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.

The State of Arizona Consolidated Plan represents a collaborative effort between two state agencies, the Arizona Department of Housing and the Arizona Department of Economic Security. This document outlines the state’s affordable housing and community development resources, methods of distribution, geographic funding objectives and other actions to be taken by the state.

The Consolidated Plan is a document required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be submitted by all jurisdictions that directly receive HUD formula funds. The Arizona Department of Housing is the state agency responsible for developing the Consolidated Plan. The goal of the Plan is to create a five-year strategy that identifies priorities and resources for affordable housing and community development projects and services.

The Consolidated Plan determines priorities, establishes strategic goals, and allocates resources for the HUD funded programs administered by the state of Arizona Department of Housing, namely: the Community Development Block Grant Program, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and the Emergency Shelter Grant Program administered by the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

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.

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.

The HELP program is meant to be a funding tool to accelerate needed highway projects throughout the state. Board Funding Obligations are an important part of the HELP capitalization and the current stress on the State's General Fund has impacted our ability to use BFOs as a funding source for new loans. Though $140 million of BFOs are authorized by statute to capitalize the HELP, the State Treasurer was required to call all outstanding BFOs in April 2009. Consequently, the State Transportation Board and the Department have suspended the HELP program given the uncertainty of a long term funding source.