Last week HUD, DOT, and EPA representatives held a conference call to discuss their plans for the FY 2014 Sustainable Communities Initiatives.
The HUD Office of Sustainable Communities announced that it has allocated $75M to create a new Integrated Planning and Investment Grants program. The HUD representative, Shirley Poticha, suggested, but would not commit, that this new program would likely replace the Sustainable Community and Community Challenge grant programs. Specifics on this new grant program will be announced soon. HUD also announced that past winners of Sustainable Communities grant will be eligible for grants to implement housing and economic initiatives.
John Frese from EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities gave an update on the utility of the Preferred Sustainability Status going forward. In January, 2013 HUD/EPA/DOT sent memos to agencies directing that future RFPs include the six principles for Sustainable Communities.
Frese also stated that the proposed Office budget for 2014 is $10.4M, which is an increase from FY12 budget of about $1.7M. This Office plans to scale up technical assistance for sustainable growth. They will also expand existing technical assistance programs like the Governor’s Institute on Community Design and the Greening America’s Capitals program.
Frese announced that that the proposed Brownfields budget for 2014 is $85M and funding for Brownfield State & Tribal Program is pegged at $47M in FY 2014. Frese also mentioned that EPA’s Office of Water will be issuing an Urban Waters Improvement Program. These will be grants in the range of $40-$60K. The grants will be made available to 7 communities. Frese stated that The Office of Environmental Justice will not, however, be issuing a NOFA for the Small Grants program in FY2014.
Beth Osborne of USDOT gave a high level overview of the FY 2014 proposed budget. Osborne touched on the proposed $10B American Fast Forward Bonds program – to create a national infrastructure bank. She mentioned that AFF could include TIFIA–like assistance and could overlap some of TIFIA’s program offerings.
The HUD Office of Sustainable Communities announced that it has allocated $75M to create a new Integrated Planning and Investment Grants program. The HUD representative, Shirley Poticha, suggested, but would not commit, that this new program would likely replace the Sustainable Community and Community Challenge grant programs. Specifics on this new grant program will be announced soon. HUD also announced that past winners of Sustainable Communities grant will be eligible for grants to implement housing and economic initiatives.
John Frese from EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities gave an update on the utility of the Preferred Sustainability Status going forward. In January, 2013 HUD/EPA/DOT sent memos to agencies directing that future RFPs include the six principles for Sustainable Communities.
Frese also stated that the proposed Office budget for 2014 is $10.4M, which is an increase from FY12 budget of about $1.7M. This Office plans to scale up technical assistance for sustainable growth. They will also expand existing technical assistance programs like the Governor’s Institute on Community Design and the Greening America’s Capitals program.
Frese announced that that the proposed Brownfields budget for 2014 is $85M and funding for Brownfield State & Tribal Program is pegged at $47M in FY 2014. Frese also mentioned that EPA’s Office of Water will be issuing an Urban Waters Improvement Program. These will be grants in the range of $40-$60K. The grants will be made available to 7 communities. Frese stated that The Office of Environmental Justice will not, however, be issuing a NOFA for the Small Grants program in FY2014.
Beth Osborne of USDOT gave a high level overview of the FY 2014 proposed budget. Osborne touched on the proposed $10B American Fast Forward Bonds program – to create a national infrastructure bank. She mentioned that AFF could include TIFIA–like assistance and could overlap some of TIFIA’s program offerings.
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