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As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $179.9 million in grants to support the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program’s (GRRP) Comprehensive and Elements metrics.
The awards will support energy efficiency, electrification, clean energy, low embodied carbon materials, and climate resilience improvements in 30 HUD-assisted multifamily properties that include 3,070 rental homes for low-income individuals and families.
These investments will help tackle the climate crisis and support equitable economic development in American communities as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and historic environmental justice agenda. GRRP grant and loan funding announced today will improve the quality of life for residents by expanding energy efficiency, reducing climate pollution, generating renewable energy, promoting the use of green building materials, improving indoor air quality, and enhancing climate resilience.
“Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are boosting energy efficiency and combatting climate change in communities across the country,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “I am deeply proud of our HUD team for getting hundreds of millions of dollars from the President’s Inflation Reduction Act on the street through the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program. Together, we are directing these funds to the people we serve, and ensuring thousands of American families can live in more resilient, efficient, and affordable communities.”
The announcement includes the first set of awards made under the GRRP’s Comprehensive category, which provides funding to properties with the highest need for climate resilience and energy efficiency upgrades. Prior energy saving retrofit and green building experience is not needed with scopes of work developed in partnership with a HUD-provided contractor, ensuring access to all owners of eligible HUD-properties. Among the 19 properties receiving Comprehensive awards, five have fewer than 50 units, seven have between 50 and 100 units, and all serve low-income residents and roughly half serve seniors. Sixteen of the properties face notable risk from climate and natural hazards such as flooding, heat waves, earthquakes, tornados, lightning, hail, severe winter weather and ice storms.
“Far too many Americans struggle to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “Today’s awards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development will boost the quality of life for thousands of moderate- and low-income American families by making their homes safer and more comfortable.”
The announcement also includes 11 awards under the GRRP’s Elements category. This is the second set of awards for this category, which provides funding for property owners to include climate resilience and energy and water efficiency improvements as part of a development or rehabilitation transaction that was already underway.
Funding amounts ranged from $231,623 for the St. Croix Apartments in Calis, Maine to $20 million to the Jack Satter House Hebrew SeniorLife in Revere, Massachusetts and the Heatherbrook Project in Port Arthur, Texas.
“As we look back on the climate- and weather-related disasters of the past few years, we see vividly how vital this funding is to ensure the long-term safety and viability of households and communities,” said Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon. “Awards through the GRRP program illustrate the immediate and concrete steps that the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to protect the nation’s low-income residents and the environment.”
Click here to learn more about the program.
