FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 963

91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES BOWMAN, COLEMAN, THOMPSON, VILLA,

SANDERS BROOKS, BLAND, KENNEDY, RIZZO, KREIDER, CARNAHAN, REID (Co-sponsors), SKAGGS, MURPHY, TROUPE, MONACO, GREEN(73), GEORGE, O'CONNOR, HAGAN-HARRELL,

JOHNSON(61) AND WILSON(42).

Read 1st time March 13, 2001, and 1000 copies ordered printed.

TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk

2233L.01I

AN ACT

To amend chapter 665, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to urban conservation, with a contingent effective date.



Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Chapter 665, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 665.020 and 665.030, to read as follows:

665.020. 1. The urban conservation commission shall devise a comprehensive plan for alleviation of problems associated with distressed urban areas in this state. The plan shall cover a period of at least ten years subsequent to the publication of the plan and shall address the following needs in distressed urban areas of the state:

(1) Promoting a vigorous and growing economy;

(2) Preventing economic stagnation and encouraging of the creation of new job opportunities to ameliorate the hazards of unemployment and underemployment;

(3) Reducing the level of public assistance;

(4) Reducing the rate of crime and delinquency;

(5) Increasing the level of education;

(6) Reversing declining property values in urban areas;

(7) Increasing revenues to the state and municipalities; and

(8) Achieving a diversified economy.

2. The comprehensive plan shall contain initial proposals for addressing revitalization of each identified distressed urban area and state a proposed timeline for revitalization of each such area. The department of urban conservation shall not be required to allocate resources in a particular geographic pattern or to all distressed urban areas simultaneously, and may concentrate all of its efforts in a particular distressed urban area or several distressed urban areas to the exclusion of other distressed urban areas until revitalization of such area is complete. The comprehensive plan shall be periodically updated by the commission, but at no time subsequent to eighteen months after the effective date of this section shall the department not have published and operate pursuant to a current comprehensive plan.

3. The urban conservation commission shall:

(1) Designate specific distressed urban areas in the state wherein the director shall direct a program of concentrated revitalization based on an assessment of extraordinary need;

(2) In cooperation with federal, state and local governments and agencies, develop a plan to effectuate such targeted concentrated revitalization. Such plan may include the formation of nonprofit public development corporations or the activities of existing nonprofit corporations and entities, the redirection of existing programs and resources for the benefit of such areas, and proposals for the creation of new or expanded programs in such areas.

4. For purposes of this section, "distressed urban area" means that portion of a municipality or municipalities which, by reason of structural age, obsolescence, inadequate or outmoded design or physical deterioration, has become an economic or social liability; that such conditions are conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, crime or the ability to pay reasonable taxes; and that conservation, restoration, redevelopment and revitalization is necessary to correct such conditions.

665.030. 1. The department of urban conservation may:

(1) Acquire, through purchase, donation, gift or eminent domain, land in distressed urban areas to remove obsolete, inefficient, dilapidated or outdated structures and assemble suitable sites for building and development of industrial, business and residential facilities to attract and house new industries and business, and allow expansion and improvement of existing industrial, business and residential operations. The department may sell, lease or otherwise transfer or convey, on terms it deems appropriate, any interest it has in lands owned by the department;

(2) Appoint an advisory commission from a distressed urban area, whose members shall include residents of the distressed urban area and representatives of business and industry in the distressed urban area. The commission shall advise the department regarding the creation of a program of concentrated revitalization for the distressed urban area based upon the department's assessment of extraordinary need. The commission may advise the department concerning how the revitalization plan will be integrated with available community and governmental resources. The members of the advisory commission shall receive no compensation for their service as members of the commission, but shall receive their necessary traveling and other expenses incurred while actually engaged in the discharge of their official duties; and

(3) Apply for and receive grants, gifts, donations and financial assistance from federal agencies or private individuals or entities to complete its duties.

2. The department shall:

(1) Provide relocation assistance pursuant to sections 532.200 to 532.215, RSMo, to displaced persons who relocate permanently and voluntarily from real property as a direct result of the acquisition, rehabilitation or demolition of, or the written notice of intent to acquire such real property, in whole or in part, by the department;

(2) Provide assistance to municipalities and community organizations engaging in the improvement of economic opportunities, housing, and industrial and commercial revitalization of urban areas;

(3) Provide comprehensive information on existing federal, state and local urban development and revitalization programs upon request to municipalities and community organizations;

(4) Coordinate the programs of state agencies and public benefit nonprofit corporations to remedy problems in distressed urban areas;

(5) Provide information and assistance to the governor and general assembly in the coordination, consolidation and improvement of state policy regarding urban areas; and

(6) Represent the governor before federal agencies on matters of importance to coordinate policy for the revitalization of urban areas.

3. The state auditor shall periodically cause an audit to be made of the books, accounts and records of the department of urban conservation with respect to its receipts, disbursements, contracts, mortgages, leases, assignments, loans and all other matters relating to its financial operations. Copies of the audit shall be furnished to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tem of the senate.

Section B. Section A of this act shall become effective upon the passage of a constitutional amendment that creates the urban conservation commission and the department of urban conservation, and not otherwise.


Missouri House of Representatives