Mission Statement

Guide state and national actions that affect economic development in the region and adopt joint actions among member governments that enhance the regional economy.

HUD Sustainable Communities Grant

 2010

Overview

The Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) was requested and agreed to serve as the lead applicant organization for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) $100 million Sustainable Communities Planning Grants Program for regional planning. The grants will assist regional planning organizations and consortia of local governments to integrate housing, transportation, economic development, water infrastructure and environmental planning.

 REAP views governmental cooperation as an essential step in the expansion of the regional economy and created a consortium that represents the Wichita MSA with the addition of Reno County to lead the population of this grant application. The consortium includes the City of Wichita, as the MSA’s principal city, as well local units of government in Butler County, Harvey County, Reno County, Sumner County, and the largest cities in each county: El Dorado, Newton, Hutchinson, and Wellington.  In addition, the consortium includes the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO); Wichita State University’s Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs; Visioneering Wichita; and the Kansas Health Foundation. For questions regarding the grant please contact Joe Yager. 

Purpose of the Program

Developing an engagement process to transform our region from “talking about a regional approach” to “thinking, behaving and valuing” a regional approach will be the fundamental measurement for success of the planning process. The approach must ensure a process to have meaningful discourse on diverse and sometimes polarizing topics, with regional representatives of diverse interests and backgrounds. Recognizing our current political and social culture of communities acting separately is not sustainable nor the best use of resources for our region.

 Developing trust and agreement with political leadership will be a critical role of the Regional Sustainability Council of the consortium. Technical expertise and commitment to connecting the usual and unusual voices will be a constant challenge of our Leadership and Executive Committees. The consortium will be assisted by the program manager in the Hugo Wall School to provide daily oversight of plan development. The consortium will seek, through competitive request for proposal process, a consulting team led by a primary consultant that will assemble a team of qualified experts in the various disciplines needed for developing the plan, such as planners, community engagement specialists, engineers, environmental specialists and topic experts. The consortium will rely on consultant expertise to assist in data analysis, engagement process, technical advice and plan development.

 The consortium has identified five strategy areas on which the south central Kansas regional plan for sustainable development will focus:

·         Housing

·         Environment (air quality and water)

·         Transportation

·         Economic development (long-term job creation)

·         Healthy Community Design

 Overall, the grant will support multijurisdictional planning that integrates these five critical areas and empowers jurisdictions to consider interdependent challenges of 1) economic prosperity through competitiveness and revitalization; 2) social equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity; 3) energy use and climate change; and 4) public health and environmental impact.

 The program translates the sustainable communities six livability principles into strategies that direct long-term development and reinvestment, address issues of regional significance, and engage stakeholders and citizens in meaningful decision-making.

Grant Documents

Supporting Documents

Frequently Asked Questions