[WEC] Fwd: USDOT and HUD Launch Groundbreaking, Collaborative Effort to Create Sustainable, Livable Communities

[Rob Zako]

Dear WEC friends,

Emily forwarded the press release below announcing a new grant opportunity to create sustainable, livable communities.

The Partnership for Sustainable Communities, an innovative new interagency collaboration, launched by President Obama in June 2009, between the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is guided by six "Livability Principles":

Provide more transportation choices. Develop safe, reliable, and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote public health.
Promote equitable, affordable housing. Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races, and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation.
Enhance economic competitiveness. Improve economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs by workers, as well as expanded business access to markets.
Support existing communities. Target federal funding toward existing communities—through strategies like transit oriented, mixed-use development, and land recycling—to increase community revitalization and the efficiency of public works investments and safeguard rural landscapes.
Coordinate and leverage federal policies and investment. Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding, and increase the accountability and effectiveness of all levels of government to plan for future growth, including making smart energy choices such as locally generated renewable energy
Value communities and neighborhoods. Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe, and walkable neighborhoods—rural, urban, or suburban.

Compare these principles to the six Envision Eugene "Guiding Principles," which are based in part on the work of the WEC:

Use Land Wisely. Growth is managed wisely by making the best use of existing land inside the city boundary and finding compatible ways to welcome more people into the community. Neighborhoods, designers, builders, and the city work collaboratively to add or improve buildings that contribute to the livability, affordability and vibrancy of Eugene.
Create Economic Vitality. Supporting existing Eugene businesses is the cornerstone of an economy that encourages innovation and stability while we position ourselves for future opportunities by preparing the city’s physical, social, educational and workforce infrastructure. The local economy provides a range of jobs for people with diverse skills, education and interests; where new generations can grow and prosper without being forced to relocate to find jobs or homes.
Foster a Safe and Healthy Community. Eugene is a place where all people and their property are safe. Eugene is a place where all residents have access to clean air and drinking water, healthful food, high-quality education, and parks and open spaces.
Become a Community of Housing and Transportation Choices. Eugene offers a variety of housing choices for all stages of life and levels of affordability. Transportation options and universal design make choosing different ways to get around easy and accessible for all.
Enhance Community Identity and Character. Eugene’s natural assets, including its river, ridgeline, wetlands, forests, parks, and natural areas are protected, celebrated and enhanced. Eugene’s constructed and cultural assets, including a unique mix of neighborhoods, commerce, arts, architecture, and history are protected, celebrated and enhanced.
Plan for Future Generations. Decisions are made through an open, inclusive and transparent process that encourages active community participation from diverse viewpoints, conducted in a civil and respectful manner. We take action to meet today’s needs without jeopardizing future generations’ ability to meet their own needs by considering our decisions’ economic, ecological and social impacts. We not only envision the future we want for our community, but actively work together to make it happen.

Sounds like a good fit to me, and I hope one or more local jurisdictions will apply for this funding.

Thanks,
Rob



FOR RELEASE
Monday
June 21, 2010

HUD No. 10-131
HUD Contact: Andrea Mead
(202) 708-0685
DOT No. 122-10
DOT Contact: Olivia Alair
(202) 366-4570

USDOT and HUD Launch Groundbreaking, Collaborative Effort to Create Sustainable, Livable Communities
Joint Effort Combines DOT TIGER II and HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grant Investments

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a groundbreaking collaborative effort designed to help foster planning for more livable, sustainable communities – places where transportation, housing and commercial development investments are coordinated to better serve the people living in those communities.

Together, the U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for the first time ever, will join forces to award up to $75 million in funding – $35 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II Planning Grants and $40 million in Sustainable Community Challenge Grants for localized planning activities that ultimately lead to projects that integrate transportation, housing and economic development.

“This joint effort by DOT and HUD is a giant step toward improved coordination at the state, federal and local levels and reinforces the Obama Administration's commitment to finding better ways to make government work for people,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “Together, their investments will strengthen communities by connecting housing and transportation options, increasing economic opportunities, promoting environmental sustainability and improving their overall quality of life.”
 
“This is another example of the Obama Administration giving the American taxpayer a bigger bang for the buck.  The winners will be the people who live in communities and have access to travel options that better serve them,” said Secretary LaHood. 

“This partnership demonstrates President Obama’s commitment to changing the way the federal government operates by breaking down silos and making smarter investments,” said Secretary Donovan. “This is the first time HUD and DOT have worked together to develop a joint grant program.  For the first time, federal agencies are truly collaborating with each other to make government work better and build the kinds of communities where families can prosper.”  

The new program builds on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, an innovative new interagency collaboration, launched by President Obama in June 2009, between the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Guided by six Livability Principles, the Partnership is designed to remove the traditional federal government silos that exist between departments and strategically target the agencies’ transportation, land use, environmental, housing and community development resources to provide communities the resources they need to build more livable, sustainable communities. 

TIGER II Planning Grants may be used to plan, prepare or design surface transportation projects that would be eligible for funding under the TIGER II Discretionary Grant program.  These projects include highways, bridges, transit, railways, ports or bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

HUD’s Sustainable Communities funding will target urban and community planning projects that foster reform and reduce barriers to achieving affordable, economically vital and sustainable communities.  Such efforts may include amending or replacing local master plans, zoning codes, and building codes either on a jurisdiction-wide basis or in a specific neighborhood or sector to promote mixed-use development, affordable housing and the re-use of older buildings for new purposes with the goal of promoting sustainability at the local level.
These activities, when done in conjunction with transportation projects, can greatly increase the efficiency and effectiveness local transportation, and access to it, while encouraging mixed-use or transit-oriented development.  The program will encourage and reward areas that are planning more innovative projects that coordinate housing, economic development and transportation investments.
There are a variety of projects that may include component parts that fall under both the DOT TIGER II Planning Grants and the HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grants.  Rather than have applicants proceed through two separate grant application procedures that might be on different timelines and with different requirements, this joint notice of funding availability (NOFA) is intended to create one point of entry to federal resources.  
Examples could include the following:

Planning activities that support the development of affordable housing near transportation through the adoption of inclusionary zoning ordinances and other activities such as acquisition of land for affordable housing projects.
Preparing or amending local codes and ordinances that prevent the private sector from developing neighborhoods more sustainably and inclusively, with housing located near transportation and retail.
Planning activities related to the development of a particular transportation corridor or regional transportation system that promotes mixed-use or transit-oriented development with an affordable housing component. 
Planning activities related to the development of a freight corridor that seeks to reduce conflicts with residential areas and with passenger and non-motorized traffic.  In this type of project, DOT might fund the transportation planning activities along the corridor, and HUD might fund changes in the zoning code to support appropriate siting of freight facilities and route the freight traffic around town centers, residential areas and schools.
Developing expanded public transportation options, including accessible public transportation and para-transit services for individuals with disabilities, to allow individuals to live in diverse, high opportunity communities and to commute to areas with employment and educational opportunities.

Under this innovative program, DOT and HUD will make joint awards, where appropriate, as well as individual TIGER II planning grants and HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grants. 
The $35 million for TIGER II planning grants announced today comes from the $600 million in TIGER II grants announced by Secretary LaHood on May 28.  The $40 million in HUD Sustainable Community Challenge Grant funding is part of $200 million in funding approved by congress in HUD’s FY2010 budget to launch the first ever Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities.

Pre-applications are due 30 days from the publication of the Notice of Funding Availability in the Federal Register.  Full applications are due on August 23.  State and local governments, including U.S. territories, tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities and others, are eligible to apply for funding. For more information on how to apply, please review the notice of funding availability (NOFA) by clicking here.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

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