Signed by Governor Jim Pillen

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that appropriates funding for redevelopment programs.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Revitalize Rural Nebraska Grant Program (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the Department of Environment and energy shall award the grants annually on a competitive basis and shall give priority to applications from cities of the second class and villages (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that there is no limit on the amount of funding that can be awarded to a grant recipient outside of total available funding (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the department to take into account the following factors when considering who to award the grants to (Sec. 2): 

• Presence of dilapidated commercial properties that is in need of demolition; 

• Abandoned properties vacant for six months; 

• Lack of placement in the national register of historic places; 

• The city or village can provide matching funds ;

• Specifies that if the city does not demolish the designated location by the grant application then it must return the grant funds in full (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that in the instance of the need for a tie breaking vote in matters related to the fund, the mayor of the city or village may vote (Sec. 6). 

• Requires the designation of an area as an extremely blighted area to stand for over 25 years with periodical review of said area on a regular basis (Sec. 10). 

• Specifies that the governing body or authority of a city or village that is a recipient of the grant shall have the power to develop redevelopment plans and proposals (Sec. 10). 

• Specifies that the city may adopt resolutions declaring an area to be officially blighted and substandard (Sec. 10). 

• Specifies that the city has the right to know how indebted a project is currently before may 1st each year (Sec. 10). 

• Specifies that new affordable housing that is constructed within six hundred yards of redevelopment projects related to the fund will be classified as related to the redevelopment plan (Sec. 17). 

• Requires that 30% of the funds for a redevelopment plan funded by the grant go towards affordable single family housing (Sec. 17).

• Requires that in selection for projects to receive funding a city may develop an allocation plan for said funds (Sec. 20). 

• Establishes requirements for the allocation plans and limits that the plan does not exceed funding limits and is appropriate with the cities development plan (Sec. 20). 

• Appropriated new funds for museums and other projects (Sec. 44). 

Full Bill Text