(Editor's Note: John C. Hazeltine—formerly West Coast Construction Engineer and Executive. Native of Arizona. Graduated from Stanford University—BS. Veteran of World War I. Subsequently engaged in oil, lumber, shipping and manufacturing operations in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Oregon, generally on own account. A hitch in Navy followed—1941 until 1946 (Lt. Comdr.) and upon release joined Richfield Oil Corporation. At time of acceptance of Administrator Cole's appointment to HEFA as Commissioner, CPA (1953) he was Assistant General Manager, Construction and Maintenance Department of Richfield with headquarters in Los Angreles.)

Public works and community facilities are basic requirements for community development—whether that involves housing, urban renewal, industrial or commercial expansion. All of these elements, so vital to the continued growth and well being of our communities, must be considered in relation to the public works which are necessary for their service and operation. Any realistic guide to municipal development, therefore, must embrace public works planning.

Today, communities throughout the nation are confronted with the problems created by expanding population and the concurrent opportunity for expanding enterprise. In this situation housing developers and redevelopers may be anxious to build, new industries willing to locate in the area, commercial enterprises anxious to expand. The municipality, however, is still faced with the problem of providing essential community facilities.

This is a continuously growing need above and beyond that necessary for renewal and replacement of existing public facilities. The backlog of public works throughout the nation including state, regional, and national facilities has been estimated in varying amounts upward to over $200 billion. The U. S. Department of Commerce recently reported that in the field of public sewerage system construction alone, capital investment of $14.1 billion to increase public sewerage system facilities and $8 billion of expenditures to offset obsolescence will be needed over the next 20 years to provide adequate service.

All of this emphasizes the almost overwhelming necessity for focusing increased attention on public works planning.

The larger municipalities, able to afford multi-year improvement programs, annual public works budget and continuing public works planning departments, are able to generate a certain amount of order and priority in planning for anticipated needs. To thousands of smaller and middle-sized communities, however, this has become an increasingly serious problem. Almost every public official regardless of the size of his community supports wholeheartedly the idea of public works planning. To translate that into a local plan of action, however, is difficult and in many cases almost impossible in the face of shrinking budgets and growing demands on that budget.

A Federal aid program which is helping with this problem in an increasing number of communities is the Program of Advances for Public Works Planning. Administered by the Community Facilities Administration of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, this program was initiated under Section 702 of the Housing Act of 1954. As amended by the Housing Act of 1955, this program was established on a revolving fund basis with a total authorization of $48 million.

The purpose of this program, as set forth in the legislation, is twofold. First, it is directed toward encouraging States and local public agencies to maintain at all times a current and adequate reserve of planned public works which can readily be placed under construction. Second, this program is aimed at helping to attain maximum economy and efficiency in the planning and construction of public works. From these basic objectives stem a number of by-products of vital importance to the public works field.

In the process of developing a local reservoir of public works, communities must study their total public works needs. Projects can be planned in relation to the types of developmental programs that a municipality may need to emphasize in line with its particular problems. Thus, if the need is for new and expanded sources of water supply, sewerage systems, schools, roads, streets, or other municipal facilities necessary for housing or economic and industrial growth, this program can help with the planning necessary for construction.

Many communities and public agencies are not able to spend local funds for planning a project until the funds required for its construction have been fully authorized by the local governing body. Thus, it is very difficult to plan well-regulated, progressive development. Many localities, therefore, are often unable to plan ahead in order to proceed with projects at the time they are needed.

The use of interest-free advances provided by this program bridges the gap between planning and actual construction, and provides a method whereby communities may progress in an orderly manner toward the solution of their problems. As a further incentive, these advances are not repayable until construction is actually undertaken.

Any nonfederal public agency may request an advance for plan preparation for any public work that it has the legal authority to plan, finance, construct, maintain and operate. Public agencies may include states, counties, municipalities, school districts, water and sewer districts, irrigation districts,

and other types of duly authorized public bodies. Federal agencies and their instrumentalities and private or privately controlled nonprofit organizations are not eligible to receive advances.

Almost any type of public works is an eligible activity. Included are publicly owned projects as sewer and water facilities, schools, streets, bridges, hospitals and health facilities, public buildings such as courthouses and city halls, police and fire stations, civic auditoriums, port developments, harbor and flood relief facilities, airports and transportation facilities, garbage disposal plants, and other facilities.

Planning advances can cover the cost of engineering and architectural surveys, designs, plans, estimates, working drawings, specifications, and other operations preparatory to public works construction. Both preliminary and final planning is permissive.

Preliminary planning may include all investigations and surveys such as foundation exploration, test pits, core drilling, water source investigations, both surface and sub-surface, topographic charts and other specific data necessary for determinations upon which a reliable estimate of construction cost can be based.

Advances for complete planning may be made when the type of project or the conditions under which it is being planned make such action more desirable, as in the case of project construction which is expected to begin soon after planning is completed, or public works which will not be affected by technological changes or changing community requirements.

Applicants will be required to submit evidence of approval of project plans by any state or local body whose approval is required by law and to show that the project is in conformity with any existing local civil defense programs. Applications for airport planning must be cleared by the applicant with the Civil Aeronautics Administration in Washington, and a letter of clearance attached. HHFA will consult with other Federal agencies regarding projects which require approval by such agencies or when the applicant expects to obtain construction funds from those agencies.

Growing participation in this developmental program by communities throughout the country indicates that there is a vital need for assistance in planning of specific public works that are part of the community's schedule for early construction.

At the inception of the program funds were limited and few approvals were granted. With the increase in funds made available in 1955, the program has gained considerable momentum. As of September 30, 1956, a total of 324 applications from 240 communities had been filed. The majority of these are from municipalities in the small or middle-sized category. Applications total almost $8.7 million in planning costs and represent estimated construction costs of some $640 million.

Approved and with actual planning getting under way are approximately 150 projects, totalling over $3 million in planning funds for public works estimated to cost $200 million.

An analysis of the types of public works being assisted under this planning program indicates broad coverage of the community structure, including facilities, public works, and utilities which are essential and related to the entire community pattern of services and economic endeavor.

While this program, of course, cannot help to solve all public works planning problems facing municipalities today, it provides a great many substantial benefits. Communities, therefore, are urged to study its possibilities in relation to particular local or area needs. In accordance with the intent of Congress, public officials should utilize this Federal aid if it can contribute to their public works goals.

It may be particularly important, in a number of municipalities, to explore the possibilities of the community development aspects of this program in connection with other recent Federal legislation which may have an impact upon their locality and area.

Communities may find in this program an important adjunct to their urban renewal activities. For example, a planning advance could be utilized by the locality to plan supporting facilities such as sewers, streets, schools or other public facilities which would serve an urban renewal project. Such facilities, which must be constructed with local funds, may receive either partial or complete credit as non-cash grants-in-aid, and make up in whole or in part the local one-third share of project costs.

Another example is, the recently enacted Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which will expand and improve the nation's network of highways. This undoubtedly will also generate the need for increased public works planning for facilities which must be locally financed, but are essential to enhance the municipality's position with respect to the new and improved highway network, and to provide for local opportunities for growth.

The Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1956, administered by the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, is another example. Operating in the area of one of our most vital problems—water pollution and expanded sewage treatment facilities—this too may generate the need for additional public works planning on the local level where the Advance Planning Program can be of assistance.

The importance of an over-all public facilities plant adequate to meet the nation's capacity for social, technological and economic growth cannot

(Continued on page 251)

FEDERAL AID FOR PUBLIC WORKS PLANNING
(Continued from page 249)

be overemphasized. Only as our public works needs in all categories are met can we assure the continued development of our community and municipal structure.

Information and forms may be obtained from the Regional Office, Housing and Home Finance Agency, serving the area in which the project is located. Completed documents, with supporting data, should be filed with the appropriate Regional Office. The address of the Regional Office in Illinois is located at Room 2000, Bankers Building, 105 West Adams Street, Chicago 3, Illinois.