HUD to invest $469M in housing renovation, preservation and safety

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday announced $469 million in new funding that will go toward fixing up older homes, renovating existing stock with new safety features and preserving affordable housing.

The funds will be allocated to state and local governments under HUD’s lead-hazard control grant programs, which are targeted to “the most vulnerable residents of communities with limited local resources to address these hazards,” HUD stated.

HUD acting secretary Adrianne Todman sees these investments as an important step to further the goals of the department under the Biden administration.

“Affordable, resilient, and quality housing is a priority of this Department, and these grants affirm HUD’s commitment to providing safe and healthy homes,” Todman said in a statement. “By addressing and eliminating lead hazards in our nation’s homes, we are not only protecting the well-being of our children but also investing in the future prosperity of our families. Together, we can create environments where families thrive, free from the dangers of lead exposure.”

State and local government grantees will be selected in order to “improve health and safety in privately-owned older (pre-1978) homes of low-income families under HUD’s Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program — one of the largest health and safety investments to date for privately-owned housing,” HUD said in its announcement.

Within the new funding, HUD is making more than $44 million available in “healthy homes supplemental funding,” which is designed to support efforts to control “additional housing-related health and safety hazards in those homes in conjunction with the lead hazard control work, providing a whole home approach to addressing housing-related hazards.”

State and local governments can apply for grant money under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) through Aug. 19, 2024, and can do so online. HUD also sees this NOFO as a step toward its broader environmental justice plan since it aims to mitigate risks for vulnerable populations.

“HUD strongly encourages eligible applicants to apply for these critical resources that help transform communities by improving older housing,” the department said.

Last week, more than 20 federal agencies, including HUD, announced updates to their climate adaptation and resilience plans to protect government operations from intensifying impacts of climate change.