(a)Overall goals.(1) The overall goal of the community planning and development programs covered by this part is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities principally for low- and moderate-income persons. The primary means towards this end is to extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including for-profit and non-profit organizations, in the production and operation of affordable housing.(i) Decent housing includes assisting homeless persons to obtain appropriate housing and assisting persons at risk of becoming homeless; retention of the affordable housing stock; and increasing the availability of permanent housing in standard condition and affordable cost to low-income and moderate-income families, particularly to members of disadvantaged minorities, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Decent housing also includes increasing the supply of supportive housing, which combines structural features and services needed to enable persons with special needs, including persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, to live with dignity and independence; and providing housing affordable to low-income persons accessible to job opportunities.(ii) A suitable living environment includes improving the safety and livability of neighborhoods; increasing access to quality public and private facilities and services; reducing the isolation of income groups within a community or geographical area through the spatial deconcentration of housing opportunities for persons of lower income and the revitalization of deteriorating or deteriorated neighborhoods; restoring and preserving properties of special historic, architectural, or aesthetic value; and conservation of energy resources.(iii) Expanded economic opportunities includes job creation and retention; establishment, stabilization and expansion of small businesses (including microbusinesses); the provision of public services concerned with employment; the provision of jobs involved in carrying out activities under programs covered by this plan to low-income persons living in areas affected by those programs and activities; availability of mortgage financing for low-income persons at reasonable rates using nondiscriminatory lending practices; access to capital and credit for development activities that promote the long-term economic and social viability of the community; and empowerment and self-sufficiency opportunities for low-income persons to reduce generational poverty in federally assisted and public housing.(2) The consolidated submission described in this part 91 requires the jurisdiction to state in one document its plan to pursue these goals for all the community planning and development programs, as well as for housing programs. It is these goals against which the plan and the jurisdiction's performance under the plan will be evaluated by HUD.(b)Functions of plan. The consolidated plan serves the following functions: (1) A planning document for the jurisdiction, which builds on a participatory process among citizens, organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders;(2) A submission for federal funds under HUD's formula grant programs for jurisdictions;(3) A strategy to be followed in carrying out HUD programs; and(4) A management tool for assessing performance and tracking results.60 FR 1896, Jan. 5, 1995, as amended at 71 FR 6961 , Feb. 9, 2006