The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced 19 awards totaling approximately $13.1 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help boost local economies, fight climate change, and provide more transportation options through the development of new or expanded transit project corridors, according to the administration's news release.

These grants, funded by FTA’s  Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning, support local strategies to increase transit access and encourage ridership through mixed-use and mixed-income development near public transportation projects. The program helps communities plan for opportunities created by new transit stations, such as affordable housing, economic development, and better connections to schools, hospitals, stores, and restaurants.  

“Transit stations represent access to jobs, schools, affordable housing, and so much more,” said  Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation secretary. “With this funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, more communities will be able to develop the areas around their transit stations, which will mean stronger local economies, cleaner air, and better access to the essential services families rely on.” 

Planning projects were selected for funding based on criteria described in the  Notice of Funding Opportunity, which also marked the first time that applicants were asked to prioritize TOD in areas with high incidence rates of homelessness, according to the FTA. Nearly 89% of the applicants selected for an award addressed homelessness within their planning proposals. 

“FTA’s Pilot Program for TOD Planning helps communities examine ways to improve economic development and multimodal connectivity,” said Nuria Fernandez, FTA administrator. “When communities build new housing, retail, offices, and other construction near transit, they advance environmental justice and promote equity, particularly to underserved communities, by increasing access to opportunity and enabling and encouraging the creation and preservation of affordable housing.”