Rehabilitating the urban environment: Department of Housing and Urban Development responses

Two efforts by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to improve urban environments and reverse the exodus of urban population are described. An urban and community impact statement will now be required of all agencies planning major domestic initiatives and HUD will be increasing its efforts to demonstrate how stability and livability can be restored to troubled neighborhoods through urban homesteading, neighborhood-based organizations, and other programs. Both direct and indirect impacts will be analyzed to find any bias that will shift resources and to identify differential impacts on metropolitan versus non-metropolitan areas and on high versus low per capital income groups. Agency plans submitted to the Office of Management and Budget will be reviewed on the basis of these analyses and their funding approved accordingly.