July 15, 2022

HUD: 24 Programs Announced to Join Justice40 Initiative for Disadvantaged and Underserved Communities

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s agenda to advance environmental justice, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today released a list of its programs included in the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. President Biden created the Justice40 Initiative to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.

“HUD’s mission is rooted squarely in service to disadvantaged communities and to ensuring equity and justice for the communities we serve. As an agency, we are committed to supporting neighborhoods that have been disinvested for generations and overburdened by pollution and the impacts of climate change,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “I am happy to announce that 24 of HUD’s programs align with President Biden’s goal to address environmental injustice by investing in underserved communities.”

The programs included in today’s announcement create affordable and sustainable housing and meet a range of different housing needs for individuals and communities, including single- and multi-family housing and housing for seniors, persons with disabilities, and tribal communities. The programs also serve communities that have been impacted by disasters, and that need to partner with the federal government to spur local economic growth. These HUD programs align directly with President Biden’s historic initiative to address environmental justice and make sure no communities are left behind.

By releasing HUD’s list of covered programs, communities and the general public will have greater visibility and transparency into the role HUD plays in the federal government’s coordinated effort to support disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution and other impacts of climate change.

HUD’s 24 programs covered in the Justice40 initiative are listed below:

Covered programs list for HUD

  1. Choice Neighborhoods
  2. Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery*
  3. Community Development Block Grant – Entitlement/Non-Entitlement Grant*
  4. FHA Mortgage Insurance for Single-Family Housing (MMI Fund)
  5. FHA Mortgage Insurance for Multi-Family Rental and Other Housing (GI/SRI Fund)
  6. HOME Grants
  7. Housing for the Elderly – New Units
  8. Housing for Persons with Disabilities – New Units
  9. Housing Trust Fund †
  10. Lead Hazard Reduction and Healthy Homes Grants
    Native American Programs*:
  11. Competitive Set Aside for Construction and Rehabilitation
  12. Indian Community Development Block Grants
  13. Native American Housing Block Grants
  14. Title VI Loan Guarantee Program
  15. Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants *
  16. Public Housing Health Hazards
  17. Rental Assistance Demonstration
  18. Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP)
  19. Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (Housing Choice Vouchers) †
  20. Project-Based Rental Assistance †
  21. Public Housing Fund †
  22. Housing for the Elderly – Contract Renewals †
  23. Housing for Persons with Disabilities – Contract Renewals †
  24. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS †

*HUD administers several block grant programs, including Community Development Block Grant and Native American Block Grant programs, where the program is designed to meet the unique needs of underserved communities, including low- and moderate-income communities. HUD plans to report on those programs under the Justice40 framework with the understanding that granular data on benefits may not be possible at the individual household or census tract level.

†HUD administers several rental assistance and affordable housing programs where the program is specially designed to benefit underserved communities. HUD plans to report on those programs under the Justice40 framework while ensuring that program applicants and beneficiaries will not be subject to separate reporting requirements.

This post was originally published here.