HUD Announces $7 Million in Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants

WASHINGTON – RealEstateRama – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced $7 million in Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants to 14 communities across America. Each awardee will receive a $500,000 grant to create a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plan to redevelop severely distressed public housing, improve outcomes for residents, and bring new amenities to high-poverty neighborhoods.

The grants will go to communities of all sizes from small cities, such as Selma, AL, to larger urban areas, such as Albuquerque, NM, and Oklahoma City, OK. Increased appropriations and a renewed national interest fuel the program’s expansion nationwide. This is the largest cohort of new Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants since 2012. This year’s awardees were selected from a pool of 28 applications. See the listing of specific organizations and funding amounts below.

“Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants represent HUD’s commitment to creating new housing across the country,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “This federal investment builds the momentum neighborhoods need to make the big, impactful changes that will benefit residents and communities.”

The Choice Neighborhoods program has a three-pronged “Housing, People, and Neighborhood” approach that includes the redevelopment of distressed properties and supportive services related to the residents’ health, education, and income while investing in economic development and neighborhood improvement projects. A two-year Planning Grant will allow the new awardees to create and build support for a comprehensive “Transformation Plan” that addresses the program’s Housing, People, and Neighborhood goals.

“Choice Neighborhoods Transformation Plans lead to real results for public housing communities,” said Richard Monocchio, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. “Planning Grants are a great first step to bringing partners and significant resources to distressed communities – and they better position communities to pursue the funding necessary to bring a community’s vision to life.”

Since 2013, 65% of Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant awards were made to past Planning Grantees. Implementation Grants provide the funds needed to implement Transformation Plans, including redevelopment of distressed HUD-assisted housing. HUD recently awarded eight new Implementation Grants, totaling $370 million. HUD is also accepting new Implementation Grant applications until December 11, 2023. Many past grantees who have not pursued an Implementation Grant have nonetheless turned key pieces of their plan into a reality.

Choice Neighborhoods is a critical tool to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing. Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grantees will complete over 37,000 mixed-income units across 52 cities. Overall, the Choice Neighborhoods program has led to new businesses, parks, and grocery stores, while resident incomes are increasing across most cities, sometimes doubling. Given the program’s transformative reach, HUD continues to encourage eligible communities of all sizes to pursue a Choice Neighborhoods grant.

For each community’s grant project summary, click here.