ACHIEVING
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
- A DEPARTMENTAL STRATEGY --
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
March 24, 1995 j
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
THE SECRETARY
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20410-0001 i
March 24, 1995 '
Carol M. Browner, Administrator i
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W. i
West Tower, Room A101
Washington, D.C. 20460
Dear Administrator Browner:
The President's Executive Order 12898, "Federal Actions to
ss Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-
Populations," signed February 11, 1994., requires the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) , along with
addrl;^ ?%*"?**' tO dSVel°P a strategy which identifies
addresses the disproportionate and adverse impacts of
inwT11 Y IfSafe and. ^suitable living environments faced
r-i°n ?6 2nd minority Populations. The Executive Order
directs us to demonstrate how we intend to integrate
JUStice concerns into HUD policies,, programs, and
tO define a COnmon sense! approach to our
-°nlY caPtures several of the Department's
V?^ "" emP°werment zones, childhood lead
brownf ields cleanup, and colonias development — but
also advances the fundamental philosophy of HUD ' s cSmmi tment t o
communities, to the housing needs of its poorest and most
Indn?oa?oL??PU"£ti°nS' t0 fair h°using a^d °Pen ^oSsTnf markets,
and to locally-ariven economic development. At HUD, we believe
rn^i00^"1^ t0 and ensurin9 environmental justice not on?y
complements the Department's mission but also the current efforts
underway to downsize and "reinvent" the agency. \ Current eff°^ts
Ir,am Pleasea to submit to you the Department :Of Housing and
nd
Sincerely,
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TABLE OP CONTENTS
A Message from the Secretary !
I. Environmental Justice: Priority Initiatives
A. Creating Healthy, Viable Environments through
Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities
B. Fighting Childhood Lead Poisoning
. C. Revitalizing Central Cities through Brownfields
Redevelopment
D. Improving Fundamental Living Conditions in the Rural
Colonias
II. Environmental Justice: Options for Implementation
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A. Message from the Secretary
lives'^? £??a?omenVf H^sing and Urban Development touches the
dav mm ii^ of people and thousands of communities every
with -5SJJ i?S £rovlde the nation's families and communities
credi? 225 J% SmeS' renta* assistance< Access to mortgage
credit, expanded homeownership opportunities, homeless
assistance, and family and social services, and acts as a
catalyst for community development, economic growth, and job
JrSrJ?iany Americans' especially low-income and minority
" °f life and
_ Ensuring environmental justice is a natural goal in HUD's
mission and priorities.
We, at HUD, are committed to creating communities of
1How€Ter'.£fal opportunity - economic, educational,
™ less tangible for those Americans who are trapped in
run-down, isolated public housing which is contaminated with
or IdnfrJinr ?SS- famijies:,who live_in inner-city neighborhoods on
«nh^?C?ntK VndUStrial waste sites, and for those families who
subsist in border communities that lack basic infrastructure
?^Stng'uanQ sanitation- HUD is helping to change those
intolerable conditions — to change the way our society thinks
about _ urban policy and environmental issues. Three basic
principles arive HUD's environmental justice effort.
HUD will promote sound environmental considerations in
community development and housiny policies that, at the same
time, wan preserve housing affordability and encouraae
rural and urban economic growth and private sector
investment.
_ HUD is able to address environmental ineguil-ies in two
primary capacities. First, HUD helps provide resources to
Americans urban communities, an investment which has become
increasingly urgent over the past several decades as we have
witnessed capital flight — human and financial — from our
central cities The major shift in the nation's industrial base
from heavy manufacturing to other forms of production has left
behind "brownfields" — obsolete, contaminated industrial sites -
- that few want to develop. Such lost land use opportunities
weaken the economic base of the nation's metropolitan
communities .
Meanwhile, poor people, and especially poor minority
Americans, have become increasingly concentrated in central
cities and other isolated urban communities. Where industry has
stayed in the cities, poor or minority neighborhoods have
literally become dumping grounds for industrial waste. All of
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as
metropolitan communities. HUD
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ma ardt
socially from the larael n™™, "olatfd b°th physically and
Public and IndiaS houIJng'sCJd'L^fe^wi?/?10^6 Sh
source of pride to the rnmSim?i-,, f '^ well-designed, and a
attract violent crime ST?h ^' ^ rundown high-rises that
environments fo? raising a ^i^5515^ homes offer healthy
forward iri "" n mind as «•
of environmental p?SbleS thaj bef??! °S* n0t rePrese"t the range
in
along the u.s - nxi or ^eveoped con^unities
co^it^ent to c
enry G.yfcisneros
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I. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: PRIORITY INITIATIVES
Introduction
r-«rt-ii in the Secretary's message, HUD has proposed to
radically restructure the. way we serve the nation's communities
and low- income families. HUD is proposing to consolidate 60 of
Pr°9rams.into three performance-based funds, transform
nhi . , ransorm
public housing as it exists today, and create an entrepreneurial
government -owned FHA corporation. If approved by Cong?els these
changes will be launched as early as FY 1996. ^On9ress, tnese
The proposed changes will improve the federal role in
meeting the community development and housing needs of today's
fooi^S5' AS-WS reduce the number of HUD programs and increase
local discretion, the Department will explore ways in which to
sustain national standards in local community and housing plans.
HUD will not sway from the basic principle that low-income
families and _ minority families should 'have equal, access to
nealthy, thriving living environments.
As HUD works with Congress, state, tribal, and local
leaders, and community-based organizations through this
legislative and budget cycle, we will be sensitive to
environmental justice concerns. The reinvention ' of HUD will give
policymakers and the public a real opportunity to redesign
federal housing programs and policies from the bottom up to
better assist state, tribal and local leaders to meet housing and
community development needs. This complete overhaul preset? a
good avenue for environmental justice considerations to be
integrated into the core mission of the "new" HUD.
The President's Executive Order asks each of the federal
agencies to identify several key initiatives or projects that can
be undertaken immediately to address today's environmental
tnS£hSVSS?eS' *hv ^Jowins section lays out HUD's commitment
to the creation of healthy and viable communities through the
il^ ?t'S-EmpOW?rment Zone Pr°gram< the prevention of childhood
lead poisoning, the "greening" of urban brownfields, and the
revitalization of distressed rural communities along the U S -
Mexico border. in each discussion, HUD illustrates the
environmental issues confronting the communities, evaluates our
e± torts to date, and proposes a series of "next steps" to ensure
a thoughtful implementation of these priority initiatives
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A. EMPOWERMENT ZONES AND ENTERPRISE
The Problem
nt clinton/s Empowerment Zones and Enterprise
program provides needed resources, flexibility and
-
res' the "Powernent zone program targets
resources at low-income and minority areas suffering from
SOrt WhiCh °ften includes hi9h incidence of crime,
9orP°rate Capital, adequate public services
HUD Response-to-Date
to heal?hvla?H^?0helP Urban cornmunities which have a commitment
to nealthy, viable communities to better meet their environmental
' 9nSw iThr°U?h ?he ^ministration's EmpowerSnTzSnT"
W°rk closely with ?2 large and small cities (6
nerinent-ZOneS' 2 8«RPle°«ntal zones, 4 enhanced
o? 5h^STU^ltieS' and 6° Urban enterprise communities),
°ft.whlnch ha^e integrated environmental concerns into their
n^ty plans,b^ Providing federal resources, relieving federal
S* ?°n?' a?d combinin^ federal funding strums to e"£Lre
ediate local action in reviving distressed communities?
HUD has a lead role in the Interagency Task Force which
vinter? the Admini^ration's largeit urban economic
development initiative — the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise
Communities (EZ/EC) program. The Administration's EZ/E? program
rVl
thei rin. co:mmunitie a
^eJJ residents to create Dobs and opportunity; take effective
action to solve the difficult and pressing economic human
community, and physical development challenges today; and build
ffr.? "^ fUtUre throu5h a partnership of Federal l?ate and
local governments and the private sector in each region
Businesses will be encouraged to invest in distressed areas
thereby creating jobs, and the entire region will be challenged
to make Dobs throughout the local labor market accessible to the
residents of the designated communities. -essioie to the
The majority of EZ/EC applicants cited past land
^1113^0? andv. lead~based Paint hazards in homes as serious
iments to urban redevelopment and included proactive
environmental initiatives in their comprehensive community plans.
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D
Among the empowerment zone and supplemental empowerment
zones designated by the President on December 21, 1994
Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Cleveland all
included environmental justice and/or brownfields related
activities in their proposals. Chicago, for example, has a
strategy for addressing the so-called "toxic doughnut" on its
soutnside. Los Angeles proposed an expedited cleanup of
fcrownfields through low-cost loans and improved procedures and an
environmental justice program to identify and disseminate risk
information to residents. Cleveland has a model brownfields
initiative. Among the Enterprise Communities, the Minneapolis
plan calls for the cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater
while Bridgeport, Pittsburgh, and Tacoma each identified linkages
to environmental justice concerns.
Next Steps: HUD Proposal for Future Strategies
1. Promote Environmental Justice through the Interagency Task
Force
^ ^ Intera9ency Task Force is responsible for assisting all
tne designated empowerment zones and enterprise communities in
implementing their strategic plans. To date, the Task Force has
made contact with all of the urban and rural designees. Initial
visits to all of the sites will be completed within the next few
° 1iowi£g the first set of visits, HUD, in conjunction
w , ,
witn_EPA and other agencies on the Task Force, will identify
specific environmental justice issues which will ,need addressing.
The empowerment zone program, due to its convergence of
tederal assistance, provides the perfect platform for
comprehensively addressing on-going local and intergovernmental
et torts in reducing lead hazards, restoring brownfields, treating
obsolescent energy and water systems and other environmental
etforts. The empowerment zone program also provides a prime
opportunity for federal agencies to work in coordination, with
increased flexibility, in initiating new efforts to resolve
complex environmental issues that require multiple agency
involvements, such as Energy, Defense, and EPA.
Again, the Task Force will identify the range of
environmental issues to be addressed in these communities. Where
innovative interagency collaborations in dealing with
environmental justice issues are successful, the Task Force will
be eager to replicate and build upon those model efforts in other
communities. - ; ^uiiei
2. Promote Environmental Justice vrith Non-Designees
The Administration is committed to providing assistance to
communities which applied for the empowerment zone or enterprise
community designation, but which were not selected". This will
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asS±Stance as »el1 ** federal agency
t5e,J'ask Force contacts these communities, we will
pd Sre are enviro^ntal justice issues 'that nied to
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8
B. CHILDHQQP ^EAD POISONING
The Problem
P°.isoning is the number one health hazard to America'^
nderthe 3ge °f Six' Approximately 1.? Sil?io^
exP°sed to dangerous levels of lead Lead
behavioral probJel,
cdrev- ' the Problemontus for
stock has Jot b ^ PJ?domina?tly poor areas where the housing
hazards of ?L5SSn e"ectlvely maintained. Eliminating the
Hazards of lead-based paint in the nation's housing is a
cornerstone of lead poisoning prevention efforts; It must be
a^Slistic environmental justice concern not simply
health, or environmental issue. ,
The Journal's findings reinforces the greater need for
iioa^r
other and with
Date8 Laraer Role and Environmental Justice AcooffipliBhments to
I
Although laws governing lead-based paint have been in
existence since 1971, the Housing Act of 1992 was th! fir"st
comprehensive piece of legislation to regulate the reduction of
lead, hazards in homes built before 1978, the year lead was bam
i
, ea was am*
in paint. HUD has taken an active role in thigh ^against lead
n followin9 list highlights some of^'f mSjor
in ensuring lead-safe homes in this country!
to develop lead-based paint guidelines and policies
applicable to HUD and other Federal housing programs to
thlir^homJs- families are Protected from lead haiardl ±n
to operate a grant program for State and aocal
governments to develop cost-effective methods for
reducing lead hazards in low-income private housing-
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to conduct and supervise HUD or interagency lead-based
paint research;
• to conduct demonstrations, studies, and standards
development and promote technology improvements in
lead-hazard reduction; and
• to support and design public information and awareness
initiatives on lead poisoning.
HUD has been working and will continue to work in earnest to
address the complicated and sometimes competing facets of the
lead poisoning problem. HUD must partner with health advocates,
low-income housing providers, realtors, the insurance industry,
environmentalists and state and local leaders, in order to
achieve the fine balance between affordability and childhood
health.
While the scope of the lead issue stretches from public to
private housing and from low-income to middle-income families,
HUD has made great strides over the years to respond to the lead
problems faced by poor and minority families. The following is a
list of_HUD's accomplishments to date in addressing lead issues
in public housing and low-income and minority neighborhoods.
A. Lead in Public Housing
1• General Lead Reduction Activities. HUD provides public
housing agencies and Indian Housing Authorities with funds
to test and abate lead in paint prior to all public housing
modernization activities. At the same time, in accordance
to a congressional mandate, PHAs have completed testing for
lead hazards 'in approximately 80 percent of the nation's
public housing built before 1978. HUD has also awarded a
total of $15 million since FY 1992 to eligible HAs to
conduct risk assessments in individual housing developments.
2• Studies on Lead Testing in Public Housing. ; HUD has several
studies underway to examine the quality of lead testing in
public housing:
• Comprehensive Review by the Army Corps of Engineers. HUD
has enlisted the assistance of the Army Corps of Engineers
to review the quality of public housing leaid-based paint
testing done to date. The Army Corps will retest, a sampling
of public housing units for accuracy. Final conclusions and
recommendations are expected in June 1995.
Short-Term Analysis with the Center for Lead-Safe
Housing, While the more comprehensive study is taking
place, HUD, in conjunction with the Center for Lead Safe
Housing, has conducted a short-term analysis of completed
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10
paint inspections by 40 public housing authorities The
rinal recommendations were submitted to HUD at the "end of
au?d??n ^94n ThS recoi^dations served as an important
guide to the Department, in advance of the 1994 testina
deadline, enabling HUD to take immediate remedial actiSns to
prevent inaccurate inspections in untested public housing
^^°pmfnt? and to reinspect or correct already completed
unreliable inspections.
S. Lead in Low- Income and Minority Neiffhborhoods
1* Lead Hazard Control m-ant Program. Since FY 1992 HUD hsc-
awarded a total of $279 million through 64 grants 'to 56
state and local governments to reduce lead hazards in
private, low-income housing. The grant program supports
such activities as public education, paint inspections and
risk assessments, low-cost interim controls, and lead
abatements of varying levels of completeness. Grantees have
the flexibility to choose the hazard control methods that
work best locally, provided the work is done safely An
intensive evaluation is underway to determine the
effectiveness of local intervention strategies.
2- Neighborhood-Based Lead Poisoning Prevent inn Demonstration
In FY^1994, HUD and the Centers for Disease "Control jointly
funaea competitive grants to Chicago, Illinois and
Providence, Rhode Island, to develop comprehensive
innovative lead poisoning prevention programs in targeted
low-income neighborhoods. Local residents are involved in
tne planning and implementation of these local strategies.
C. Lead Education Campaign
_ Although lead in the environment has many sources, the
primary residential source of lead affecting children is surface
dust from lead-based paint. Young children playing Sn flSor Jo?
around windows contaminated with 'leaded dust ari easily po?Soned
when they put fingers, toys, and other objects which have been
contaminated with leaded dust in their mouths.
™ abatement and hazard reduction of lead-based paint
are costly and time consuming, and because as many as 9.9 million
American homes contain lead-based paint and are occupied by
families with children under the age of 6, lead education is
critical to protecting children from lead poisoning,. Parents in
*" ^ ^ position to keeP their chilSS safe
.Young children in deteriorated housing with peeling and
flaking paint are most at risk for lead poisoning. All too
often, poor African American and Latino children ar«=> livino in
such deteriorated dwellings, and they are therefore
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disproportionately affected by lead-based paint! poisoning.
11
, messages that parents need to
i ora0" ^ ^isoni^ that HUD will reinforce
Lead is dangerous.
°£
built be£ore 1978 may contain lead-based
Chipping and peeling paint should be promptly repaired
by persons trained to minimize dust generation
Dust should be wet -mopped and wet -wiped.
Sh°Uld be taught to wash thei^ hands before
*hSuld eat healthy diets high in calcium and
which discourage the absorption of lead in the
tO be re^larly tested for lead
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Pr-orrr-^ HUD has
awarded over $279 million to 56 State and lowl governments
for the abatement or hazard reduction of lead-based Sint in
pnvately-ovmed homes that are owned by or rentSd to loS
rSSu^JT1^3- EaCh of.thes^ abatement programs is
f *?^~i 3Ve a S13nificant lead-education program and to
actively promote community participation. , ^r&™ ana to
Although each grantee's program is different, the programs
SL^lude.act^vities ^ed specifically at a nun^e? of^
constituencies including children, parents, landlords '
ins??^?ion;nd rent?rS' medical Professionils, and Seal
hhloi J S ' Grantees use a variety of means to reach
these audiences including educational events, screening
programs, attendance at community meetings, ind SSct
outreach to home dwellers. They support these activities
with various materials including brochures, posteST fact
5' artlCles' t-shirts, coloring1 books ,' b^ons
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12
n
Wil1 be suPerse
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13
£Ver?ee lead reduction activities in public and
and EL ? • ? lnspector performs according to contract
and how to interpret the inspector's report Where
inaccurate testing is found, HUD has and will continue to
advise housmg authorities to retest pain? surfwes'?
Based on the short-term analysis by the Center fnr T«»* o,*
Housing, HUD was able to distribute in February ?9 9 5 such
aCaealS°n lead testin9 to all 3?a'£o of o
nHTv lead testin9 to all 3'o of our
and Indian housing authorities, all HUD field
?nd k?Y ?Ublic housi*9 inter4st groups like the
AH pSw?oaS10n-°f S°USing and R^evllopment officials
th^imrf? f T Housin5 Directors Association (PHDA)', and
the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA)
Given staff and other resources, HUD is int£r?sted in
conducting field training on the new lead guiSncf .
f°T:7ard to the final recommendations from the
^ ^-^^j.^ ln
2.
«°l that, amongthe
to £ollow "ini™™ lead
o! of
Paint Hazards in Housing. HUD
B.
!• Implementation nf
KSS 53S;
»«
-S proposed rule on national sandards
their funds. Within the next two years, HUD
anticipates increased activity in lead hazard reduction
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"'
affordable housing in the
with
forasisted ^unaoa^3** ?aillt eguations
income neighborhood! ?hese chana^^f 1
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2-
and methods for making tir us
Bs — HUD has the support of the
£. Economic Growth and Job Creation
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includes classroom instruction, workshop skill
indT ng' on-the-job work experience. TO da
16
date, 48
ISSth cX??1? Tand African American cOMnuninear
south-Central Los Angeles. More than 1 1 « TO,, T
-
•»«> central
will Sn?;ue°SIdanb!n?igraie pj??
strategy and envirSnSntll 1 "160* ' S
' f eal
deficit redction nd bnced Sudet^^h' n^*1 envir°™^t of
""
-ccf
-iSt--d-- - ° ^ - |;ess
passed legislation which provide minimJn standards for extractor
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.
stipulation that inn»i a result of the grant
their funds untif s?£te-Side legislatio^hf ^ CannOt tap into
recently have certain state! and ^*
* programs.
to continue in FY 1995
isar
ousing
or -bonuses- in the
SUpply side of
abatement,
SSlmity
set
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: is
BROWNPIEI.DS
The Problem
unknown, it is estimatd t ?SJ £ the brownfields problem
ranges froi^ 100^000 to 500 000 nUmber °f conta^nated sites
'
-^vintage of exijting infral^Se^rec^rC" ^°
HUD Response-to-Date
The loan
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asJiSta66 assisted activities must be eligible for CDBG
coliaterafrSfthfioan grant*e?* °£S alistance^fuleTas
Next Steps: HUD Proposal for Future Strategies
1. Pursue Recommendations from HDD's Symposium on Brovnfields
In December 1994, HUD, with the active support and
redSv^o10n ?f E5A' held a sW>osium on the barriers to the
hJni^XSJ 0Pment and reuse of urban brownfields. The symposium
brought together practitioners and policy-makers representing a
persPectiveS: devel°Pe" enviro^Stalistl? comSun?ty
State and local official£i: The symposium
in meeting urban redevelopment and
1S simul^eously, identified barkers that must
™K su^ested actions that HUD could take to
contribute to solving these problems. A number of innovative and
SoSTd aik!%SUgge?tl0nf We?e made at the sy»Posium which HuT
would like to explore further with other federal and private
sector partners. Some of these include: private
developing new financing strategies such as 'industrial
revenue bonds, credit enhancements, real estate
- investment trusts, HUD loan guarantees;
creating new public-private vehicles, such as land
banks and receiver programs, to oversee cleanup and
redevelopment process;
assigning States a greater role to oversee the clean-up
f* *• ^-^ w c o S / .
°f environmental insurance to limit
providing better information to communities and the
andVate SSCt0r °n sites caPable of being redeveloped;
assessing the cumulative impact of environmental
requirements on cities, and devising better means of
making urban communities more economically competitive
in the regional economy. '
These, and other innovative recommendations are contained in
ummary of the proceedins of the
, ecommeaons are
the summary of the proceedings of the symposium, which is
Sn^i e.fr°m HT^>/S office of Policy Development and Research
The Department, in coordination with EPA, is currently assessing
c 1
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2. Partner with EPA in the Recently Announced "Brownfields
Action Agenda"
In January 1995, EPA Administrator Browner announced a new
k£°^fl®idVnit^tive Before the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In
short, the Brownfields Action Agenda calls for:
removing 25,000 sites from the Superfund inventory to
help improve their prospects for redevelopment;
• > i
funding 50 pilot communities to develop brownfields
cleanup and redevelopment strategies; and
issuing a package of reforms to limit liability when
redeveloping contaminated sites.
. HUD is working with EPA on this new initiative. Already,
HUD has met with EPA and the lending community to fashion ways in
which to help private sector leaders overcome the stigma of
investing in urban brownfields. The Department intends to
continue to take an active role in implementing the
Administration's agenda for brownfields.
To supplement this effort, HUD and EPA will also jointly
undertake a number of research projects to better understand the
impact of brownfields on inner city development and to develop
more effective program strategies to address the vacuum of
investment. The first research project will assist HUD and EPA
in determining the extent to which environmental hazards and
environmental regulation impede private investment in urban
locations. A second project will develop several reuse and
redevelopment models to guide local revitalization efforts
These efforts will-be integrated with HUD's initiatives to'
promote economic development through Empowerment Zones and
Enterprise Communities and -to eliminate lead-based paint hazards
in the nation's housing stock.
3. Provide Better Technical Assistance
HUD will explore ways in which we can advise and train
localities to cope with the many facets of this problem. For
instance, HUD can work in cooperation with EPA to provide
assistance to communities on the spectrum of issues dealing with
brownfields rehabilitation and reuse, including identifying the
scope of the problem, understanding and working through federal
and state environmental regulations, choosing appropriate use and
health standards, developing economic development and marketing
plans, working with the business community, and working closely
with and providing assistance to residents to assure that their
views and concerns are identified and addressed.
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4 . Explore Other Interagency Efforts
to the Aforementioned interagency
e Fr where
in coordination with othtenc^13*06' ^ Int6nds tO
^
'in the
use the Consolidated Plan and the newly created Office
of Community Viability as a vehicle for proviSno
important linkages with other agencies^? enhanSI the
effective use of Federal funds at the local levX; and
nL?on^°rUn^tY' metrOP°litan, state, regional, and
national levels, pursue linkages with other ageAcies
whose programs can be used to enhance HUD gencies
constituencies. Among these are the DOT Livable
^1£b?r0Sram' HHS/S Healthy Communities, and
s Urban Resources Partnership.
5' Retention ^ Bro^fi&1^ Redevelopment through
Under HUD's reinvention plan, HUD will establish *
consolidated, performance-based fund called the CommSnit-v
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22
Problem
ze
and drainage, and subltlndaJd
These dist?essld a?eafa?f
New Mexico, Arizona and
of negligence to g^a
and land development
^-Mexico
inadequate roads
of the Texas,
from
sanitation needs
to ground water cntmintiS ?nf fhW3ter a2d Sewer systenis
for drinking and StnTng ?LJ2 conlitf SnS contai^""ed water
health, safety and envi?onmen?J! riSk to ?h»P°?S a.serious P^
income families of the borSJ? region minority and low-
HUD Response-to-Date
of colonias residents in IQQ! JJ Jargeted to «>ee.t the needs
total of $12 millSn ior ?he coioniL ^ ^^ allocat^ a
approve the legislation resn°n. However, Congress did not
Next Steps : HUD Proposal for Future Strategies i
Bc
the lack of authority^or J
outlines HUD's strategy to
other federal agencili^to
agencies to
.
connunities , despite
pro^^' The following
WOrklng closely with
a more comprehensive strategy
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23
ilie;-liVirnTH alon9.the country's southern border; 2)
inr existing HUD activities in the colonias; and 3)
incorporate colonias initiatives in HUD- s reinvention plan.
1. Actively Participate in EPA's Colonias Workiny Group
Gr01mAf J™r? ?f^f°rmeLS°Yernor Anne Richards' Border Working
sS LS Sfc^d iV"2 in suPP°rt of NAFTA, the Texas Colonias
iSSK OUP- cha^ed by the Environmental Protection Agency, was
fSS to. develop an integrated and coordinated approach to
implementing financial and technical assistance for drinking
KeW2ter inf ^structure in the colonias along tL
border area.
The sub-group has proved to be a successful vehicle for
coordinating State and Federal activities involved in financing
water and wastewater infrastructure for the colonias by bSSg
agencies together to share and discuss common issues, provide
issues' and
issue
ssue toe t tio
*nS ii!:ai asflstance to colonias,. but also compliance with State
JSbdi?isions Preventing the Proliferation of illegal colonia
rT.nilT,HUDTwil^coritinue to Participate in the Texas Colonias Sub-
?h2 Si • ? addlt^on- HUD will actively pursue efforts, through
aS
h • , roug
^L,afSJStance ?J other a^cy ^roup members, to explore wayi of
formulating similar working groups in the other three border
stat
states .
2. Administer and Monitor Colonias Funds
of^o J?Vri?9 the past three years, the Department ! has sought to
effectively use its limited resources to assist the bordSr
region. To date, nearly $3 million dollars have been awarded to
^Lf?ur.border states, their local governments, and non-profit
organizations working on behalf of colonia residents for the
purpose of providing technical assistance, capacity building, and
economic development opportunities /initiatives to colonia
f?!!™^^;3- The Department has made these grants available
through the HUD's Technical Assistance Program.
p™,. DePartment will continue to use its Technical Assistance
Program as a means to channel funds to colonia communities in
anc;.?f lts fff^ts to help improve the environmental and
conditions of colonia residents.
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have
housing oic?r£OVer2mants to
enhance homeownerlhip oSSJtSifiS^ vulnerable populations,
housing counseling and iSpporWve sir?icef 8 S ""^ °f
as
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II- ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: OPTIONS FOR H«PLEMENTATION
25
BSSLB
agencies to- ct
expand opportunities for m£5i
information; and submit rSortS
the Order on the progress in
environmental juslicS
Order
analvze data;
n'- iinProve access to
m°nths of the date of
isc
and threatened elimination SesoiS
determined to do everything we XJ
fiscal realities to fu?f??i '
Executive Orde? and
wholesome,
rescissions,
°bstacles' HUD is
our authority and
°f the
subsequent discussion
-
^ustlce initiatives. m the
1• Devise internal coordinating mechanism
2" f^fiuate fc,he inventory
3.
* ^"^ ^* ^^ "• ^"^ ^^^i^ZXi * 3.CC?^^^ ^ t™ ^^ *i v> f J~L I'^JT j_ *
involvement -»-=oo cu inroarmataon
5. Provide effective education/training and communication
6. Provide technical assistance and guidance
of the six areas of
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SIX OPTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION
1. Devise internal Coordinating Mechanism
26
2.
facets of the
a
b
c
d
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
3 .
k.
1.
m.
Site and neighborhood standards; '!
Environmental reviews and regulations;
Planning guidance;
Project selection factors;
Housing quality standards;
Fair housing enforcement;
Consolidated plan;
Citizen participation requirements;
Applicant certifications;
Applicant narratives;
Remediation and relocation policies; •
NOFAs, regulations, grant agreements; and
Technical assistance and training for grantees and HUD
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4.
5.
par as ^HJiS£*5eis=t
benchmarks in the perforSSS bom^ v«°™atal Justice
consolidated funds to rSS?d\Si?U* 5?°ls . under each of the
governments. reward well -performing State and local
I
*=«« to information
citizen
b-
d-
d.
.
communities;
Increase distribution of HUD's fin»i « •
justice strate final environmental
strategy;
e. Consult and seek input from citizen groups.
on
iownrieids Redevelopment, Colonias •
-ass
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6.
28
Provide Technical Assistance and Guidance
a.
Identify, note, and participate in interagency effort^
niaSJrrvP°SSible t0 avoid duplication of ef Srt £?
Snle?takings;°ther ^^ enviro^ntal justice
= .review- and screen HUD programs, applications
and public and Indian housing portfolios to assSre '
consideration of environmental justice concerns;
Improve the capacity for localities participating in
iuS;?~1St?d pr??rams bv developing environmental
justice information/guidance material and strategies
for community outreach; ^ai-egies
Communicate to builders and lenders the importance of
environmental justice considerations in the development
of their HUD-assisted and insured projects; and/o?
Give special attention to environmental justice
acc1ntahlSYlPr°Vidin? ^^ SUpport and us^ful and
acceptable language for program regulations and
guidance material.
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