§ 200504 — Recovery Action Programs

(a) As a requirement for project approval, local governments applying for assistance under this chapter shall submit to the Secretary evidence of their commitments to ongoing planning, rehabilitation, service, operation, and maintenance programs for their park and recreation systems. These commitments will be expressed in local park and recreation recovery action programs that maximize coordination of all community resources, including other federally supported urban development and recreation programs. During an initial interim period to be established by regulations under this chapter, this requirement may be satisfied by local government submissions of preliminary action programs that briefly define objectives, priorities, and implementation strategies for overall system recovery and maintenance and commit the applicant to a scheduled program development process. Following this interim period, all local applicants shall submit to the Secretary, as a condition of eligibility, a 5-year action program for park and recreation recovery that satisfactorily demonstrates— (1) systematic identification of recovery objectives, priorities, and implementation strategies; (2) adequate planning for rehabilitation of specific recreation areas and facilities, including projections of the cost of proposed projects; (3) the capacity and commitment to ensure that facilities provided or improved under this chapter shall continue to be adequately maintained, protected, staffed, and supervised; (4) the intention to maintain total local public outlays for park and recreation purposes at levels 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 reduction in overall spending by the applicant; and (5) the relationship of the park and recreation recovery program to overall community development and urban revitalization efforts. (b) Where appropriate, the Secretary may encourage local governments to meet action program requirements through a continuing planning process that includes periodic improvements and updates in action program submissions to eliminate identified gaps in program information and policy development. (c) Action programs shall address, but are not limited to— (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; and (2) local commitments to innovative and cost-effective programs and projects at the neighborhood level to augment recovery of park and recreation systems, including— (A) recycling of abandoned schools and other public buildings for recreational purposes; (B) multiple use of operating educational and other public buildings, purchase of recreation services on a contractual basis; (C) use of mobile facilities and recreational, cultural, and educational programs or other innovative approaches to improving access for neighborhood residents; (D) integration of recovery program with federally assisted projects to maximize recreational opportunities through conversion of abandoned railroad and highway rights of way, waterfront, and other redevelopment efforts and such other federally assisted projects as may be appropriate; (E) conversion of recreation use of street space, derelict land, and other public land not now designated for neighborhood recreational use; and (F) use of various forms of compensated and uncompensated land regulation, tax inducements, or other means to encourage the private sector to provide neighborhood park and recreation facilities and programs. (d) The Secretary shall establish and publish in the Federal Register requirements for preparation, submission, and updating of local park and recreation recovery action programs. (e) To be eligible to receive at-risk youth recreation grants a local government shall amend its 5-year action program to incorporate the goal of reducing crime and juvenile delinquency and to provide a description of the implementation strategies to achieve this goal. The plan shall also address how the local government is coordinating its recreation programs with crime prevention efforts of law enforcement, juvenile corrections, and youth social service agencies. (f) The Secretary may provide up to 50 percent matching recovery action program grants to eligible local governments for program development and planning specifically to meet the objectives of this chapter.