Arizona State and Local Government Documents Collection

The Forum participants were assigned to six “break-out” discussion groups, where they engaged in facilitated dialogues with assigned content experts. Groups identified and endorsed a sufficient number of best practices. This report highlights the major points of consensus within each discussion. Whenever possible, the divergent perspectives and opinions expressed during the sessions were included.

The CAPER report represents a collaborative effort between the Arizona Department of Housing and the Arizona Department of Economic Security. This document outlines the State’s affordable housing and community development resources, their methods of distribution, geographic funding objectives, and actions by the State to meet those objectives during the past fiscal year.

In order to carry out the intent of Federal Fair Housing legislation, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity division, requires that Community Development Block Grant entitlement jurisdictions comply with regulations to affirmatively further fair housing. This mandate is carried out by the CDBG jurisdictions, in part, by completing an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in their jurisdictions. The State of Arizona is a CDBG Entitlement Jurisdiction and has authorized the Arizona Department of Housing to conduct this analysis. HUD grantees are required to do the following:

-- Complete or update an “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice” (AI) pursuant to HUD’s Fair Housing Planning Guidebook every three to five years in coordination with the Consolidated Planning Process.
-- Use their comprehensive AI study as the basis to formulate a “Fair Housing Plan” with measurable “actions to be taken to overcome the effects of any impediments” and take those appropriate actions.
-- Maintain records, including their AI study and records to support actions taken and to be taken in regard to implementing the Fair Housing Plan.

This AI is a supporting document to the State of Arizona Consolidated Plan and should be reviewed and evaluated within the context of that plan.

Housing plays a major role in the United States and Arizona economies. It is estimated that the housing industry accounts for one-fifth of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Despite the economic importance of housing, Arizona did not have a comprehensive approach or strategy for dealing with housing policy issues. In 1994, a Housing Summit addressed increasing concerns about the cost of housing. Participants from across the state met to discuss growing housing needs. A major outcome of the summit was the formation of the Affordable Housing Task Force, designed to review the state’s housing market and suggest ways the state could address housing affordability. Its principal recommendation was the creation of a permanent body that would focus attention on workable housing solutions. The Arizona Housing Commission was created by Executive Order in 1996 to serve as an advisory body to the Governor, the Legislature and the Arizona Department of Commerce, which is the primary agency currently responsible for housing programs. In 1997, the passage of House Bill 2011 formally established the Commission in statute.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires all government entities receiving federal low-income housing and community development funds to prepare an Annual Action Plan. This is a one-year plan to address the low-income housing and community development needs in the state of Arizona, with a special focus on serving the small cities and rural areas of the state. It consolidates the planning, application, and funding requirements for several programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Community Development Block Grant; HOME Investment Partnerships Program; Emergency Solutions Grant; and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS. The federal and state-funded housing and community development projects and programs described within the Action Plan are administered and implemented by ADOH, the Arizona Department of Economic Security, units of local or regional government, or non-profit agencies.

This document is intended to give an overview of the Federal-Aid Program and its impacts on Arizona. There are four major sections in the report: (1) Overview of the Federal-Aid Program; (2) Arizona Federal funding highlights for the fiscal year; (3) Federal-aid Highway Program Characteristics; and (4) Federal-Aid Highway Program descriptions. The first section gives a general overview of how the Federal-Aid Program is financed, the authorization process and a discussion of the apportionment, allocation and obligation authority processes. The second section deals with Arizona Federal funding highlights the for fiscal year. The last two sections are devoted to characteristics of the core programs, including eligibility, limitations, apportionment formulas and descriptions of the funding categories.

The Arizona Department of Transportation was authorized in 1996 to administer a State Infrastructure Bank under a cooperative agreement with the Federal Highway Administration. The Highway Expansion and Extension Loan Program (HELP) was established. The financial statements present only the funds comprising the Fund and are not intended to present fairly the financial position or results of operations of the Department.