HUD chooses Portland for sustainability announcement

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development chose Portland as the setting for the announcement Thursday that HUD will launch an Office of Sustainable Communities.

In a forum at Portland State University, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the new program and its $200 million budget for 2010, including $140 million planning and challenge grants to spur local innovations and regional partnerships to coordinate housing, transportation, and land use decisions that will connect where we live to where we work.

The office is growing out of HUD’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities Initiative with the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency. That effort is guided by six principles:

1. Provide more transportation choices.

2. Promote equitable, affordable housing.

3. Increase economic competitiveness.

4. Support existing communities.

5. Leverage federal investment.

6. Value communities and neighborhoods.

Read the HUD blog entry about the announcement.