IN SUPPORT OF THE HUD SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development implemented the Sustainable Communities initiative in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create strong, sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation, and helping to build a clean energy economy; and

WHEREAS, the Sustainable Communities partnership between HUD, EPA, and DOT has integrated metropolitan transportation, housing, land use and energy planning and awarded grants to develop communities that are affordable, sustainable, accessible, and inclusive; and

WHEREAS, the Sustainable Communities Initiative has implemented energy efficient programs in low-income housing units to save a total of $6 billion in nationwide energy costs annually; and

WHEREAS, the Sustainable Communities Initiative has awarded Challenge Grants to enhance local capacities to form multi-jurisdictional partnerships and to undertake regional planning initiatives to attain sufficient expertise and funding for planning sustainable communities; and

WHEREAS,  the success of the program is demonstrated by the overwhelming number  of applications HUD has received for it when program funding is available and the extent to which the Sustainable Communities concept is being adopted by other agencies; and

WHEREAS, the Sustainable Communities Initiative did not receive funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 to coordinate federal housing and transportation investments with local land use decisions in order to reduce transportation costs for families, improve housing affordability, save energy, and increase access to housing and employment opportunities; and

WHEREAS, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development approved a restoration of $50 million in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 spending bill  for the Sustainable Communities Initiative to continue to carry out its mission that is of great benefit to so many underserved Americans; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on Congress and the Administration to appropriate sufficient funding for HUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative in FY 2013 and maintain level funding in future years.