Part of Obama Administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities

By Mara Lee

SACRAMENTO (OBSNews.com) – For the first time ever, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding $5.5 million to support more livable and sustainable communities in two regions within California. The funding announced today by Congresswoman Doris Matsui and HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims will support the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and the California State University Fresno Foundation through a new initiative intended to build economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools and transportation.

“Regions that embrace sustainable communities will have a built-in competitive edge in attracting jobs and private investment,” said Sims. “Planning our communities smarter means parents will spend less time driving and more time with their children; more families will live in safe, stable communities near good schools and jobs; and more businesses will have access to the capital and talent they need to grow and prosper. In awarding these grants we were committed to using insight and innovation from our stakeholders and local partners to develop a ‘bottom-up’ approach to changing federal policy as opposed to ‘top-down.’ Rather than sticking to the old Washington playbook of dictating how communities can invest their grants, HUD’s application process encouraged creative, locally focused thinking.”

“Sacramento’s Blueprint has been the catalyst for sustainable, responsible growth in our region. So it was my pleasure to invite HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims to join SACOG and the many supporters of our Blueprint to announce this significant federal investment in our community,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05). “The $1.5 million dollars announced today will further enable SACOG and its partners to implement their plans for local projects that are creating sustainable communities with access to high-quality public transit and affordable housing options.”

“We greatly appreciate the assistance helping our cities and counties to implement the sustainability strategies our citizens told us they want in our Blueprint project to preserve our high quality of life throughout this diverse region,” said SACOG Board Chair and Yuba City Councilmember Leslie McBride.

The Sacramento Area Council of Governments will be awarded $1,500,000. This project will significantly increase the construction of housing and employment opportunities in Transit Priority Areas in a manner that promotes social equity, inclusion, access to opportunity, public health, neighborhood revitalization, and environmental sustainability. The plan is intended to improve the integration of the housing, land use, and transportation components of the existing Regional Sustainable Development Plan and cross-connect the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development to Federal, state, and local housing programs. Core Partners include the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Urban Land Institute Sacramento Chapter, UC Davis Center for Regional Change, and the Regional Water Authority. For further information, contact Joe Concannon at (916) 340-6234.

The California State University Fresno Foundation of Fresno will be awarded $4,000,000. Smart Valley Places represents a consortium, renewed commitment, and the much needed ‘bridging capital’ required to reverse harsh local economic conditions and improve the Valley as an attractive place to live, work, do business, and participate in California’s healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future. Valley jurisdictions are coming together in a new and unprecedented regional partnership to build upon substantive recent regional efforts to develop shared vision and planning principles; capitalize on the prospective 21st century California High Speed Rail stops on the main line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco; develop, adopt, and share state-of-the-art sustainability land use, transportation, resource efficiency and community leadership planning tools and best practices; and interconnect the region to meaningfully and measurably overcome the deleterious array of local and regional challenges. Core Partners include Compact Cities, Community Leadership, and the City of Modesto. For more information, contact Thomas McClanahan, (559) 278-0840.

HUD’s new Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program will support a total of 45 State, local, and tribal governments, as well as metropolitan planning organizations, in the development and execution of regional plans that integrate affordable housing with neighboring retail and business development. Many of the grants will leverage existing infrastructure and all reward local collaboration and innovation.

These grants are part of the Obama Administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which brings EPA, HUD, USDA and DOT together to ensure that the agencies’ policies, programs, and funding consider affordable housing, transportation, and environmental protection together. This interagency collaboration gets better results for communities and uses taxpayer money more efficiently. Coordinating federal investments in infrastructure, facilities, and services meets multiple economic, environmental, and community objectives with each dollar spent.

The Partnership is helping communities across the country to create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses. At a time when every dollar the federal government invests in jumpstarting the economy is critical, the President’s plan ensures that all these agencies are coordinating efforts and targeting resources with precision. Reflecting this new collaboration, these grants were judged by a multidisciplinary review team, drawn from eight federal agencies and from partners in philanthropy.

Mara Lee is the Press Secretary for Congresswoman Doris Matsui who represents the 5th Congressional District in California.