Community Gardens Act of 2009

Community Gardens Act of 2009 - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to eligible entities to establish, build, or operate community gardens.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3225 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3225

  To help provide funds for community gardens, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 15, 2009

 Mr. Inslee (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Matsui, Mr. 
  Moran of Virginia, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Bordallo, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. 
Moore of Kansas, Mr. Engel, Ms. Kaptur, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. McGovern, Mr. 
Carson of Indiana, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Edwards of 
Maryland, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. Cleaver) introduced the following bill; 
           which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To help provide funds for community gardens, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Community Gardens Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish a program to--
            (1) establish community gardens to enhance the availability 
        of fresh fruits and vegetables and help reduce greenhouse gas 
        emissions;
            (2) promote healthy lifestyles; and
            (3) educate and train the public on the importance and 
        value of community gardening.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``community garden'' means a garden for 
        individuals in a local community.
            (2) The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a non-profit organization;
                    (B) a public entity;
                    (C) a community development organization;
                    (D) a Native American or tribal group;
                    (E) a technical, educational, or outreach 
                institution;
                    (F) a State or local government; or
                    (G) a State or local governmental organization.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS.

    The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter in this Act referred to 
as the ``Secretary'') may make grants, with such terms and conditions 
as the Secretary determines appropriate, to eligible entities for 
activities under section 6.

SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS.

    In order to receive a grant under this Act, an eligible entity 
shall submit an application in such form and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including the costs 
associated with a community garden for which the eligible entity will 
use the grant.

SEC. 6. ACTIVITIES.

    An eligible entity that receives a grant under this Act may use 
that grant to engage in activities to establish, build, or operate 
community gardens. Such activities may include any or all of the 
following:
            (1) Acquiring any interest in real property.
            (2) Construction.
            (3) Community outreach.
            (4) Operations.
            (5) Any other appropriate activity.

SEC. 7. ALLOCATION OF GRANTS.

    In making a grant under this Act, the Secretary shall consider the 
following:
            (1) Geographic diversity among grantees.
            (2) The number of individuals in a local community that are 
        likely to participate in a community garden.

SEC. 8. GRANT RECIPIENT TO ENSURE TIMELY OPENING OF COMMUNITY GARDEN.

    (a) In General.--The eligible entity that receives the last grant 
made under this Act for a community garden shall ensure that the 
community garden is operational not later than an opening date that is 
2 years after the grant, unless the Secretary provides an exception.
    (b) Subsequent Grants to Violators.--The Secretary shall treat as 
an exception a failure by the eligible entity to ensure that the 
community garden is operational not later than the opening date if the 
eligible entity receives a grant under this Act for the community 
garden on or after the opening date.

SEC. 9. LIMITATION ON USE OF REAL PROPERTY ACQUIRED WITH GRANT.

    An eligible entity receiving a grant under this Act that acquires 
an interest in real property for a community garden using the grant 
shall ensure that the interest in real property is used for the 
community garden for a period of not less than 10 consecutive years, 
beginning on the opening date.

SEC. 10. FEDERAL SHARE OF COSTS.

    (a) In General.--A grant under this section may not exceed 80 
percent of the costs specified in the application and associated with 
all community gardens assisted with the grant.
    (b) Eligible Entity Contributions.--An eligible entity may cover 
any of those costs that are not covered by the grant using cash or an 
in-kind contribution.
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