The United States Housing and Urban Development agency is utilizing new ways to empower communities to become resilient ones. The agency's National Disaster Resilience Competition is one way they are helping cities around the U.S. achieve just that.
"According to the Rockefeller Foundation, the federal government spent $136 billion on disaster relief between 2011 and 2013 — a figure that translates to nearly $400 for every household every year. Like most disaster-recovery funds, those dollars largely went to repairing, restoring, and repaving existing community assets. 'The vast majority is being used to lovingly rebuild things exactly as they were, exactly where they were,' said Harriet Tregoning, who leads HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development."
FULL STORY: HUD's resilience revoultion
Federal Resilience Program a Lifeline for Affordable Housing Providers
The little-known Green and Resilient Retrofit Program funds upgrades and repairs that improve efficiency and comfort in existing housing stock.
HUD Proposes Updates to HOME Grant Program
The agency’s proposal would streamline and modernize its largest affordable housing grant program, which will award $1.3 billion in FY 2024.
HUD Issues New Flood Protection Rules
Housing that uses federal funding will be subject to stricter regulations that reflect increasing flood risks.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
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Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
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Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
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NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service