Urban Revitalization and Livable Communities Act (URLC)

H.R. 3734Presented By: Stacey Pine and Joel PannellNational Recreation and Park Association

Today’s Presentation

• History of Funding for Urban Parks• Need For New Legislation• Components of the URLC• Current Status• Needed Congressional Action

History: Funding For Urban Parks• Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR)

Program established 1978

• Success from 1978-2002- Provided approximately $272 million in funding- Funded approximately 1,500 projects in 380 localities in 43 states

For a list of eligible cities and counties under UPARR visit: http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/uprr/eligibility.html

For a list of funded projects visit: http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/uprr/funded_city.html

History: Funding For Urban ParksUPARR appropriations for grants:

Fiscal Year Amount ($ in millions)

1979 $19.2

1980 $62.2

1981 $62.4

1982 $7.6 1983 $40 1984 $6.7

1985-1990 $-0- 1991 $19.9 1992 $4.9 1993 $-0- 1994 $5 1995 $7.5 2000 $2.0 2001 $28.9 2002 $28.9

Need For New Legislation

• UPARR eligibility based on 1970 census• UPARR not seen as effective program – need for

quantifiable results• Appropriations decided by Dept. of Interior

Appropriations subcommittee

Need For New Legislation• 80% of the U.S. population now lives in urban

areas• Many urban areas are faced with

deteriorating infrastructure• No dedicated funding source for parks and

recreation infrastructure/programs

Components of the URLC• Focuses on revitalizing urban areas through the development

and rehabilitation of park and recreation (indoor and outdoor) infrastructure and programs.

• Administered through the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Authorizes $445 million annually

• Eligibility updated after every census

• Matching grant program

Four types of grants within URLCRehabilitation Grants

-Used for capital improvements. Funding for rebuilding, remodeling, and/or expanding existing recreational areas and facilities.

- Can also be used to develop or build new recreational areas and facilities.

Innovation Grants-The intent of Innovation grants is to test new ideas, concepts and approaches aimed at improving facility design, operations or programming in the delivery of neighborhood recreation services.

-Linking recreation services with other critical community programs; such as transportation, housing, and health programs.

- Funds personnel, facilities, equipment and supplies (not part of routine operation or maintenance)

Four types of grants within URLC

At-Risk Youth Recreation Grants- Grants for new programs and existing programs that provide alternative activities to youth at-risk of engaging in criminal behavior.

Recovery Action Program Grants- Funding for the development of community action plans to revitalize parks and recreational resources and facilities

Current Status of URLC

• 114 Co-sponsors(to see if your Representative is a co-sponsor visit: http://thomas.loc.gov, select bill number and enter HR 3734)

• Assigned to two committees in the House- Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity- Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities

Congressional Action

• Secure additional co-sponsors• Ask members of the Financial Services and

Education and Labor Committees to bring the bill forward for action

• Find a Senate Champion to introduce a companion bill

Urban Parks and Recreation Build Healthy, Livable Communities!!

The Quick Economics of Urban Parks: Urban parks and recreation agencies create jobs and a skilled workforce • Studies show that 20 jobs are created for every $1 million invested in parks and recreation

construction

• Park and recreation agencies employee youth in a variety of jobs ranging from camp counselors to life guards and maintenance staff. These jobs introduce youth to real-life work experience

• Urban park and recreation agencies often provide job training programs for youth and adults that create a skilled workforce.

Urban parks and recreation facilities provide increased opportunity for physical

activity. • A study by the CDC found that the creation of or enhanced access to places for physical activity led

to a 25.6 percent increase in the percentage of people exercising on three or more days a week • According to the Trust for Public Land (TPL), for the largest 85 cities in the country with a total

population of 57.2 million, the health savings from parks is an estimated $3.08 billion.

Green space, trees and vegetation in urban parks save our environment by minimizing storm water runoff and air pollution.

• A 2007 study conducted in Philadelphia shows that parks reduced storm water runoff in the city by 75%. By not having to treat storm water, the savings due to park runoff reductions was $5,948,613. Similarly, Philadelphia saved $1,534,000 due to air pollution mitigation.

Parks spur economic development by attracting homebuyers and boosting residential property values

• More than 30 studies have shown that parks increase nearby residential property values up to 15%.

In a downturn economy, more people are looking to their communities for close-to-home recreation opportunities

• Usage of urban parks far exceeds that that of the national parks—the most popular major parks, such as Lincoln Park in Chicago receive upwards of 20 million users each year, and New York's Central Park gets about 25 million visits annually - more than five times the number of visits to the Grand Canyon.

Contact Information

Stacey L. PineChief Government Affairs Officer

spine@nrpa.org

Joel PannellAdvocacy and Outreach Coordinator

jpannell@nrpa.org