Section 2501-C. Powers and Duties in General.--The Department of Community and Economic Development shall have the power, and its duties shall be: (Intro. par. amended July 9, 2021, P.L.377, No.70)
(a) To coordinate the many programs of grants and subsidies paid to political subdivisions by various agencies of State and Federal government.
(b) Provide for a central clearing house for information concerning local government problems between local governments and the various State agencies; and to direct inquiries about specific problems of local government to the proper State agencies for solution.
(c) Maintain close contact with all local governments to help them improve their administrative methods and to foster better municipal government and development.
(d) To review State policy and Federal programs with respect to major local governmental, metropolitan and area problems; and to determine their impact on local units of government as they pertain to community affairs.
(e) To conduct general research for various units of local government on problems affecting community affairs in the field of municipal administrative management, comprehensive planning, municipal forms of government, State-local relationships, fiscal procedures and generally to do any and all things necessary as an aid to better local and area government and community development; and upon request of a specific political subdivision to conduct under contract mutually agreed upon, extensive and continuous research on general problems of local and urban government and analysis of specific problems of the political subdivision.
(f) Provide direct consultive services to political subdivisions upon requests and staff services to special commissions, or the Governor, or the Legislature as directed.
(g) Provide technical assistance and research to political subdivisions participating in various operational programs affecting political subdivisions in the State.
(h) To coordinate and wherever provided by law to supervise or administer the various programs of State and Federal assistance and grants, including but not limited to housing, redevelopment, urban renewal, urban planning assistance, area development, revitalization of central city cores, mass transportation, river basin studies, port development, air and water pollution, land and soil conservation, economic opportunity, and public works and community facilities and Appalachian assistance; and to furnish comprehensive planning and technical assistance on any program set forth in this subsection. ((h) amended July 9, 2021, P.L.377, No.70)
(i) To furnish assistance to political subdivisions in the preparation of and advice on enforcement of codes and ordinances.
(j) To aid in the preparation of and to distribute handbooks, research, financial and other reports derived from the activities of the department.
(k) To generally do any and all things necessary to make this act effective.
(l) Subject to the limitations of this act and of law, the Secretary of Community Affairs shall, from time to time, establish, rules and regulations to better carry this act into effect.
(m) To make grants to any two or more counties, cities, boroughs, incorporated towns, townships, or any other similar general purpose unit of government which shall hereafter be created by the General Assembly, or to any body which is authorized to act in behalf of two or more units of government, for the purpose of assisting them in acting in concert in the performance of any local governmental function or functions, or for the purpose of conducting studies and investigations to determine the feasibility and desirability of acting in concert in the performance of local governmental functions. ((m) added Mar. 21, 1970, P.L.198, No.78)
(n) To make direct grants or provide other forms of technical assistance to various public safety, recreation, senior citizen or other community service organizations. ((n) added June 22, 1994, P.L.351, No.52)
(2501-C added Feb. 1, 1966, 1965 P.L.1849, No.582)
Compiler's Note: See section 18.1 of Act 70 of 2021 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to continuation of prior law.
Compiler's Note. The Secretary of Community Affairs, referred to in this section, was abolished by Act 58 of 1996 and the functions were transferred to the Secretary of Community and Economic Development.
Compiler's Note: Section 306(d) of Act 18 of 1995, which created the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and renamed the Department of Environmental Resouces as the Department of Environmental Protection, provided that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall exercise the powers and duties vested in the Department of Commerce by Act 8, Sp.Sess., of 1964 and transferred to the Department of Community Affairs by section 2501-C(h).