U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge recently announced “Supplemental Grant” awards for Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grantees totaling more than $98 million. In addition, HUD is opening a notice of funding opportunity for $10 million to support local planning efforts, according to a HUD press release.
Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants assist in the redevelopment of severely distressed HUD-assisted properties into mixed-income communities. The program has a three-pronged “Housing, People, and Neighborhood” approach that includes not only redevelopment of distressed properties, but also provides support to housing residents related to health, education, and income, while simultaneously investing in neighborhood improvement projects which promote economic development and private investment, HUD stated.
Since the program’s inception, the Choice Neighborhoods program has seen 11,000 new mixed-income units built across 44 cities. More than 32,000 units are planned.
“When it comes to Choice Neighborhoods, HUD is an invested partner at the table,” Fudge said in the release. “Cities and public housing authorities are working tirelessly to address affordable housing shortages despite pandemic era construction cost increases. The additional Choice Neighborhoods funding represents HUD’s commitment to creating new housing for the communities that need it most.
“The Choice Neighborhoods approach is a comprehensive model that can be transformative for communities, and we invite more communities to consider tapping into it,” she added.
HUD also announced the availability of $10 million in Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants funding to support locally driven planning efforts. Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants are two-year grants of up to $500,000 each that assist communities with severely distressed public housing or HUD-assisted housing in developing a comprehensive neighborhood transformation plan that meets the “Housing, People, and Neighborhood” goals of the program.
Grant funds also support an early action activity to foster engagement and build the momentum necessary for that plan to be successfully implemented. Public housing authorities, local governments, tribal entities, and nonprofits with distressed HUD-assisted housing are encouraged to apply. Applications for Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant funding are due June 6.
“Choice Neighborhoods is breathing new life into communities with new housing, parks, grocery stores, jobs, and services,” Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman said. “These new opportunities would not happen without meaningful community engagement and community planning. The Planning Grant funding announcement provides local communities with the tools they need to attract the partners and resources that communities deserve.”