The HUD-DOT-EPA

Partnership for
Sustainable Communities

Presentation for
DRCOG

May 5, 2010
 The HUD-DOT-EPA PARTNERSHIP FOR
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Goals

• To meet the President’s challenge for our agencies to work together to

coordinate our policies, programs and resources to encourage and fully
assist rural, suburban, and urban areas to build sustainable communities,
and to make sustainable communities the leading style of development in
the United States.

• To work together to identify opportunities to build more sustainable

communities and to remove policy or other barriers that have kept
Americans from doing so.
PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Guiding Principles

1. Provide more transportation choices.

2. Promote equitable, affordable housing.

3. Enhance economic competitiveness.

4. Support existing communities.

5. Coordinate policies and leverage

investment.

6. Value communities and

neighborhoods.
PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
National Progress

March 2009: HUD and DOT form Partnership.

June 2009: EPA joins Partnership and Principles Announced.

 Legislation Pending – Livable Communities Act of 2010 (SB 1619/HB

4690).

• Since June 2009:

• 2009 -2010 Multi-agency Work Plan in progress

• Identifying Barriers (legislative, policy, planning)
• Redefining Housing “Affordability”
• Measures of Sustainability/Livability
• Coordination of Grant Processes
• Coordination of Planning Process
• Administration level: tours, listening sessions, meetings
 PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
FUNDING

Leverage Funding

 Existing ARRA funds

 Modification of federal programmatic
funds
 State/local funds
 New funds
 PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES
Significant Changes in Agency’s Operations

 DOT Programs and Funding are more

flexible to support Multi-modal (Light
rail, train, bus)

 HUD policy changes to allow for more

flexibility to build on brownfields and
allow multi-use development

 EPA Programs and Funding focused

on communities
 PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
EPA Region 8 Participating Programs

 Sustainability/Smart  Green Build

Growth  Energy Efficiency/Energy
 Brownfields/ Star
Revitalization  Renewable Energy
 Transportation/AQ  Materials Management
 Sustainable Water  Pollution Prevention
Infrastructure  Healthy Homes
 Stormwater Management  Pb Remediation
 Environmental Justice  Indoor Air Quality/Radon
 Tribal  Diesel Retrofits
 Climate
 PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Regional Progress
 Integrated Federal Approach
 Know each other’s agency

 Review of funding proposals

 Planning processes

 Outreach to state/locals and communities

 Projects and Programmatic Focus

 Urban/Suburban

 Tribal

 Rural/Small Community

• Regional Focus
• Special attention to vulnerable populations (children, elderly, low
income, minority)
• Work towards establishing a self-sustaining approach

• Sustainability is a consideration in everything we do – not an add on

 PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
AGENCY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

New Funding
 HUD Sustainable Communities Planning Grant
$100 Million
 Planning
 Implementation
 Incentives

 TIGER II Grant/HUD Community Challenge Planning

Grant (Draft NOFA) $600 Million/$40 Million
 Proposes issuing a joint solicitation
 Similar purposes, different activities, different applicants
Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program
Background
 In FY2010 budget, Congress appropriated $150 million to HUD for a
Sustainability Initiative
 $100 million is available for the Planning Grant Program
 One component of an integrated federal strategy

Goal
 support multi-jurisdictional regional planning efforts that integrate
housing, economic development, and transportation decision-making
 empower jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of
economic growth, social equity, and environmental impact
simultaneously
Grant Details
Background
 $100m in total grantmaking
 Large metropolitan regions (500,000+) eligible for up to $5m
 Small metropolitan regions (<500,000) eligible for up to $2m
 25 percent set aside for distribution in small metropolitan regions

A Program that Reflects the Needs of the Field

 Conducting eight Listening Sessions, two webcasts, four webinars;
online feedback, HUD wiki – fully tapping the experience of the field
 Your input will shape this grant program
Three Proposed Funding Categories

 Regional Plans for Sustainable Development

 Detailed Execution Plans and Programs
 Implementation Incentives
Funding Category 1: Regional Plans for
Sustainable Development
Funding could support
 preparation of Regional Plans for sustainable development where such
plans do not currently exist
 data analysis
 urban design
 outreach efforts to achieve a collective vision among stakeholders
 efforts to have a plan adopted by all appropriate regional governmental
bodies

Expectations
 identify local performance metrics consistent with the outcomes of
proposed growth/reinvestment scenarios
Funding Category 2: Detailed Execution Plans
and Programs
Funding could support
 inter-jurisdictional affordable and fair housing strategies
 regional transportation investment programs
 corridor transit-oriented development plans
 land banking and acquisition strategies
 revenue sharing strategies
 economic development strategies
 plans to improve access to community amenities

Expectations
 demonstrate the adoption of a regional vision substantially consistent
with the Livability Principles, NOFA program goals, and metrics
Funding Category 3: Implementation Incentives

Funding would support

 catalytic project or program that demonstrates commitment to and
implementation of the broader sustainable development plans
 pre-development costs
 capital costs for a regionally significant development
 infrastructure investment that advances economic equity
 land acquisition investments

Expectations
 demonstrate an adopted regional vision consistent with the Livability
Principles
 identify performance metrics
 have commitments from partners during implementation
 demonstrate funding gaps that could be closed within the grant limits
for this program.
Proposed Eligible Entities

HUD seeks multi-jurisdictional, cross-sector partnerships to execute

these grants.
local jurisdictions (working in concert)
MPOs
rural planning organizations
COGs, regional units of government (i.e. transit agency, water district)
state government
civic and nonprofit organizations
private sector interests
philanthropic organizations and educational institutions
workforce investment boards
Selection Criteria

Does the application…

 Further the creation of livable communities by integrating
housing, transportation, and environmental decisions?

 Demonstrate a commitment to take well-developed plans

and move them into implementation?

 Represent a strong, inclusive, collaborative effort for the

region?
Solicitation of Comments

General Questions
 How should the Program be structured?

 What funding categories and activities are most

appropriate to support?

 Which entities should be eligible grantees?

 How should we evaluate regional capacity for sustainable

development?
Solicitation of Comments

More Specific Questions:

 What specific types of eligible activities would support?
 How do we advance economic equity through the planning process?
 How can residents best participate?
 Should Regional Plans for Sustainable Development harmonize with
HUD, DOT, and EPA-required plans and, if so, how?
 What criteria should be used to evaluate whether a previously
adopted regional vision is consistent with the Livability Principles?
 What are the best measures of local and contributed resource leverage
and how should they be evaluated in the review process?
Contact Us

 Review Advance Notice: www.hud.gov/sustainability

 Comment on Advance Notice via our Wiki:
www.hud.gov/OSHCwiki
 Or email comments to:
sustainablecommunities@hud.gov

 Remember, the deadline for comments on this

Advance Notice is March 12, 2010
 Cindy Cody
EPA R8 Sustainability Coordinator
303.312.6228
cody.cynthia@epa.gov