The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the availability of $100 million in new grant funding aimed at addressing barriers to housing construction and lowering housing costs. The funding is part of HUD’s Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program, which allows communities to apply for grants to remove bureaucratic hurdles to local housing production.
The White House has also included PRO Housing in its housing supply action plan to tackle affordability challenges faced by homebuyers and renters. The goal is to cut red tape and expedite the construction of affordable homes to meet the urgent housing needs of the population.
Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman emphasized the importance of increasing the nation’s housing supply to reduce housing costs. The PRO Housing initiative targets restrictive land-use policies at the local level and aims to facilitate new housing construction, repairs, and energy efficiency improvements.
Grants ranging from $1 million to $7 million will be awarded to local governments, states, metropolitan planning organizations, and multijurisdictional entities. The deadline for funding applications is Oct. 15, 2024.
In June, HUD initially announced its plans for PRO Housing funds, with Vice President Kamala Harris highlighting key issues the program aims to address. These include high land and development costs, housing shortages, aging housing stock, inadequate infrastructure, and outdated land-use policies.
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