Purposes

The purposes of this title are— (1) to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a program enabling communities to better leverage resources to address health, economic development, and conservation concerns through needed investments in parks, recreational areas, facilities, and programs; (2) to improve and revitalize urban areas through economic development; (3) to prevent and improve chronic disease outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity; (4) to improve recreational areas and facilities and expand recreation services in urban areas with a high incidence of crime and help expand recreation opportunities for at-risk youth; (5) to promote collaboration between local agencies involved in parks and recreation, law enforcement, youth social services, and juvenile justice system; (6) to ensure accessibility to therapeutic recreation services and to provide recreation opportunities for injured or disabled members of the Armed Forces; and (7) to encourage the use of environmentally responsible components and sustainable landscape features, and promote cost effective solutions to issues such as storm water management, water conservation, and air quality.