HUD has issued a notice announcing its intention to offer funding through a competition made available as a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) under its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program (Program). HUD is also seeking comments on the Program through this Advance Notice. The goal of the Program 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. 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);
  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.

In the Program, HUD is considering as an eligible entity a multi-jurisdictional and multi-sector partnership consisting of a consortium of units of general local government and all government, civic, philanthropic and business entities with a responsibility for implementing a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development. Comments Due: 3/12/2010.