urban planning assistance

urban planning assistance Sec. 310. (a) Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954 is amended by— (1) striking out “50 per centum” in the first sentence of subsection (b) and inserting in lieu thereof “two-thirds”; (2) striking out “20,000,000” in the last sentence of subsection (b) and inserting in lieu thereof “$75,000,000”; (3) inserting after “public facilities” in clause (1) of subsection (d) “, including transportation facilities”; and (4) adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: “(f) The consent of the Congress is hereby given to any two or more States to enter into agreements or compacts, not in conflict with any law of the United States, for cooperative efforts and mutual assistance in the comprehensive planning for the physical growth and development of interstate, metropolitan, or other urban areas, and to establish such agencies, joint or otherwise, as they may deem desirable for making effective such agreements and compacts.” (b) Section 701 of such Act is further amended by— (1) striking out the matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “Sec. 701. (a) In order to assist State and local governments in solving planning problems resulting from the increasing concentration of population in metropolitan and other urban areas, including smaller communities; to facilitate comprehensive planning for urban development, including coordinated transportation systems, on a continuing basis by such governments; and to encourage such governments to establish and improve planning staffs, the Administrator is authorized to make planning grants to—”; (2) inserting the following after “agencies” in paragraph (2) of subsection (a): “, or other agencies and instrumentalities designated by the Governor (or Governors in the case of interstate planning) and acceptable to the Administrator,”; (3) adding the following at the end of subsection (a): “The Administrator shall encourage cooperation in preparing and carrying out plans among all interested municipalities, political subdivisions, public agencies, and other parties in order to achieve coordinated development of entire areas. To the maximum extent feasible, pertinent plans and studies already made for areas shall be utilized so as to avoid unnecessary repetition of effort and expense. Planning which may be assisted under this section includes the preparation of comprehensive urban transportation surveys, studies, and plans to aid in solving problems of traffic congestion, facilitating the circulation of people and 75 Stat. 171 goods in metropolitan and other urban areas and reducing transportation needs. Funds available under this section shall be in addition to and may be used jointly with funds available for planning surveys and investigations under other Federally-aided programs, and nothing contained in this section shall be construed as affecting the authority of the Secretary of Commerce under section 807 of title 23, United States Code.”; and (4) striking out the first sentence of subsection (d) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “It is the further intent of this section to encourage comprehensive planning, including transportation planning, for States, cities, counties, metropolitan areas, and urban regions and the establishment and development of the organizational units needed therefor. The Administrator is authorized to provide technical assistance to State and local governments and their agencies and instrumentalities undertaking such planning and, by contract or otherwise, to make studies and publish information on related problems.”