The investment from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act will make homes safer, more efficient, and resilient to the climate crisis at 10 HUD-assisted multifamily properties that provide affordable housing for approximately 1,400 low-income families, including 44 homes for low-income seniors.
The announcement was made at Stuart Gardens apartments in Newport News, Virginia, one of the properties receiving funding under the program, which is owned by affordable housing provider Vitus.
“The Green and Resilient Retrofit Program ensures low-income individuals and families are not left out of the climate change conversation,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “HUD wants these families to have better access to clean energy upgrades like solar panels and modern and efficient heating and cooling systems, so that they too can have resilient homes.”
“Far too many Americans struggle to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. “Today's awards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development will increase the quality of life for thousands of low-income American families by making their homes safer and more comfortable.”
“Today's award for Stuart Gardens will help Vitus invest in their property to make it more efficient and resilient for the long-term benefit of the families that live there and the Newport News community,” said Ethan Handelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing Programs . “This is what GRRP awards are doing around the country – investing in homes and communities to make them healthier and more resilient for the future.”
The 10 properties receiving Leading Edge awards represent a mix of property sizes. The majority are supported by HUD's Multifamily Section 8 project-based rental assistance program. Six of the properties have between 100 and 200 affordable rental homes, while two properties are smaller than 100 homes. One property, supported by HUD's Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program for low-income seniors, has 44 homes.
GRRP is the first HUD program to simultaneously invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, climate resilience, and low-embodied carbon materials in HUD-assisted multifamily housing. Investments under the program will be made in affordable housing communities serving low-income families in accordance with President Biden's agenda for building the American economy from the middle out and the bottom up.
