Pennsylvania Act 1970-77 — PENNSYLVANIA URBAN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1969

Act text

PENNSYLVANIA URBAN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1969
                  Act of Mar. 21, 1970, P.L. 195, No. 77              Cl. 14
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing the Department of Community Affairs to develop and
        administer an Urban Technical Assistance Program, requiring
        an annual report to the Governor, providing cooperation with
        other State and Federal agencies, granting certain powers to
        the Secretary of Community Affairs and making an
        appropriation.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  Short Title.--This act shall be known and may be
     cited as the "Pennsylvania Urban Assistance Act of 1969."
        Section 2.  Findings and Purposes.--The General Assembly
     finds that improving the quality of life in Pennsylvania's
     metropolitan areas is of primary importance in stimulating
     further development of the Commonwealth and that to accomplish
     that end on a coordinated basis that there is a need to:
        (1)  Utilize more effectively the expertise available in the
     field of public administration and encourage the interchange of
     this expertise.
        (2)  Develop more effective cooperation among political,
     civic, industrial and commercial leadership.
        (3)  Provide the necessary incentives for Federal-State-local
     cooperation to meet the economic, physical, social and
     institutional needs of Pennsylvania communities.
        (4)  Establish the framework, both organizational and
     financial, for a closer and more cooperative relationship
     between the public and the private sectors.
        (5)  Provide the necessary framework for the development and
     delivery of solutions to the interrelated problems of the
     metropolitan centers of Pennsylvania.
        Section 3.  Definitions.--The following terms, whenever used
     or referred to in this act shall have the following meanings
     except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a
     different meaning:
        "Department" means the Department of Community Affairs.
        "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Pennsylvania
     Department of Community Affairs.
        "Demonstration" means any new mode of approach employed as an
     attempt to solve a problem for which aid under existing programs
     is not available.
        "Urban unit" means an integrated economic and social unit
     with an urban population nucleus.
        "Applicant" means a municipality of over fifteen thousand
     population, according to the latest United States Census, which
     serves as the nucleus of the urban unit.

        Compiler's Note.  The Department of Community Affairs,
            referred to in this section, was abolished by Act 58 of
            1996 and its functions were transferred to the Department
            of Community and Economic Development. The Secretary of
            Community Affeairs, referred to in this section, was
            abolished by Act 58 of 1996 and the functions were
            transferred to the Secretary of Community and Economic
            Development by Act 58 of 1996.
        Section 4.  Program Authorization.--(a) The department is
     hereby authorized to aid urban units in:
        (1)  Establishing community planning, development and
     research programs.
        (2)  Carrying out demonstration projects defined to develop
     solutions to the physical, human, environmental and
     administrative problems faced by the urban unit.
        (3)  Instituting personnel exchange and training programs.
        (4)  Developing techniques for the successful accomplishment
     of this act and in seeking greater citizen involvement in
     solving the problems of the urban unit.
        (5)  Establishing human resource development programs.
        (6)  Creating more effective public administration and
     municipal management.
        (7)  Applying other available resources or methods to carry
     out the intent of this act.
        (b)  The department is hereby authorized to contract with,
     cooperate with, enter into agreements with, and receive
     financial assistance from any agency of the Federal Government
     or of the Commonwealth and any political subdivision, authority,
     corporation, organization, association, institution, or person
     and to provide grants to any political subdivision, authority,
     corporation, or organization in furtherance of the execution of
     the powers contained herein.
        (c)  The secretary shall employ such personnel as may be
     necessary to carry out the purpose of this act and shall have
     the power to convene or authorize his representatives to convene
     official representatives of other Commonwealth departments or
     agencies to enable the department to exercise the power and
     perform the duties specified by Article XXV-C of "The
     Administrative Code of 1929," the act of April 9, 1929
     (P.L.177), as added by the act of February 1, 1966 (P.L.1849);
     and as specified by the act of May 20, 1949 (P.L.1608), known as
     the "State Planning Code," as amended by the act of February 2,
     1966 (P.L.1899).
        (d)  In carrying out the authorization contained in this
     section the department shall make maximum feasible use of
     available local, State, Federal and private programs and
     resources, utilizing funds under this act only when necessary in
     engineering, executing, and complementing coordinated solutions
     to community problems of interdependent causation.
        Section 5.  General Powers and Duties, Regulations.--(a) In
     order to effectuate and enforce the provisions of this act, the
     secretary is authorized to promulgate necessary rules and
     regulations and prescribe conditions and procedures in order to
     assure compliance in carrying out the purposes for which aid is
     given hereunder.
        (b)  The conditions for eligibility shall include but not be
     limited to the following:
        (1)  Existence of critical community development problems
     which offer the possibility of developing techniques for solving
     such problems.
        (2)  Demonstration of a lack of sufficient local resources to
     effectively solve these problems.
        (3)  Existence of strong local, political and civic
     leadership willing and able to relate to and coordinate with
     State efforts.
        (4)  Indication of a willingness to develop the
     administrative machinery and qualified permanent professional
     staff.
        (5)  Establishment of an Urban Technical Assistance
     Coordinating Committee under such conditions as determined by
     the secretary.
        (c)  The department shall submit to the Governor an annual
     report covering the administration and operation of this act,
     and shall make such recommendations for amendments to this act
     as it deems proper. Such reports and recommendations shall be
     presented on or about December 31 of each year.
        Section 6.  Appropriation.--The sum of two hundred thousand
     dollars ($200,000) is hereby specifically appropriated to the
     department to be used as authorized by this act. The funds
     appropriated under this act shall be segregated within the
     department and remain available until expended.
        Section 7.  Effective Date.--This act shall take effect
     immediately.