HUD’s Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants

The Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed by Congress at the end of 2009, and became law in early 2010. One of the Act’s provisions was the allocation of $150 million for a new HUD program called the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants. The program’s purpose is to encourage sustainability and better integration of transportation, housing and employment in regional planning.The program is unique in that it consolidates the efforts of three major U.S. Departments: Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Local, regional and state development authorities were encouraged to submit applications for the first round of funding, and were due late last summer. Nearly $100 million worth of grants were awarded late last year to municipalities across the country.Shelley Poticha, director of HUD’s new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities said her office was flooded with applications for this first round of funding. Grants were awarded for sustainable development in two categories: the first awards funding for the creation of sustainable plans, the second funds plans that already exist.The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program is one of the many ways HUD is working to achieve its new Strategic Plan, which was released early last year. Strategic Plan goals include: strengthening the nation’s housing market, meeting current needs for affordable rental homes, developing housing that improves residents’ quality of life, and building communities that are both sustainable and discrimination free. HUD’s Strategic Plan covers Fiscal Years 2010 through 2015, during which time it hopes to meet or exceed all of its goals.