§ 136-252. Grants to local governments and transportation authorities.
§ 136‑252. Grants tolocal governments and transportation authorities.
(a) Eligible Entities. The following entities are eligible to receive grants under this section fromthe Fund for public transportation purposes, which includes planning andengineering:
(1) Cities.
(2) Counties.
(3) Publictransportation authorities under Article 25 of Chapter 160A of the GeneralStatutes.
(4) Regional publictransportation authorities under Article 26 of Chapter 160A of the GeneralStatutes.
(5) Regional transportationauthorities under Article 27 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes.
(b) Requirements. Agrant may be approved from the Fund only if all of the following conditions aremet:
(1) The application isapproved by all Metropolitan Planning Organizations under Article 16 of thisChapter whose jurisdiction includes any of the service area of the grantapplicant.
(2) The applicant hasapproved a transit plan that includes the following:
a. Relief ofanticipated traffic congestion.
b. Improvement of airquality.
c. Reduction inanticipated energy consumption.
d. Promotion of apedestrian‑ and bike‑friendly environment around and connected totransit stations.
e. Promotion of mixed‑useand transit‑oriented developments and other land‑use tools thatencourage multimodal mobility.
f. Coordination withthe housing needs assessment and plan provided in subdivision (3) of thissubsection.
g. Promotion of accessto public transportation for individuals who reside in areas with adisproportionate number of households below the area median income.
h. Coordination andplanning with local education agencies to reduce transportation costs.
i. Coordination withlocal governments with zoning jurisdiction to carry out elements of the plan.
Theapplicant may also include plans for new public transportation services andpublic transportation alternatives beyond those required by the Americans withDisabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.) that assist individualswith disabilities with transportation, including transportation to and fromjobs and employment support services.
(3) The applicant hasapproved a housing needs assessment and plan, or includes with its applicationsuch assessment and plan (or assessments and plans) approved by another unit orunits of local government within its service area, that includes the following:
a. A housing inventoryof market rate, assisted housing units, and vacant residential parcels.
b. An analysis ofexisting housing conditions, affordable housing needs, and housing needs forspecific population groups, such as people who are elderly, are disabled, havespecial needs, or are homeless.
c. A catalogue ofavailable resources to address housing needs.
d. Identification ofpotential resources and a strategy to provide replacement housing for low‑incomeresidents displaced by transit development and to create incentives for thepurpose of increasing the stock of affordable housing to at least fifteenpercent (15%) within a one‑half mile radius of each transit station andbus hub to be affordable to families with income less than sixty percent (60%)of area median income.
e. Goals, strategies,and actions to address housing needs over a five‑year period.
(4) The applicant has anadequate and sustainable source of funding established for its share of projectcosts.
(5) The applicant agreesto submit to both the Secretary and each Metropolitan Planning Organizationthat approved the application a periodic update of the implementation of boththe transit plan and the housing needs assessment and plan. Each MetropolitanPlanning Organization receiving such update shall afford interested parties theopportunity to comment on the update.
(c) MultiyearAllotments. Grants from the Fund may be committed for a multiyear basis tostabilize the phased implementation of a plan, including multiyear allotments.The Secretary of Transportation, after consultation with the Board ofTransportation, shall approve, and amend from time to time, a rolling multiyearprojection of up to 15 years for allocation of funds under this section. Noapplicant is eligible under the 15‑year plan projection for more than one‑thirdof the total funds to be granted under this Article during that 15‑yearperiod.
(d) Cap; MatchingRequirement. A grant under this section may not exceed twenty‑fivepercent (25%) of the cost of the project and must be matched by an equal orgreater amount of funds by the applicant. In evaluating projects, qualificationfor federal funding shall be considered. (2009‑527, s. 1.)