There is hereby established, within the Executive Chamber, the Urban Affairs Cabinet to assist the Governor in the coordination of State policies and programs affecting urban areas.

The Lieutenant Governor will serve as Chairman of the Cabinet, and the Secretary of State will serve as Vice-Chairman. Other members will include the Commissioners of Commerce, Housing and Community Renewal, Parks and Recreation, and Transportation, the Industrial Commissioner, the Director of the Budget, the President of the Urban Development Corporation, the Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Executive Director of Housing Finance Agency or their representatives. Other agencies will participate as the Cabinet's work program is developed.

New York is the largest urban State in the nation. Therefore, there is a need to ensure the coordination of State policies and programs affecting urban areas. To do this, the Urban Affairs Cabinet will serve as a policy coordination mechanism for the Governor on urban development, and, as appropriate, make recommendations to the Governor to develop new initiatives to meet urban development needs.

Working with appropriate State agencies, and with the Department of State acting as a lead agency, the Cabinet, among other things, will:

— Monitor the Governor's Central Business District Policy to strengthen the State commitment to use State resources to help local government promote the redevelopment of downtown areas, in part by:

. encouraging the targeting of State facilities in downtown areas, including the leasing of space for State use, and the conversion of surplus properties for economic development purposes; and

. coordinating an information services program for the timely and effective provision of assistance and rehabilitation information.

— Formulate an Urban Development Area Demonstration Program in selected urban areas to target State, local and Federal incentives and assistance to attract private investments to identified pockets of distress.

— Coordinate a new State technical assistance program to strengthen local community development efforts, particularly applying for and planning the use of available Federal funds for urban development.

— Cooperate in the preparation of legislation to promote urban development.

— Collect and analyze data on the impact of Federal and State spending on urban areas.

The Cabinet shall meet at the direction of the Chairman and shall periodically report to the Governor on its activities. The Cabinet shall prepare and submit to the Governor for his review an annual work plan by May 1 of each year.