The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is championing a transformative approach to affordable housing and community development through its Green Homes and Communities initiative. This program integrates environmental sustainability into the core of community planning, aiming to create healthier living spaces, reduce energy costs, and promote environmental justice across the nation.
Central to this initiative is the Consolidated Planning process, which assists states and local jurisdictions in assessing their affordable housing and community development needs. By incorporating green strategies into these plans, communities can leverage HUD funding to implement sustainable practices that address both housing affordability and environmental concerns.
HUD provides a wealth of resources to support this green transition. Tools like the Green Affordable Housing Toolkit and the Enterprise Green Communities program offer guidance on implementing energy-efficient practices in housing projects. Additionally, collaborations with organizations such as the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative help align health, energy, and housing interventions, ensuring comprehensive improvements in living conditions.
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Through these efforts, HUD is not only fostering the development of energy-efficient homes but also nurturing resilient communities. By prioritizing sustainability in housing and community planning, the Green Homes and Communities initiative is paving the way for a future where environmental responsibility and affordable living go hand in hand.
The following resources are being provided to help find smart solutions to today’s energy, environmental, and sustainable development challenges.
Planning for Food Access and Community-Based Food System
This American Planning Association study describes how Marin County, California’s comprehensive plan; Philadelphia’s sustainability plan; San Francisco’s sustainability plan; Sacramento, California’s comprehensive plan; and Baltimore’s sustainability plan were the highest scoring plans that addressed food access policies and how to track progress in achieving the plan’s food access goals. It includes recommendations and a list of strategies that planners and other local government staff can use to integrate clear, comprehensive, and action-oriented food access goals and policies into the local plan-making process.
Green Affordable Housing Tool Kit
Enterprise Green Affordable Housing Policy Toolkit offers a roadmap for state and local governments working on green affordable housing initiatives. The toolkit describes methods to promote green affordable housing, processes for adopting new policies, and detailed guidance on implementation. The toolkit’s case studies identify innovative policy from Denver, Washington, D.C., Iowa, Minnesota and Washington State.
Enterprise Green Communities
This website identifies projects funded and certified by Enterprise Green Communities which provides financial support and technical expertise that enables developers to build and rehabilitate homes that are healthier, more energy efficient and better for the environment on a cost-effective basis.
Green Development Center
This website provides examples of Green Development Projects assisted by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation ranging from greening affordable housing and charter schools to transit-oriented development and green jobs.
Green and Healthy Homes Initiative
GHHI is a national partnership between the federal government, national and local philanthropy and local partners that leverages public investments in energy efficiency and weatherization with health and safety measures to ensure a more effective and sustainable use of public and private investments in economically challenged communities. By aligning and coordinating various resources, the GHHI uses a single intervention to fix the problems of each housing unit, while ensuring the work is safe for both residents and workers.
Local Government Guide to LEED for Neighborhood Development
This guide explores how the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system can be best used by local governments to achieve sustainability goals. It includes strategies used in Las Vegas, Albuquerque, New York, San Francisco, Cleveland, Nashville, Portland, and other locations.
Green Cities Report
This report explores innovative approaches and strategies for financing the rehabilitation of energy efficient buildings, the development of green jobs, and improve access to transportation not just to battle climate change but to revitalize neighborhoods, improve air quality and help the local economy. Examples include a multiyear planning process for the Central Corridor transit project connecting downtown Saint Paul to eastern Minneapolis in order to make it a corridor of opportunity.
Green Building
EPA website contains basic information about green building and funding resources that are available at the national, state and local levels for homeowners, industry, government organizations and nonprofits.
Green Communities Criteria
Provides a clear, cost-effective framework for all kinds of affordable housing: new construction and rehabilitation in multifamily as well as single family buildings.
Green Buildings for Cool Cities
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Gary Fleisher, The Modcoach, writes about the modular and offsite construction industry at Modular Home Source.
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