The


U.S.
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development
(HUD)
on
Thursday
detailed
a
series
of
actions
and
initiatives
it
has
undertaken
to
bolster
climate
resiliency
while
supporting
green
housing
initiatives
that
stem
from
Inflation
Reduction
Act
funding
and
recently
announced
plans
to

combat
the
effects
of
extreme
heat.

HUD
highlighted
actions
taken
to
advance
climate
resiliency,
energy
efficiency,
carbon
reduction,
environmental
justice
considerations
and
interagency
partnerships
to
address
these
issues
for
communities.

In
addition
to
this
week’s
heat-related
announcement,
HUD
in
February
published
11
standalone
briefs
that
“highlight

key
strategies
and
resources
for
equitable
resilience.”
The
department
said
it
aims
to
alert
communities
about
important
elements
of
post-disaster
resilience
that
research
has
shown
are
often
overlooked
or
less
understood
in
the
immediate
wake
of
a
disaster.

HUD
also
published
guides
designed
to
assist
with
mobility
improvements
and
decarbonization
of
existing
transportation
systems.
It
developed
the

Pre-Disaster
Housing
Planning
Initiative
(PDHI)
in
conjunction
with
the

Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency
(FEMA)
and
launched
a
website
on

tribal
climate
resilience
and
adaptation
to
assist
Native
American
communities
with
practices
that
are
specific
to
the
challenges
these
communities
may
face.

This
week,
HUD
also
announced
a
partnership
with
the

U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture
(USDA)
in
which
both
agencies
have
adopted
updated
minimum
energy
standards.

These
standards
are
designed
to
“improve
resident
health
and
comfort,
increase
resilience
of
both
single
and
multifamily
homes,
reduce
carbon
emissions
for
new
construction,
and
yield
significant
cost
savings
for
residents,”
HUD
stated.

Last
month,
HUD

surpassed
50%
of
funding
disbursements
for
its
Green
and
Resilient
Retrofit
Program
(GRRP)
established
by
the
Inflation
Reduction
Act
of
2021.

“As
of
today,
approximately
$550
million
is
going
to
109
qualified
HUD-assisted
multifamily
properties
to
decrease
energy
and
water
consumption,
reduce
emissions,
and
improve
climate
resilience,”
the
department
said.

In
February,
HUD
also
announced
new
agreements
with
the

Environmental
Protection
Agency
(EPA),
the


U.S.
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
(HHS)
and
the

Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
(CDC)
to

manage
dangerous
exposures
to
lead.

HUD
acting
secretary
Adrianne
Todman
traveled
this
week
to

Philadelphia
to

highlight
green
investments
in
affordable
housing,
marking
the
department’s
partnership
with
the

Philadelphia
Housing
Authority
as
well
as
broader
green
housing
initiatives
undertaken
by
the
federal
government.

“We
know
that
as
our
country
invests
in
sustainable
housing,
low-income
and
disadvantaged
communities
are
often
left
behind,”
Todman
said
in
prepared
remarks.
“Under
this
administration,
we
have
invested
billions
to
ensure
that
affordable
housing
is
similarly
efficient,
resilient,
and
sustainable.”

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