Section 20 ILCS 605/605-400 - Office of Urban AssistanceThe Department shall provide for, staff, and administer an Office of Urban Assistance, which shall plan and coordinate existing State programs designed to aid and stimulate the economic growth of depressed urban areas. Among other duties assigned by the Department, the Office shall have the following duties:
(1) To coordinate the activities of the following units and programs of the Department and all other present and future units and programs of the Department that impact depressed urban areas to the extent that they impact upon or concern urban economics: (A) Enterprise Zone Program. (B) Small Business Development Center Program. (C) Programs that assist in the development of community infrastructure. (D) Illinois House Energy Assistance Program. (E) Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program. (F) Programs financed with Community Services Block Grant funds. (G) Industrial Training Program. (H) Technology Transfer and Innovation Program. (I) Rental Rehabilitation Program. (J) Displaced Homemaker Program. (K) Programs under the federal Job Training Partnership Act. The Office shall convene quarterly meetings of representatives who are designated by the Department to represent the units and programs listed in items (A) through (K).
(2) To gather information concerning any State or federal program that is designed to revitalize or assist depressed urban areas in the State and to provide this information to public and private entities upon request. (3) To promote and assist in developing urban inner city industrial parks. (4) To promote economic parity and the autonomy of citizens of this State through promoting and assisting the development of urban inner city small business development centers, urban youth unemployment projects, small business incubators, family resource centers, urban developments banks, self managed urban businesses, and plans for urban infrastructure projects over the next 25 years. (5) To recommend to the General Assembly and the Governor economic policies for urban areas and planning models that will result in the reconstruction of the economy of urban areas, especially those urban areas where economically and socially disadvantaged people live. (6) To make recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on the establishment of urban economic policy in the areas of (i) housing, (ii) scientific research, (iii) urban youth unemployment, (iv) business incubators and family resource centers in urban inner cities, and (v) alternative energy resource development, and the need thereof, in urban areas as part of the department's 5-year plan for economic development. (7) To make any rules and regulations necessary to carry out its responsibilities under the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. (8) To encourage new industrial enterprises to locate in urban areas (i) through educational promotions that point out the opportunities of any such area as a commercial and industrial field of opportunity and (ii) by the solicitation of industrial enterprises; and to do other acts that, in the judgment of the Office, are necessary and proper in fostering and promoting the industrial development and economic welfare of any urban area. The Office, however, shall have no power to require reports from or to regulate any business. (9) To accept grants, loans, or appropriations from the federal government or the State, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, to be used for the operating expenses of the Office or for any purposes of the Office, including the making of direct loans or grants of those funds for public, private, experimental, or cooperative housing, scientific research, urban inner city industrial parks, urban youth employment projects, business incubators, urban infrastructure development, alternative energy resource development, food deserts and community food plots, community facilities needed in urban areas, and any other purpose related to the revitalization of urban areas.Amended by P.A. 096-0037,§ 30-5, eff. 7/13/2009. P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.