Item A: Lane Livability Grant - Laserfiche WebLink

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Communities which seeks to better integrate the policies, programs, and funding of EPA, HUD, DOT, and USDA within a framework of six Livability Principles:  Provide more transportation choices  Promote equitable, affordable housing  Enhance economic competitiveness  Support existing communities  Coordinate policies and leverage investment  Value communities and neighborhoods The benefits and opportunities linked with the Sustainable Communities Grant program were discussed as a part of a very recent meeting of Institute for Sustainable Communities Climate Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C which was attended by City Councilor Alan Zelenka, Planning Director Lisa Gardner, City Engineer Mark Schoening, and 1000 Friends of Oregon Willamette Valley Advocate Mia Nelson. The academy reinforced that the City of Eugene priorities on economic prosperity, social equity, and integrated land use and transportation policies are shared across the country, in cities and counties, from smaller urban areas like Eugene-Springfield, to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Of the 13 participating cities and states from across the country, seven were recipients of the HUD Sustainable Communities Grant, nearly all the remaining six had applied in hopes of funding and advancing local priorities. Conversations at this convening reflected the importance and advantages available to those regions that have already been awarded a Sustainable Communities grant. Application for Funds - In 2010, the Lane Council of Governments led the development and submission of an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant for the Lane Livability Consortium (LLC). Applications were required to be submitted by multi-jurisdictional, multi-sector partnerships. As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and focal point for regional governmental coordination, LCOG was the appropriate entity to fill this role. This region was selected as one of 45 Sustainable Communities grant recipients selected from over 1,000 applications and will receive $1,450,000. This region is the only one selected from Oregon. The City of Eugene will receive $52,000 in grant funds and will provide an in-kind match of $43,500. Project Scope - The LLC seeks to build on the strength of existing regional plans and to create linkages among those plans. One of the major strengths of the region’s application was the presence of multiple multi-jurisdictional plans including the Regional Plan for Economic Prosperity, the Regional Transportation Plan, and the Eugene-Springfield Consolidated Plan. The consortium program seeks to set these existing plans and goals in a sustainability framework and strengthen coordination and integration among these efforts to maximize effectiveness. This product will be presented as a regional investment strategy. Given HUD’s emphasis on Federal interdepartmental integration, this work is largely focused on enhancing future efforts to obtain Federal funding for local projects. \\Cesrv500\cc support\CMO\2011 Council Agendas\M110620\S110620A.doc