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Biden-Harris Administration To Give More Than $100 Million For Energy Efficiency And Climate Resilience Upgrades In Low-Income Households

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President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is making a historic investment to enhance clean energy in low-income areas, improve housing sustainability and resilience, and address the climate crisis.

October 20, 2023
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The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding $103.4 Million in new loans and grants to renovate the homes of 1,500 low-income households under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) as a part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. This funding will make upgrades to increase energy efficiency and resilience while enhancing their lives at home by modernizing their homes. The Biden-Harris Administration’s awards emphasize their dedication to transforming America’s clean energy progress into a greater housing supply and more secure, healthful residences that can withstand climate-related challenges.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) established the GRRP with a nearly $800 Million grant. HUD also announced its first funding navigator which is an interactive tool allowing the users to browse and sort funding opportunities. 

The investments of the GRRP support President Biden’s environmental justice agenda, focusing on low-income families in disadvantaged areas. This aligns with the Justice40 Initiative, ensuring marginalized and pollution-burdened communities receive the benefits of federal investments. These investments will benefit the residents of HUD-assisted housing, make their homes more resilient to extreme weather events and improve their ability to recover from such events. HUD-assisted multifamily properties won’t be able to make the same investments in other properties without this funding. 

HUD’s Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said, “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to building more affordable housing and improving the quality of life for residents living in those homes. The Green and Resilient Retrofit Program continues to improve our nation’s climate resilience by making sure low-income families and individuals have access to affordable housing that is strong, healthy, and energy efficient. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and Bidenomics, this investment brings the quality-of-life benefits of clean energy homes and advances our work, preserving affordable housing in communities for the future.”

This investment will combat the climate crisis, increase housing supply, and aid in equitable economic development in communities. The owners are also required to complete green certifications and make the desired property upgrades. In the first two GRRP funding waves, HUD has awarded more than $121 Million in grants and loans. 

Apart from the GRRP funding, the agency continues to increase the affordable housing supply by releasing the Climate Resource for Housing Supply Framework. The key objectives of this framework include increasing awareness of new funding and demonstrating ways to increase project viability by layering new funding resources. 

HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Housing Julia Gordon said, “In the past few months alone, we’ve witnessed devastating climate events that have destroyed people’s lives and homes. We must protect and strengthen the homes in which Americans reside, particularly those occupied by our nation’s most vulnerable populations, which is why we’re working so hard to get climate resilience and energy efficiency resources into low-income communities across the country.”

The GRRP is HUD’s inaugural program that invests in energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate resilience, and low-carbon materials for multifamily housing. The investments will be directed towards affordable housing for low-income families, aligning with President Biden’s economic agenda, Bidenomics, which focuses on strengthening the economy from the middle and bottom tiers.

The multiple funding options for which property owners can apply include elements, leading edge, and comprehensive. The property owners can submit their applications in any of the three categories. 

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The content provided in this article draws inspiration and includes quotes from various reputable sources, including news articles, government data, and interviews. Affordable Housing 411 strives to ensure accuracy and credibility, but the information presented may be based on some external sources. We encourage readers to refer to the referenced materials for more in-depth insights and verification.

Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $100 Million for Energy Efficiency and Climate Resilience Upgrades in 1,500 Low-Income Households”. Department of Housing and Urban Development, October 19, 2023, 

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $100 Million for Energy Efficiency and Climate Resilience Upgrades in 1,500 Low-Income Households | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

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Last Updated: September 20, 2021