This week, the House Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee marked up their spending bill for the 2013 fiscal year. The bill funds HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities to continue its operations, though funding for the tremendously popular Regional Planning and Community Challenge grants was not included. Also lacking in the bill was funding for DOT’s TIGER grants.
Funding for both the HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative’s grants (at $50 million) and the TIGER grants (at $500 million) were included in the bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and passed by the full Senate Appropriations Committee last month.
While the lack of funding in the House bill is a small setback, we are optimistic that the programs have enough support in Congress to continue to help communities across the country. We will continue to provide updates as the bill goes to the full House Appropriations committee and eventual conference.
Smart Growth America will continue to monitor the appropriations process, and is watching the Interior & Environment Subcommittee for movements on their appropriations bill that funds the EPA Smart Growth Program, the 3rd portion of the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities.