The Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is requesting comments from local governments on its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program. HUD wants input from city officials on how to structure the program to have the greatest impact on regional planning for sustainable development.

HUD has communicated that it will be issuing a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in the future. Currently, the agency is only seeking input on the program.

The program's goal is 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.

Key Dates

• Key Dates
  

  • Feb. 16 - March 1: Regional listening sessions (details posted on HUD's Web site );
  • Week of March 1: Webcast briefings;
  • March 12: Comments due on draft description;
  • Week of April 12: NOFA published;
  • Approximately June 5: Applications due; and
  • Approximately Aug. 2: Grant awards announced.

Information on Future Funding

Three funding categories are being considered:

1. Funding to support the preparation of Regional Plans for Sustainable Development that address housing, economic development, transportation, and environmental quality in an integrated fashion where such plans do not currently exist;
2. Funding to support the preparation of more detailed execution plans and programs to implement existing regional sustainable development plans (that address housing, economic development, transportation, and environmental quality in an integrated fashion); and
3. Implementation funding to support regions that have regional sustainable development plans and implementation strategies in place and need support for a catalytic project or program that demonstrates commitment to and implementation of the broader plan.

Comment Submission Process

Comments are due by Friday, March 12. Electronic responses are preferred and should be addressed to sustainablecommunities@hud.gov or may be submitted on the HUD Web site .

Written comments post-marked by the deadline may also be submitted to:

Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities

Department of Housing and Urban Development

451 7th Street , S.W. Room 10180

Washington , DC 20410