Title
REAP CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.
Presented by: John L. Schlegel, Director of Planning.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the agreement, establish budget authority in the amount of the approved HUD Grant award of $1,500,000, and authorize the Chairman to designate a primary point of contact at a later date.
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In November 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant in the amount of $1.5 million. The purpose of this grant is to develop a regional plan for sustainable communities for south central Kansas to support metropolitan and multi-jurisdictional planning efforts that integrate housing, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments. This effort will help build regional capacity to compete in the global economy.
In order to qualify for this grant, REAP has created a regional consortium that includes the City of Wichita (the city with the largest population), the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (the region’s MPO), and all counties and their respective county seats in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey and Sumner) plus Reno County. Other private and non-profit entities have agreed to be members of this consortium. On September 28, 2011, the County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing the County to participate in the REAP consortium.
The total budget for the three-year plan development process is $2,322,804. The proposed cost share is approximately 65 percent grant funds ($1,500,000) from HUD and approximately 35 percent leveraged local resources from the consortium members. All local resources are in-kind (non-cash) contributions with the exception of a $50,000 cash match from the Kansas Health Foundation. Funds will be used for project management staff, technical consultation and assist...
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