By Eugene T. Lowe
March 22, 2010

HUD has concluded a series of listening sessions and webcasts on its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program. The sessions were held to get comments on an Advance Notice that the department issued, which announced that HUD intends to "offer funding through a competition made available as a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) under its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program." The listening sessions were designed to gather input from a wide variety of stakeholders including state and local governments, regional bodies, community development entities and others on how the Program should be structured in order to have the most meaningful impact on regional planning for sustainable development.

The Sustainable Communities Program is designed to support multi-jurisdictional regional planning efforts that integrate housing, economic development, and transportation decision-making in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of economic growth, social equity and environmental impact simultaneously. There are six core program values: provide more transportation choices; promote equitable affordable housing; enhance economic competitiveness; support existing communities; coordinate policies and leverage investment; and value communities and neighborhoods.

One hundred million dollars in planning grants will be made available. Twenty-five percent of the funds will go to small metropolitan or rural areas defined as areas with a population not more than 499,000. Seventy-five percent of the funds will go to large metropolitan areas (population of 500,000 or more). Grants to small metropolitan or rural areas will not exceed $2 million. And grants to large metropolitan areas will not exceed $5 million. There are three funding categories: 1) preparation of regional plans for sustainable development; 2) preparation of more detailed execution plans and programs; and 3) implementation incentives for plans already in place. The formation of partnerships is emphasized.

HUD is expected to publish the NOFA during the week of April 12. Applications will be due around June 5. The announcement of awardees is expected on or about August 2.