PRINTER'S NO. 1610
No. 1305 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY CALTAGIRONE, CRUZ, SIPTROTH, BRENNAN, BUXTON,
COHEN, DALEY, DePASQUALE, EACHUS, FRANKEL, FREEMAN,
HENNESSEY, KULA, LEACH, MANN, MURT, REICHLEY, ROSS, SANTONI,
SCAVELLO, STURLA, THOMAS, WALKO AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 18, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, MAY 18, 2007
AN ACT
1 Providing for a Statewide Barrio Nuevo Latino Community and
2 Economic Development Program to be established and
3 administered by the Department of Community and Economic
4 Development as a specific line item allocation to the
5 Pennsylvania Association of Latino Organizations.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Barrio Nuevo
10 Latino Community and Economic Development Act.
11 Section 2. Legislative findings and purpose.
12 (a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
13 follows:
14 (1) Strengthening local economic infrastructures through
15 community development and housing initiatives is critical to
16 a healthy, viable Pennsylvania Latino community.
17 (2) Many Pennsylvania Latinos live and work in
18 segregated inner-city areas characterized by a lack of local
1 business, decaying infrastructures and substandard housing.
2 (3) Home ownership is the primary means by which
3 households achieve financial security and communities achieve
4 stability, yet lack of connection to programs for affordable
5 housing has severely limited the economic and social
6 opportunities available to Latinos.
7 (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this act is to establish a
8 Statewide Barrio Nuevo Latino Community and Economic Development
9 Program that will enable Latino community-based organizations to
10 become involved and act as primary enablers of housing, home
11 ownership and economic development initiatives. The Statewide
12 Barrio Nuevo Latino Community and Economic Development Program
13 will provide Latino community-based organizations with technical
14 assistance, capacity building and seed funding that will enable
15 the organizations to effectively bring about systemic change in
16 the neighborhoods they serve.
17 Section 3. Definitions.
18 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
19 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
20 context clearly indicates otherwise:
21 "Barrio." The term used to describe a neighborhood or
22 community where a significant number of Latinos reside.
23 "Department." The Department of Community and Economic
24 Development of the Commonwealth.
25 "Latino." A person whose cultural or ethnic identity is from
26 a Latin American or Hispanic background.
27 "Latino community-based organizations." A nonprofit
28 organization where the majority of its governing board is Latino
29 and where the majority of its client community is based in the
30 Latino community.
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1 "Pennsylvania Association of Latino Organizations" or "PALO."
2 A nonprofit State association serving the needs of member Latino
3 community-based organizations.
4 Section 4. Program.
5 (a) Establishment.--There is established a Statewide Barrio
6 Nuevo Latino Community and Economic Development Program. The
7 Department of Community and Economic Development shall
8 administer the program through the PALO to do the following:
9 (1) Provide for capacity building, technical assistance,
10 neighborhood-based economic development initiatives and the
11 development of housing initiatives utilizing Latino
12 community-based organizations.
13 (2) Contribute to the health of urban environments by
14 creating home ownership opportunities that develop the
15 capacity of Latino organizations to become providers of
16 housing in their neighborhoods with an emphasis on first-time
17 home ownership.
18 (3) Promote the creation of small businesses in the
19 barrios through the development of bilingual entrepreneurial
20 centers that connect the needs of aspiring business owners
21 with Federal, State and private financing mechanisms.
22 (b) Guidelines.--The program shall, at a minimum, include
23 the following components:
24 (1) Financial assistance through the department for a
25 minimum of three years in the amount of $2,000,000 per year
26 for development of multiple community and economic
27 development initiatives led by the PALO.
28 (2) A program of technical assistance and capacity
29 building for Latino community-based organizations.
30 (3) Seed funding for housing and economic development
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1 ventures.
2 (c) Eligibility.--The program is open to the participation
3 of Latino community-based organizations that serve the Latino
4 community.
5 Section 5. Effective date.
6 This act shall take effect July 1, 2007, or immediately,
7 whichever is later.
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