AN ACT Relating to establishment of urban revitalization pilot projects; adding new sections to chapter 43.31 RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. FINDINGS. The legislature finds that numerous public housing complexes in the state are inhabited by high concentrations of low-income, disadvantaged households and that these complexes are increasingly plagued by drugs, drug-related crime, illiteracy, unemployment and underemployment, teenage pregnancy, and welfare dependency.

The legislature also finds that these public housing complexes do not provide a positive learning environment in which residents can be empowered to move out of dependency and become self-sufficient members of the community. Existing federal, state, and local welfare programs that are intended to promote the self-sufficiency of these low-income households and increase their participation as active members of society have often only perpetuated the dependency and social isolation of these households. Rarely has there been a synchronized system of service delivery that attempts to coordinate the many services needed to promote the independence of individuals and families living in these housing complexes. Furthermore, agencies involved in providing such services do not often seek to work with other community organizations or with potential clients in the development and implementation of their programs. These conditions only serve to prevent the development of programs that can effectively meet the multifaceted service needs of the individuals living in these housing complexes and the surrounding community. Therefore, it is the intent of sections 1 through 11 of this act to establish two pilot projects that will:

(1) Promote the transformation of public housing complexes from places of despair and dependency into places of hope and self-sufficiency for the residents of such complexes;

(2) Encourage federal, state, and local agencies to work cooperatively with one another and the targeted community to develop and implement a program that will result in individual, family, and community revitalization.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. DEFINITIONS. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 1 through 11 of this act. (1) "Department" means the department of community development.

(2) "Urban advisory committee" means the urban revitalization advisory committee chaired by the director of the department or the director's designee and comprised of directors of state agencies or their designees and representatives of public and private local, regional, state-wide, and federal organizations involved in providing services to urban areas.

(3) "Local advisory board" means the advisory board appointed by the local housing authorities to assist in the development and implementation of the pilot project.

(4) "Pilot projects" means the urban revitalization pilot projects established under section 4 of this act.

(5) "Local housing authority" means any city or county housing authority created pursuant to the housing authorities law of this state under RCW 35.82.030.

(6) "Public housing complex" means those apartments or mobile home parks operated by the local housing authority that provide housing for low-income households.

(7) "Low-income households" means those individuals or families who lack the income necessary to enable them, without financial assistance, to live in decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. URBAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The urban advisory committee shall be appointed by the governor, upon recommendations of the department, and shall have the following duties and powers:

(1) To assist the department in establishing guidelines for identification and administration of projects established under section 4 of this act;

(2) To select two urban revitalization pilot projects; and

(3) To promote multi-agency participation in the pilot projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. URBAN REVITALIZATION PILOT PROJECTS. The department, in consultation with the urban advisory committee, shall coordinate the establishment and administration of the two urban revitalization pilot projects within the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. GOALS. The pilot projects shall achieve the following goals:

(1) Identify and address the holistic service needs of low-income households living in public housing complexes and provide services needed to enable these individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency. These services may include, but are not limited to: Education, job training and placement, child care, health care, mental health care, after-school programs, and police services;

(2) Incorporate the values and ideas of the residents of the affected public housing complexes and the surrounding community when designing the pilot projects;

(3) Encourage the cooperation of all federal, state, and local agencies, and nonprofit agencies in the development and implementation of the pilot projects;

(4) Incorporate into the design of the pilot projects the use of services that are already being provided to the residents of the public housing complex or the surrounding community; and

(5) Encourage private sector organizations in the community to participate in the development and implementation of the pilot projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION. (1) The department, in consultation with the urban advisory committee shall establish guidelines for identification and administration of projects established under section 4 of this act. Only local housing authorities may submit applications to the department to participate in the pilot projects. Any housing authority requesting participation in the project shall demonstrate the willingness of local public and private agencies and organizations to participate in such a pilot project.

(2) A project application to the committee shall include but not be limited to:

(a) A list of public and private nonprofit agencies that are willing to be involved in the development and implementation of the pilot project;

(b) A list of private sector organizations that are willing to be involved in the development and implementation of the pilot project;

(c) A list of individuals from public and private nonprofit agencies, private sector organizations, the targeted public housing complex, and other concerned citizens who are willing to act as a local advisory board. A local advisory board shall assist in the development and implementation of the pilot project; and

(d) A list of the goals for the project.

(3) The department, in consultation with the committee, shall distribute information regarding these projects by July 1, 1990, and begin accepting applications from eligible applicants thereafter. The department, in cooperation with the urban advisory committee, shall identify and begin development of the two projects by September 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. APPLICATION EVALUATION. In deciding which projects to undertake, the urban advisory committee shall consider the following factors:

(1) The ability and willingness of the local housing authority to commit time and resources to the project;

(2) The ability and willingness of community agencies and organizations to commit time and resources to the project;

(3) The presence of existing programs serving the residents of the targeted public housing complex;

(4) The severity of social distress experienced by residents of the targeted public housing complex;

(5) The number of individuals that would be served by the pilot project, which shall be at least one hundred; and

(6) The willingness of current residents of the targeted housing complex to participate in a proposed pilot project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. LOCAL ADVISORY BOARD. (1) Upon the urban advisory committee designating the location of the two pilot projects and notifying the affected local housing authorities, a designated local housing authority shall, with the approval of the department and the urban advisory committee, appoint a local advisory board. The board for each project shall primarily consist of those individuals who were identified as potential board members on the original project application.

(2) The respective advisory boards shall be responsible for assisting the local housing authority and the urban advisory committee in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the pilot projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. PROJECT MANAGEMENT. The local housing authority, in cooperation with the local advisory board, shall be responsible for project management. The department and the urban advisory committee shall provide assistance to the local housing authority and the local advisory board, as necessary.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. DEPARTMENTAL OVERSIGHT. The department, in cooperation with the urban advisory board, shall be responsible for:

(1) Oversight of the projects;

(2) Evaluation of project effectiveness;

(3) Assisting in the coordination of multi-agency efforts;

(4) Acting as liaison with federal, state, and local governmental agencies;

(5) Submitting a report to the senate economic development and labor committee by January 31, 1992.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. CAPTIONS NOT LAW. Section captions as used in sections 1 through 11 of this act do not constitute any part of the law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. Sections 1 through 11 of this act are each added to chapter 43.31 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. The sum of forty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the department of community development for the purposes of the projects established under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.