Laws Flashcards
Enacted Acts & Laws
April 1901
Housing reform law aimed at improving living conditions in New York’s tenement buildings.
Set requirements for new buildings to improve light and air quality for residents including: external-facing windows, open courtyard, improved ventilation, indoor toilets, and better fire safety.
New York Tenement House Law (1901)
June 1906 (signed by Theodore Roosevelt)
Preserved archeological sites on public lands.
Authorized the president to protect landmarks, structures, and objects of historic or scientific interest by designating them as national monuments.
Antiquities Act (1906)
July 1916 (written by George McAneny & Edward Bassett)
Divided the City into zones based on primary activity in that area.
Created building height and setback guidelines for each zone.
Considered the first citywide zoning code in the USA
Comprehensive Zoning Resolution (1916 - New York City)
February 1922 (issued by US Dept. of Commerce)
Helped states create zoning restrictions in their jurisdictions.
Defined a zoning commission and called for a plan for zoning regulations.
Standard State Zoning Enabling Act (1922)
1927
Helped states understand the organization and powers of city and regional planning commissions, the making of city/regional plans, and controlling the layout for new subdivisions.
Standard City Planning Enabling Act (1927)
May 1933
Created the Tennessee Valley Authority across seven states to provide a federally-owned utilities.
The TVA built 16 hydroelectric dams to improve electricity access between 1933 and 1944.
Tennessee Valley Authority [TVA] Act (1933)
June 1933
Created the Public Works Administration which planned and funded large-scale public works like roads, schools, dams, and bridges.
Part of New Deal program to increase employment and improve economy.
National Industrial Recovery Act (1933)
1961
Authorized $4.9 billion in new funding for housing programs, including: funding for acquiring open space, improving mass transportation, urban renewal, and building farm housing.
ASPO: Provided opportunities never before possible for coordinated planning of community development.
Housing Act of 1961
1964
Provided funding for mass transportation projects in cities.
Created the Federal Transit Administration.
Shifted the primary mode of financing mass transportation projects to federal grants and loans.
Urban Mass Transportation Act
1966
Protects historic sites from development.
Response to urban renewal and highway construction on important landmarks in urban areas.
Established the National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Programs.
National Historic Preservation Act
April 1968
Prohibited discrimination against a property renter/buyer on basis of race, color, religion, or national origin.
Title VIII of Civil Rights Act of 1968/Fair Housing Act
1934
Created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation to revive the housing market during the Great Depression.
The FHA standardized the 30-year low interest mortgage, spurring a post-war housing boom (70% ownership in US) and more Americans moved to suburbs.
National Housing Act of 1934
1937
Focused on improving housing for poor Americans.
Created the US Housing Authority which loaned $800 million between 1937-1941 to build low-rent housing developments.
Drafted by Catherine Bauer Wurster.
United States Housing Act/Wagner-Steagall Act
1944
Provided a many benefits to WWII veterans, including access to guaranteed loans to buy a home, farm or business.
Contributed to increase in suburbanization.
Serviceman’s Readjustment Act/G.I. Bill
1949
Allocated funding to improve housing in urban areas to counteract effects of suburbanization.
Main elements included slum clearance and urban renewal, building more public housing, and expanding FHA mortgage insurance.
Criticized for destroying more housing than creating and gentrifying poor areas but enabled federal assistance for basic utility services.
Housing Act of 1949
1954
Provided funding to support urban renewal and slum prevention over redevelopment.
Created the 701 program, funding planning assistance for communities, contributing to the spread of comprehensive plans throughout the US.
Housing Act of 1954
1956
Planned to fund 41,000 miles of interstate highways over 10 years.
90% of construction costs came from Highway Trust Fund, while 10% came from the states.
Contributed to more driving, the growth of suburbs, and decline of cities.
Federal Aid Highway Act/National Interstate and Defense Highways Act
1961
Classified all state lands as urban, rural, agricultural, or conservation with a statewide Land Use Commission.
Seen as start of “quiet revolution” that shifted emphasis from local to statewide land use planning to tackle cross-regional issues like environmental concerns.
Kicked off first wave of growth management.
Hawaii Land Use Law
1965
Created HUD as a cabinet-level agency.
Mission: to ensure there is equal access to housing and community-based employment opportunities, funding for new/public/rehab housing projects.
HUD is a source for financing planning projects.
Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] Act of 1965
1966
For urban renewal - established grants to pay at most 80% of developing city demonstration programs and technical assistance from HUD.
Model Cities Program funded costs of developing/implementing comprehensive plans.
Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966
1968
Provided additional mortgage funding for moderate-income families.
Allocated $250 million for New Town projects.
Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] Act of 1968
1970
Created mandate for federal agencies to consider environmental impacts when making decisions on any project that involves federal funding.
Opened the door for future environmental legislation, like Clean Water Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Endangered Species Act.
National Enviornmental Policy Act [NEPA]
1970
Examines and counters the impact of humans on the natural environment.
Administers federal environmental regulations that can impact planning projects, like an EIS or environmental assessment.
Enviornmental Protection Agency [EPA]
1974
Created the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
A block is distributed annually using a formula that considers community population, poverty, age of housing, and growth lag.
Created Section 8 housing, providing rental assistance to low-income households and first federal urban homesteading initiative.
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974
1985
Required local government plans be consistent with state and regional plans or risk losing funding.
Started second wave of “quiet revolution” in growth management laws in US
Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Developemnt Act of 1985 (Florida)
1977
Addressed discriminatory lending practices including redlining.
Increased loans in low-to moderate-income neighborhoods.
Community Reinvestment Act
1978
Made Hawaii the first state to institute zoning across the state.
Hawaii State Planning Act
1982
Allowed exemptions when developers create a Habitat Conservation Plan to protect wildlife while developing a protected area.
Habitat Conservation Plan Amendment
1990
Protected Americans from discrimination based on their physical or mental disabilities.
Title II prohibited discrimination by public transportation and housing authorities.
Title III covered places of business. ADA compliance popularized universal design.
Americans with Disabilities Act
1992
Offered grants to revamp public housing development into mixed-income housing and provided housing vouchers for apartment rentals.
Followed ideas of New Urbanism in plans.
Criticized for encouraging gentrification of low-income neighborhoods.
Praised for replacing dangerous public housing with better designed housing complexes.
HOPE VI Program (HUD)
1993
Created Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities designations at the federal level.
Intended to encourage comprehensive planning and investment by providing tax incentives and social service funds.
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
2000
First disaster relief bill to emphasize mitigation to reduce impacts of disaster before it happens.
Communities that received presidential declarations can apply for grants for mitigation work.
Disaster Mitigation Act
