Federal partnership to support more sustainable communities

On Thursday at the National Press Club, Obama administration officials highlighted recent grants released by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities to support more livable and sustainable communities across the country. The partnership, which consists of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), builds economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, transportation and more.

Last week, agencies began releasing local grants to support sustainable living nationwide. The combined sum of the agencies' grants is $409.5 million.

"We're working to change the way government works, and that means investing tax dollars wisely and well," President Obama said in a statement. "We want to make sure that when we're building infrastructure, we're considering how housing, transportation, and the environment all impact each other. These grants are designed to get the biggest bang for our tax dollar buck."     

Over the past year, HUD, DOT and EPA have worked together to promote better outcomes for communities and more effective federal investments through better targeted federal resources, removal of existing federal regulatory and policy barriers to smart and sustainable development, as well as aligned agency priorities that will ensure lasting collaboration.

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.

"These investments represent an unprecedented new way of working together. And they set a powerful example for how we can reward true excellence, effective partnerships, and the good stewardship of taxpayer dollars," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Americans can rebuild their communities — not just in spite of enormous economic challenges, but as the means for overcoming them."