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HUD & DOT Partner To Support Community Development

by devteam June 22nd, 2010 | Share

Forrnthe third time in two weeks the Department of Housing and Urban Developmentrn(HUD) has announced a partnership with another federal program to attempt a newrnor more efficient approach to housing. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and HUD are undertaking arnjoint program to promote and fund planning where transportation, housing, andrncommercial development are coordinated to make more livable, sustainablerncommunities.</p

Thernnew initiative will combine the efforts of the two cabinet-level departments tornaward up to $75 million in funding for local planning activities.  $35 million will come from DOT'srnTransportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) II PlanningrnGrants and $40 million from HUD's Sustainable Community Challenge GrantrnInvestments.  </p

TIGERrnPlanning Grants can be used to plan, prepare, or design surface transportationrnprojects including highways, bridges, transit, railways, ports, or bicycle andrnpedestrian facilities. One determinant of projects selected for planning grantsrnwould be their ultimate eligibility for TIGER construction funding.  HUD's Sustainable Communities Funding isrndesigned to target urban and community planning projects to achieve affordablernand sustainable communities. Funds can be used for efforts such as amending orrnreplacing local master plans, or zoning and building codes to promote mixed-userndevelopment, affordable housing and the re-use of older buildings for newrnpurposes.  </p

Therninterdepartmental collaboration will provide a single point of entry to the fundingrnprocess for projects that would fall under the two programs and thus avoid twornseparate grant application procedures that might be on different timelines andrnwith different requirements. </p

Thernjoint announcement from DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and HUD Secretary ShaunrnDonovan outlined several types of activities that might benefit from therncombined process.  Combined funds could providernsupport for: </p<ul

  • Planning activities to support development ofrnaffordable housing near transportation by changing zoning ordinances orrnacquiring land.</li
  • Changes in local codes and ordinances tornpermit private sector development of housing located near transportation andrnretail services.</li
  • Planning related to the development of mixed-usernor transit-oriented development with an affordable housing component.</li
  • Development of expanded public transportation options includingrntransportation accessible to persons with disabilities and transportation thatrnwould link diverse residential areas to areas with employment and educationalrnopportunities.rn</li</ul

    Planning the development of a freight corridorrnthat would reduce conflicts with residential areas and with passenger andrnnon-motorized traffic. In this example, DOT might fund therntransportation planning activities along the corridor, and HUD might fundrnchanges in the zoning code to support appropriate location of freightrnfacilities and route the freight traffic around town centers, residential areasrnand schools.</p<ul class="unIndentedList"</ul<ul class="unIndentedList"</ul<ul class="unIndentedList"</ul<ul class="unIndentedList"</ul<ul class="unIndentedList"</ul

    The new initiative is anrnextension of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities announced by PresidentrnObama one year ago.  The Partnership is arncollaboration among DOT, HUD, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)rnwhich is designed to remove traditional government “silos” betweenrnthe agencies in order to more efficient provide transportation, land use,rnenvironmental, housing, and community development resources. The $75 million isrnpart of $600 million available in TIGER Grant funds and $200 million from HUD'srnFY2010 budget for its Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities.</p

    Preliminary applications forrnfunding will be due 30 days after the funding notice is published in thernFederal Register with full applications due on August 23.  Eligible applicants include state, local, andrntribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities.   </p

     “This joint effort by DOT and HUD is a giantrnstep toward improved coordination at the state, federal and local levels andrnreinforces the Obama Administration's commitment to finding better ways to makerngovernment work for people,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “Together, theirrninvestments will strengthen communities by connecting housing andrntransportation options, increasing economic opportunities, promotingrnenvironmental sustainability and improving their overall quality of life.” <br / <br /In the last two weeks, collaborative programs in housing have also beenrnannounced between HUD and the Veterans Administration and HUD and bankingrnregulators administering the Community Redevelopment Act.

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    • About the Author

    devteam

    Steven A Feinberg (@CPAsteve) of Appletree Business Services LLC, is a PASBA member accountant located in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

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