S. 1619 would establish the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, to establish the Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities, to establish a comprehensive planning grant program, to establish a sustainability challenge grant program.
Detailed Summary
Livable Communities Act of 2009 - Establishes in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC).
Establishes in the executive branch an independent Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities.
Requires the OSHC Director to establish a program to make comprehensive planning grants and sustainability challenge grants to eligible entities (partnerships between a consortium of units of general local government and an eligible partner, which may be a metropolitan planning organization, a rural planning organization, a regional council, or a state).
Requires the use of a comprehensive planning grant to carry out a project to: (1) coordinate land use, housing, transportation, and infrastructure planning processes across jurisdictions and agencies; (2) identify potential regional partnerships for developing and implementing a comprehensive regional plan; (3) conduct or update housing, infrastructure, transportation, energy, and environmental assessments to determine regional needs and promote sustainable development; (4) develop or update a comprehensive regional plan or goals and strategies to implement an existing comprehensive regional plan; and (5) implement local zoning and other code changes necessary to implement a comprehensive regional plan and promote sustainable development.<br>
Requires the use of a sustainability challenge grant to: (1) promote integrated transportation, housing, energy, and economic development activities carried out across policy and governmental jurisdictions; (2) promote sustainable and location-efficient development; and (3) implement projects identified in a comprehensive regional plan.
Directs the OSHC Director to study and report to specified congressional committees on incentives for encouraging lenders to make, and homebuyers and homeowners to participate in, energy-efficient mortgages and location-efficient mortgages.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 8/6/2009: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Margo
August 27, 2009, 2:13pm (report abuse)The planning principles included in this bill are exactly where we need to be heading as a nation. Planners across the nation are really excited about this national livability discussion. The benefits to this approach are so multi-faceted and far-reaching that we can't not do it. Thanks.
Danbury
October 21, 2009, 6:00pm (report abuse)Hmmmm can you say "Agenda 21"?
FireDragon
November 19, 2009, 1:24pm (report abuse)You are exactly right, Danbury! How can people think this is a good thing? Thanks but no thanks!
mal
November 20, 2009, 9:07pm (report abuse)Agenda 21 is exactly right. You people need to wake up & realize what is really going on.