91.315—Strategic plan.

(a) General. For the categories described in paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section, the consolidated plan must do the following:

(1) Indicate the general priorities for allocating investment geographically within the state and among different activities and needs.

(2) Describe the rationale for establishing the allocation priorities given to each category of priority needs, particularly among extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income households.

(3) Identify any obstacles to meeting underserved needs.

(4) Summarize the priorities and specific objectives the state intends to initiate and/or complete during the time period covered by the strategic plan describing how the proposed distribution of funds will address identified needs. For each specific objective statement, identify proposed accomplishments and outcomes the state hopes to achieve in quantitative terms over a specified time period (e.g., one, two, three or more years), or in other measurable terms as identified and defined by the state. This information shall be provided in accordance with guidance to be issued by HUD.

(b) Affordable housing. With respect to affordable housing, the consolidated plan must include the priority housing needs table prescribed by HUD and must do the following:

(1) The affordable housing section shall describe how the characteristics of the housing market and the severity of housing problems and needs of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income renters and owners identified in accordance with § 91.305 provided the rationale for establishing allocation priorities and use of funds made available for rental assistance, production of new units, rehabilitation of existing units, or acquisition of existing units (including preserving affordable housing units that may be lost from the assisted housing inventory for any reason). Household and income types may be grouped together for discussion where the analysis would apply to more than one of them. If the state intends to use HOME funds for tenant-based assistance, it must specify local market conditions that led to the choice of that option.

(2) The affordable housing section shall include specific objectives that describe proposed accomplishments the state hopes to achieve and must specify the number of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income families to whom the state will provide affordable housing as defined in 24 CFR 92.252 for rental housing and 24 CFR 92.254 for homeownership over a specific time period.

(1) Resident initiatives. For a state that has a state housing agency administering public housing funds, the consolidated plan must describe the state's activities to encourage public housing residents to become more involved in management and participate in homeownership;

(2) Public housing needs. The consolidated plan must describe the manner in which the plan of the state will address the needs of public housing; and

(3) Troubled public housing agencies. If a public housing agency located within a state is designated as “troubled” by HUD under part 902 of this title, the strategy for the state or unit of local government in which any troubled public housing agency is located must describe the manner in which the state or unit of general local government will provide financial or other assistance to improve the public housing agency's operations and remove the “troubled” designation. A state is not required to describe the manner in which financial or other assistance is provided if the troubled public housing agency is located entirely within the boundaries of a unit of general local government that must submit a consolidated plan to HUD.

(d) Homelessness. With respect to homelessness, the consolidated plan must include the priority homeless needs table prescribed by HUD and must describe the state's strategy for the following:

(1) Helping low-income families avoid becoming homeless;

(2) Reaching out to homeless persons and assessing their individual needs;

(3) Addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons; and

(4) Helping homeless persons (especially any persons that are chronically homeless) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living.

(e) Other special needs. With respect to supportive needs of the non-homeless, the consolidated plan must provide a concise summary of the priority housing and supportive service needs of persons who are not homeless but require supportive housing, i.e., elderly, frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), persons with alcohol or other drug addiction, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, and public housing residents. If the state intends to use HOME funds for tenant-based assistance to assist one or more of these subpopulations, it must specify local market conditions that led to the choice of this option.

(f) Nonhousing community development plan. If the state seeks assistance under the CDBG program, the consolidated plan must concisely describe the state's priority nonhousing community development needs that affect more than one unit of general local government. These priority needs must be described by CDBG eligibility category, reflecting the needs of persons or families for each type of activity. This community development component of the plan must identify the state's specific long-term and short-term community development objectives (including economic development activities that create jobs), which must be developed in accordance with the primary objective of the CDBG program to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low-income and moderate-income persons.

(g) Community Revitalization. States are encouraged to identify areas where geographically targeted revitalization efforts are carried out through multiple activities in a concentrated and coordinated manner. In addition, a state may elect to allow units of general local government to carry out a community revitalization strategy that includes the economic empowerment of low-income residents, in order to obtain the additional flexibility available as provided in 24 CFR part 570, subpart I. A state must approve a local government's revitalization strategy before it may be implemented. If a state elects to allow revitalization strategies in its program, the method of distribution contained in a state's action plan pursuant to § 91.320(k)(1) must reflect the state's process and criteria for approving local government's revitalization strategies. The strategy must identify the long-term and short-term objectives (e.g., physical improvements, social initiatives, and economic empowerment), expressing them in terms of measures of outputs and outcomes that are expected through the use of HUD programs. The state's process and criteria are subject to HUD approval.

(h) Barriers to affordable housing. The consolidated plan must describe the state's strategy to remove or ameliorate negative effects of its policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing, as identified in accordance with § 91.310.

(i) Lead based paint. The consolidated plan must outline the actions proposed or being taken to evaluate and reduce lead-based paint hazards, and describe how the lead-based paint hazard reduction will be integrated into housing policies and programs.

(j) Anti-poverty strategy. The consolidated plan must provide a concise summary of the state's goals, programs, and policies for reducing the number of poverty-level families and how the state's goals, programs, and policies for producing and preserving affordable housing, set forth in the housing component of the consolidated plan, will be coordinated with other programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as well as employment and training programs and services for which the state is responsible and the extent to which they will reduce (or assist in reducing) the number of poverty-level families, taking into consideration factors over which the state has control.

(k) Institutional structure. (1) The consolidated plan must provide a concise summary of the institutional structure, including private industry, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions, through which the state will carry out its housing, homeless, and community development plan, assessing the strengths and gaps in that delivery system.

(2) The plan must provide a concise summary of what the state will do to overcome gaps in the institutional structure for carrying out its strategy for addressing its priority needs.

(l) Coordination. The consolidated plan must provide a concise summary of the state's activities to enhance coordination between public and assisted housing providers and private and governmental health, mental health, and service agencies. With respect to the preparation of its homeless strategy, the state must describe efforts in addressing the needs of persons that are chronically homeless. With respect to the public entities involved, the plan must describe the means of cooperation and coordination among the state and any units of general local government in the implementation of its consolidated plan. With respect to economic development, the state should describe efforts to enhance coordination with private industry, businesses, developers, and social service agencies.

(m) Low-income housing tax credit. The consolidated plan must describe the strategy to coordinate the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit with the development of housing that is affordable to low-income and moderate-income families.

Code of Federal Regulations

[71 FR 6968, Feb. 9, 2006]