source and needs assessment, coordination, citizen 
involvement and planning, and program development 
activities to encourage public definition of goals and 
develop priorities and strategies for overall recre-
ation system recovery. 
(6) The term ‘‘maintenance’’ means all com-
monly accepted practices necessary to keep rec-
reational areas and facilities operating in a state of 
good repair and to protect such areas and facilities 
from deterioration resulting from normal wear and 
tear. 
(7) The term ‘‘general purpose local govern-
ment’’ means any city, county, town, township, par-
ish, village, or other general purpose political sub-
division of a State, including the District of Colum-
bia and insular areas. 
(8) The term ‘‘special purpose local govern-
ment’’ means any local or regional special district, 
public purpose corporation, or other limited political 
subdivision of a State, including— 
(A) park authorities; 
(B) park, conservation, water, or sanitary 
districts; 
(C) planning boards; and 
(D) school districts. 
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(9) The term ‘‘private nonprofit agency’’ means 
a community-based, non-profit organization, cor-
poration, or association organized for purposes of 
providing recreation, conservation, and educational 
services directly to urban residents on either a 
neighborhood or community-wide basis through vol-
untary donations, voluntary labor, or public or pri-
vate grants. 
(10) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Housing and Urban Development. 
(11) The term ‘‘State’’ means any State of the 
United States (or any instrumentality of a State ap-
proved by the Governor), the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, and insular areas. 
(12) The term ‘‘insular areas’’ means Guam, 
the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the North-
ern Mariana Islands. 
SEC. 5. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
and carry out an urban revitalization and livable commu-
nities program to, in accordance with this Act, provide 
Federal grants, including rehabilitation and construction 
grants, innovation grants, at-risk youth recreation grants, 
and recovery action program grants. 
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(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall pub-
lish in the Federal Register a list of the general purpose 
local governments eligible to participate in the urban revi-
talization and livable communities program under this Act 
based on criteria described under subsection (d), to be ac-
companied by a description of criteria used in determining 
eligibility. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY UPDATE.—Not later than 8 months 
after the publication of the results of any United States 
Census conducted after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register 
an updated list of the general purpose local governments 
eligible to participate in the urban revitalization and liv-
able communities program under this Act based on criteria 
described under subsection (d). 
(d) CRITERIA.—Criteria used in determining eligi-
bility pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) shall be based 
on— 
(1) with respect to the jurisdiction of a general 
purpose local government, information from the 
most recent United States Census, including— 
(A) population density (the number of per-
sons per square mile of land area); 
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(B) total population under 18 years of age 
or over 59 years of age; 
(C) the number of unemployed people as a 
percentage of the civilian labor force; 
(D) the percent of households without 
automobiles available; 
(E) the percent of persons with income 
below 125 percent of the poverty level; 
(F) the change in per capita income; 
(G) the percent of single-headed house-
holds with children present; and 
(H) the percent of female-headed house-
holds with children present; and 
(2) any additional criteria the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(e) OTHER GENERAL PURPOSE LOCAL GOVERN-
MENTS ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) OTHER GENERAL PURPOSE LOCAL GOVERN-
MENTS.—Subject to paragraph (2), and notwith-
standing the list of eligible general purpose local 
governments established in accordance with sub-
sections (b) and (c) of this section, the Secretary 
may authorize other general purpose local govern-
ments in standard metropolitan statistical areas as 
defined by the census as eligible to receive grants 
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under the urban revitalization and livable commu-
nities program under this Act, in accordance with 
the findings and purpose of this Act. 
(2) LIMITATION OF FUNDS.—Grants to general 
purpose local governments described in paragraph 
(1) shall not exceed, in the aggregate, 15 percent of 
the funds appropriated pursuant to this Act for re-
habilitation and construction, innovation, at-risk 
youth recreation, and recovery action program 
grants. 
(f) PRIORITY.— 
(1) CRITERIA FOR PRIORITY PROJECT SELEC-
TION AND APPROVAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
priority criteria for the selection and approval of 
projects to be funded by grants made pursuant to 
this Act, including considering and prioritizing cri-
teria such as— 
(A) a higher population density of the 
project neighborhood; 
(B) demonstrated deficiencies in the condi-
tion of existing recreational areas and facilities 
in the project neighborhood; 
(C) demonstrated deficiencies in access to 
neighborhood recreation opportunities, particu-
larly for minority and low- and moderate-in-
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come residents and residents with physical or 
mental disabilities; 
(D) public participation in determining re-
habilitation or development needs; 
(E) the extent to which a project supports 
or complements target activities undertaken as 
part of a general purpose local government’s 
overall community development and urban revi-
talization program; 
(F) the extent to which such a project 
would— 
(i) provide employment opportunities 
for minorities, youth, and low- and mod-
erate-income residents in the project neigh-
borhood; 
(ii) provide for participation of neigh-
borhood, nonprofit, or tenant organizations 
in the proposed rehabilitation and con-
struction activity or in subsequent mainte-
nance, staffing, or supervision of rec-
reational areas and facilities; or 
(iii) both clause (i) and clause (ii); 
and 
(G) the amount of State, local, and private 
support for the project as evidenced by commit-
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ments of non-Federal resources to project con-
struction or operation. 
(2) TYPES
OF
PROJECTS
RECEIVING
PRI-
ORITY.—Priority shall be given to projects that— 
(A) involve recreational areas and facilities 
without outdoor facilities within a half mile of 
public housing or a school; 
(B) create, maintain, or revitalize play-
grounds or active play areas for children; 
(C) connect children to the outdoors for 
physical activity and access to nature; 
(D) promote physical activity for individ-
uals and the community at large; 
(E) track the longitudinal rates of chronic 
diseases in the community such as cardio-
vascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obe-
sity; 
(F) use environmentally beneficial compo-
nents such as sustainable landscape features 
and upcycled and recycled materials; 
(G) provide environmental benefits to 
urban areas, including by— 
(i) updating lighting; 
(ii) planting trees; 
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(iii) increasing the urban forestry can-
opy; 
(iv) improving stormwater manage-
ment; 
(v) increasing green infrastructure; 
(vi) employing water conservation 
measures; and 
(vii) adding green spaces; 
(H) connect to public transportation; 
(I) use LEED Green Building Standards 
or contain energy efficiency components such as 
energy efficient lighting and HVAC systems, 
and other sustainable components and prac-
tices; 
(J) contain safe trails or routes, such as 
trails, bikeways, and sidewalks that connect to 
neighborhoods and enhance access to parks and 
recreational areas and facilities; 
(K) either employ youth or use youth vol-
unteers; 
(L) enhance or expand youth development 
in neighborhoods and communities by engaging 
youth in environmental stewardship, conserva-
tion, and service projects; 
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(M) update existing equipment or facilities 
to be in compliance with the most recent acces-
sibility guidelines published by the United 
States Access Board, specifically by removing 
architectural barriers so that sites comply or 
exceed the requirements of the final guidelines 
for the accessibility of recreation sites and fa-
cilities; and 
(N) construct new facilities or sites to com-
ply with or exceed the minimum requirements 
of the final guidelines for the accessibility of 
recreational sites and facilities published by the 
United States Access Board. 
(3) AT-RISK YOUTH RECREATION GRANTS.—In 
the case of at-risk youth recreation grants, the Sec-
retary shall give a priority to each of the following: 
(A) Programs that target youth who are at 
the greatest risk of becoming involved in vio-
lence and crime. 
(B) Programs that teach important values 
and life skills, including teamwork, respect, 
leadership, and self-esteem. 
(C) Programs that demonstrate past suc-
cess in providing constructive alternatives to 
youth at risk for engaging in criminal behavior. 
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(D) Programs that offer tutoring, remedial 
education, mentoring, and counseling in addi-
tion to recreation opportunities. 
(E) Programs that offer services during 
nonschool hours. 
(F) Programs that demonstrate collabora-
tion between local park and recreation, juvenile 
justice, law enforcement, and youth social serv-
ice agencies and nongovernmental entities, in-
cluding private nonprofit agencies. 
(G) Programs that leverage public or pri-
vate recreation investments in the form of serv-
ices, materials, or other funding. 
(H) Programs that show the greatest po-
tential of being continued with non-Federal 
funds or may serve as models for other commu-
nities. 
SEC. 6. REHABILITATION AND CONSTRUCTION, INNOVA-
TION, 
AND 
AT-RISK 
YOUTH 
RECREATION 
GRANTS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Upon approval of an applica-
tion by the chief executive of an eligible general purpose 
local government, the Secretary may provide 70 percent 
matching rehabilitation and construction, innovation, and 
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at-risk youth recreation grants directly to such eligible 
general purpose local government. 
(b) TRANSFER.—At the discretion of a general pur-
pose local government receiving a rehabilitation and con-
struction, innovation, or at-risk youth recreation grant 
pursuant to subsection (a), and if consistent with an ap-
proved application, such a grant may be transferred in 
whole or in part to special purpose local governments or 
private nonprofit agencies, provided that assisted rec-
reational areas and facilities owned or managed by such 
special purpose local governments or private nonprofit 
agencies offer recreation opportunities to the general pop-
ulation within the jurisdictional boundaries of the general 
purpose local government. 
(c) PAYMENTS.—Grant payments may be made only 
for rehabilitation and construction or innovation projects 
or at-risk recreation youth programs approved by the Sec-
retary. In the case of rehabilitation and construction and 
innovation projects, such payments may be made periodi-
cally in keeping with the rate of progress toward the satis-
factory completion of a project, except that the Secretary 
may, when appropriate, make advance payments on ap-
proved rehabilitation and construction and innovation 
projects in an amount not to exceed 20 percent of the total 
project cost. 
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(d) MODIFICATION
OF PROJECT.—The Secretary 
may authorize modification of an approved rehabilitation 
and construction or innovation project only when a grant-
ee has adequately demonstrated that such modification is 
necessary because of circumstances not foreseeable at the 
time such project was proposed. 
(e) SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
FOR
INNOVATION 
GRANTS.—Innovation grants shall correspond to the 
goals, priorities, and implementation strategies expressed 
in local park and recreation recovery action programs, 
with particular regard to the special considerations listed 
in section 7(b) of this Act. 
SEC. 7. LOCAL COMMITMENTS TO SYSTEM RECOVERY AND 
MAINTENANCE. 
(a) RECOVERY ACTION PROGRAMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As a requirement for project 
approval, a general purpose local government apply-
ing for a grant under this Act shall submit to the 
Secretary evidence of its commitment to ongoing 
planning, rehabilitation, service, operation, and 
maintenance programs for its park and recreation 
systems. Such commitment shall be expressed in a 
local park and recreation recovery action program 
that maximizes coordination of all community re-
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sources, including other federally supported urban 
development and recreation programs. 
(2) 
INTERIM
PRELIMINARY
ACTION
PRO-
GRAMS.—During an initial interim period to be es-
tablished by regulation, the recovery action program 
requirement under paragraph (1) may be satisfied 
by submission of preliminary action programs of a 
general purpose local government that define objec-
tives, priorities, and implementation strategies for 
overall system recovery and maintenance and com-
mit such general purpose local government to a 
scheduled program development process. 
(3) 5-YEAR ACTION PROGRAM.—Following the 
interim period under paragraph (2), all general pur-
pose local government applicants shall submit to the 
Secretary, as a condition of eligibility, a 5-year park 
and recreation recovery action program that dem-
onstrates— 
(A) identification of recovery objectives, 
priorities, and implementation strategies; 
(B) adequate planning for rehabilitation of 
specific recreational areas and facilities, includ-
ing projections of the cost of proposed projects; 
(C) capacity and commitment to assure 
that facilities provided or improved under this 
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Act shall thereafter continue to be adequately 
maintained, protected, staffed, and supervised; 
(D) intention to maintain total local public 
outlays for park and recreation purposes at lev-
els at least equal to those in the year preceding 
that in which grant assistance is sought, except 
in any case where a reduction in park and 
recreation outlays is proportionate to a reduc-
tion in overall spending by the applicant; and 
(E) the relationship of the park and recre-
ation recovery action program to overall com-
munity development and urban revitalization ef-
forts. 
(4) CONTINUING PLANNING PROCESS.—Where 
appropriate, the Secretary may encourage general 
purpose local governments to meet recovery action 
program requirements through a continuing plan-
ning process which includes periodic improvements 
and updates in recovery action program submissions 
to eliminate identified gaps in program information 
and policy development. 
(b) RECOVERY ACTION PROGRAM SPECIAL CONSID-
ERATIONS.—Recovery action programs shall address, at a 
minimum, the following special considerations: 
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(1) Rehabilitation of existing recreational areas 
and facilities, including— 
(A) general systemwide renovation; 
(B) special rehabilitation requirements for 
recreational areas and facilities in areas of high 
population concentration and economic distress; 
and 
(C) restoration of outstanding or unique 
structures, landscaping, or similar features in 
parks of historical or architectural significance. 
(2) Local commitments to innovative and cost- 
effective programs and projects at the neighborhood 
level to augment recovery of park and recreation sys-
tems, including— 
(A) recycling of abandoned schools and 
other public buildings for recreation purposes; 
(B) multiple use of operating educational 
and other public buildings; 
(C) purchase of recreation services on a 
contractual basis; 
(D) use of mobile facilities and rec-
reational, cultural, and educational programs or 
other innovative approaches to improving access 
for neighborhood residents; 
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(E) integration of the recovery action pro-
gram with federally assisted projects to maxi-
mize recreation opportunities through conver-
sion of abandoned railroad and highway rights- 
of-way, waterfront, and other redevelopment ef-
forts and such other federally assisted projects, 
as appropriate; 
(F) conversion to recreational use of street 
space, derelict land, and other public lands not 
now designated for neighborhood recreational 
use; and 
(G) use of various forms of compensated 
and uncompensated land regulation, tax induce-
ments, or other means to encourage the private 
sector to provide neighborhood park and recre-
ation facilities and programs. 
(c) PUBLICATION
OF REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall establish and publish in the Federal Register 
requirements for preparation, submission, and updating of 
local park and recreation recovery action programs. 
(d) AT-RISK YOUTH RECREATION GRANTS.— 
(1) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to re-
ceive an at-risk youth recreation grant, a general 
purpose local government shall include in its 5-year 
park and recreation recovery action program the 
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goal of reducing crime and juvenile delinquency and 
provide a description of the implementation strate-
gies to achieve this goal. 
(2) COORDINATION.—The description of imple-
mentation strategies under paragraph (1) shall also 
address how the general purpose local government is 
coordinating its recreation programs with crime pre-
vention efforts of law enforcement, juvenile correc-
tions, and youth social service agencies. 
(e) RECOVERY ACTION PROGRAM GRANTS.—The 
Secretary is authorized to provide up to 50 percent match-
ing grants to eligible general purpose local government ap-
plicants for recovery action program development and 
planning to meet the objectives of this section. 
SEC. 8. STATE ACTION INCENTIVE; FEDERAL GRANTS, IN-
CREASE. 
The Secretary is authorized to increase Federal reha-
bilitation and construction, innovation, and at-risk youth 
recreation grants authorized in section 6 of this Act by 
providing an additional match equal to the total match 
provided by a State of up to 15 percent of total project 
or program costs. In no event may the Federal matching 
amount exceed 85 percent of total project or program cost. 
The Secretary shall further encourage the States to assist 
in assuring that local recovery plans and programs are 
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