Developmental Needs of Small Cities. A Study Required by Section 113 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1977

摘要

Section 113 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1977 directed HUD to study small - city development needs and report on them to the President and Congress. The study encompassed a mail survey directed to chief executives of 1,000 cities, 48 intensive case studies, and 17 group meetings with city officials. Small cities were defined as those with populations under 50,000 which are not central cities of metropolitan areas. As a group, small cities grew between 1970 and 1975. Their community problems related to this development were lack of jobs, lack of adequate housing for low - income and moderate - income persons, and poor street conditions. Small cities of all sizes set their top priorities for funding on infrastructure: water and sewer facilities, streets, solid waste disposal, parks and recreation, and public buildings. Despite many concerns with Federal programs, small cities make extensive use of Federal funding. The larger small cities have been able to take better advantage of Federal programs than have their smaller counterparts, mainly by using staff or consultant resources to investigate what programs are available. The following objectives were developed primarily as a direct result of responses from small cities during the study: (1) reduce the gap between what individual Federal development programs demand of small city applicants and their capacity to meet demands, (2) provide assurance of development grants to more small cities, (3) reduce the burden small cities face in complying with orders for expensive new facilities, (4) reduce duplication of Federal programs and ease the consequences of duplication for small cities, and (5) improve data about small cities.