an Office Dedicated to the Promulgating of Sustainable Principles, Practices and Policies — recommends and endorses the creation of an office within the Administration, whose primary mandate is to encourage, promote, and further principles and practices of sustainability across all sectors of the communities outside the federal government.

• Support for Green Affordable Housing and Financing — calls on the Congress to adopt the GREEN Act, the Energy Efficiency in Housing Act or similar legislation that would transform and modernize the U.S. housing market through the use of Energy Efficient Mortgages and Location Efficient Mortgages while ensuring that the benefits of green buildings are accessible to Americans of all income levels through the use of standards and incentives for affordable housing projects, including green building standards for single-family or multifamily structures.

• Supporting Financial Prescriptions For Energy Retrofits of Existing Buildings — calls upon state legislatures who have not already done so to adopt enabling legislation to allow for Energy Financing Districts to be established in their states and encourages members of The U.S. Conference of Mayors to use Energy Financing Districts as a means to finance the retrofitting of existing buildings.

• Calling on U.S. Cities To Adopt Green Building Codes — calls on all local governments wishing to take a more holistic approach to incorporate energy efficiency, sustainable community planning and healthy and safe building practices into the codes to adopt the IGCC and consider its Standard 189.1 compliance path as base code in their jurisdictions.

• Energy Retrofit Consideration in Home Appraisal Process — calls on Congress to pass legislation that requires licensed and certified real estate appraisers to take into consideration any renewable energy sources and energy efficiency or energy-conserving improvements when determining the value of a property.

• Provide Federal Incentives to Home Builders and Homeowners Who Install Fire Sprinkler Systems in Any Residence — urges the Administration and Congress to provide incentives through stimulus grants and tax credits to homeowners who may voluntarily choose to install fire sprinklers in new and existing one and two family dwellings and town homes.

• Wellness in Real Estate — encourages mayors to create comprehensive policies and programs to encourage wellness and healthy lifestyles through education and community outreach efforts, and to consider key wellness factors when developing real estate, schools and public buildings.