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~ 021126 EVDAA · 202724 13013 MSCDV:316370 RMUIJHZ RUEVDFH0006 1182004-UUUU- - RUEVDAA. FM GEORGE CREEL DIR OF PU".!3LIC AFFAIRS DHUD WASH DC/HHFA/ TO RUEVDDAA/1/ REGL ADMIN DRUD ATLANTA GA ATTN: SPECIAL ASST FOR · : .:..:·.PUBLIC AFFAIRS & ARA' S FOR MODEL CITIES BT T"tlE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS ISSUED BY SECRETARY ROMNEY TO NEWS MEDIA AT 4:00 PM APRI L 28. ASSI STANT SECRETARY RYDE WILL BE TELEPHONING EACH OF THE REGI ONAL }IDMINISTRATORS TO DISCUSS THE IMPLICATIONS OF T HI S STATEME~"T w-:CTHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. • 11 SECRETARY ROMNEY ' S ST.A'.i:F.MENT ON MODEL CITIES i, . - THE MODEL CITIES PROGRAM IS ~.N AMBIT IOUS EFFORT . IT SEEKS TO . COORDINATE A VAST ARRAY OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS, TO CONCEi~RATE THEIR I MPACT ON SPECIFIC DEPRESSED URBhl~ NEIGHBORHOODS, AND TO MAI<E W C..l\L GOVERNMENTS STRONGER AND MORE FLEXI BLE v MY COMMI TTEE ON MODEL CITIES OF THE COUNCIL FOR URBAN AFFAI RS HAS BEEN I NTENSIVELY EXAMI NING· THE PROGRAM. ITS STUDY .HAS SHOWN THA.T THE PROGRAM'S GOALS ARE SOUND . BUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CRITICAL DEFICIENCIES IN ITS ADMINISTRZ\.TION WHI CH CALL FOR I MMEDI ATE CORRECTION. AMONG THEM : -..:.F~ERAL AGENCIES. HAVE J!-10'1'. BEEN :..S~FICIENTLY RESPONSI VE · . TO LOCAL PROPOSALS REFLECTING SPECIFIC LOCAL CONDITIONS. =~IN DEVELOPING THEIR PROPOSALS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN HI NDERED BY UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE AMOUNTS OF FUNDS THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS. ·--FEW EFFECTIVE ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO SECURE THE INVOLVEMENT OF STATE GOVERNMENTS. --FEDERAL GUIDELI NES HAVE FORCED CITIES TO SET "MODEL NEI GHBORHOOD" BOUNDARI ES THAT OFTEN HAVE BEEN ARBITRARY, AND TI~T HAVE CREATED UNNECESSARY DI VI SIONS AMONG MODEL CI TIES RESI DENTS. THE PRESIDENT HAS APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE URBAN AFFAI RS COUNCIL THAT THE MODEL CITIES PROGRAM BE REVISED IN THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT RESPECTS : THE COUNCIL FOR URBAN AFFAIRS WILL ASSUME DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTER-D~PARTMENTAL POLICY AFFECTING MODEL CITIES. l. 2 • ._ SECRETARIES OF THE DEPART~NTS INVOLVED WILL HAVE PERSONA!i <" ··

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,· . SUPERVISI ON OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS' FUNDING OF MODEL CITI ES PROPOSALS, AND WILL RESERVE PROGRAM FUNDS SPECIFI CALLY FOR THAT PURPO SE . THIS WI LL ENSURE THE AVAILABILI TY OF DEPART- I MENTAL FUNDS FOR MODEL CI TIES, AND WILL GIVE LOCAL AUTHORITIES A BETTER I DEA OF THE . AMOUNT AND KIND OF FUNDS THEY CAN EXPECT F ROM THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR MODEL CITIES PLANS. �PAGE '!'WO RUEVDFI-!0006 1182004 3. ·, ADM_-CNI STRA'I';I;ON OF THE PROGRAM vvI LL BE F ED I b1TO THE REORGANI ZA\ TION OF T:S:E REGIONAL F EDEP0L OFF.ICES, NOW UND ERWAY. ONE EFFECT \OF THIS WILL BE TO FACI LI'I'ATE I l>i-n:L'ER- DEPARTI'f.LENTAL COORDINATI ON AT THE REG I ONAL LEVEL. IN THE PAST, VARI ATIONS AMONG THE I FEDERAL OFFICES IN PROGRAM PROCEDURE S, HFADQUARTERS LOCATI ONS, STRUCTURES OF AUTHORITY, rV~VE HA.t.'IDICAPPED WELL~INTENT I ONED FEDERAL OF'FI CIALS AND CONFUSED LOGAL OFFIC I ALS, THUS SERIOUSLY COMPROM..t SING THE MODEL CITIES PROGRAM AT THE CITY LEVEL. A1ifD ~. GRENL'ER EFFORTS WILL BE .MADE TO INVOLVE THE STATE GOVERNMENT S IN THE MODEL CI'l'IES PROGRAM . LACKOOF STATE INVOL,lEM&!-rr HAS PROVEN A CRITICAL DEFICIENCY BECAUSE MANY OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS NEEDED FOR MODEL CIT I ES ARE ADMINISTERED THROUGH STATE .. AGENCIES. OUR AIM· WILL NOT BE TO ADD Ai~OTHER ADr-1INISTRiJ..'T.iVr~ LAYER BETWEEN 11HE CITIES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT TO MAKE BETTER USE OF THE STATES'RESOURCES, EXPERI ENCE AND PERSPEC~ TIVE • . MODEL CITIES IS INTENDED TO BE AND WILL REMAIN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM CENTERED UPON THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH A . CONTINUED REQUIREMENT FOR ADEQUATE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT. 5. THE 10%' POPULA'f!ON' RES'r RICTION ON THE SIZE OF THE TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE DROPPED. THIS GUIDELI NE HAS BEEN ~:;,"~1.ADMINI STERED HAPHAZARDLY IN THE PAST AND HAS HINDERED PROGRESS AT THE . LO.CAL LEVEL. ELIMINATING THIS GUIDELINE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PROGRAM WI LL BE EXPANDED CITYWIDE WI THIN EACH CI'rY. ITS PURPOSE WILL REMAIN TF..AT OF FOCUSING RESOURCES ON PARTICULARLY POOR AND BLIGHTED NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT LOCAL OFFICIALS WILL BE GIVEN GREATER LATITUDE IN DRAWING PROGRAM BOUNDARI E S THAT . CONFORM TO LOCAL CONDI TIONS. 1 I 6. PRIORI TY CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE CITIES '!'=!AT SUCCESSFULLY ENLIST THE PARTICIPATION OF PRI VA~E AND VOLUNTARY ORGANI ZATIONS IN THEIR MODEL CITIES PLANS. THE INCREASED FLEXIBILITY IN ESTABLISHING PROGRAM BOUNDARIES WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO CIDNTRIBUTE. 7. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WILL BE ASKED TO ESTABLISH CLEAR PRIORI TIES IN DEVELOPING THEIR MODEL CITIES PROPOSALS, AND TO STRIVE FOR "COMPREHENSIVENESS" ONLY IN THE PROGRAMS' FIVE-YEAR PLANNING CYCLE. MANY CITIES HAVE INTERPRETED MODEL CITI ES LEGI SLATION AND ADMINI STRATIVE GUIDELINES REQUI RING A. LOCAL "COMPREHENSI VE" PLAN OF ATTACK ON BLI GHT AL~ POVERTY I N THEIR TARGET NEI GHBORHOOD AS REQUIRI NG PROPO SALS TO I MMEDIATELY ATTACK EVb"'RY CON- · - ~ CEIVAB LE PROBLEM WITHI!!-1 'l'HESE NEIGHBORHOODS. ffi!S OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE UNWORKABLE : 1ilHAT I S I MPORTAN1l1 I S THAT CI TY GOVERNMENrS SET CLEli-4~ PRIORITIES FOR ATTACKING THEIR PROBLEMS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE RAPI D l illD SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS TOWARD SOLVING THEIR MOST URGENT RATHER THAN DISSI PATING THEIR RE SOURCES I N A VAIN EFFORT TO SOLVE ALL. THIS ADMINS'rRATI ON WILL COMPLETELY SCRUTINIZE APPLICA'I'IONS TO ELIMINATE UNWISE OR UNNECESSARY PROPOSALS . �PAGE THREE RUEVDF"cl0006 118200 WITH THESE REVISIONS, I FEEL THA'I' THE MODEL CITIES PROGRAM CAN HELP US ·To ACHIEVE TWO IMPORT.ANT GOALS--A MORE RATION2\L AND CREATIVE FEDERAL-STATE-LOCAL SYSTEM, AND CITY GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE MORE FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF 'rHEIR CI'I1IZENS . . WE MUST REALIZE THAT ELIMINATI ON OF BLIGHT AND POVERTY IN OUR CENTRAL CITIES CANNO'r BEACCO.MPLISHEDOVERNIGHT. r.t1 WILL BE A HARD AND OFTEN FRUSTRATING STRUGGLE, BUT MODEL QITIES DOES OFFER US THE MEANS OF BE'l'TER USING OUR PRESEN'r RESOURCES~ AND THUS TAKING AN IMPORTAN'I' STEP IN' 'l1 IIA'11 DIRECTION. " . NNNN 121126 EVDAA i '\ \ \ �