The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the initial recipients of technical assistance through its Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) program, including Syracuse, NY; Rockford, IL; Redmond, WA; and Sun Prairie, WI. The TCTA program aims to help local governments address housing needs in their infrastructure investment plans and promote equitable development in disadvantaged communities by coordinating housing strategies with transportation projects.
"The Biden-Harris Administration made historic investments in rebuilding and improving America’s infrastructure. These funds will ensure that housing is considered and addressed alongside those investments. The nation faces a growing shortage of affordable housing, and this program is designed to help communities leverage infrastructure investments to help fill that gap,” said Solomon Greene, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
According to a news release, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides historic funding for infrastructure construction and upkeep in localities across the nation. By locating land for housing development close to transportation projects, creating preservation and anti-displacement strategies, identifying and enacting reforms to lower barriers to location-efficient housing, improving coordination, and supporting a holistic approach to housing and transportation, HUD's TCTA program aids local governments in meeting urgent housing needs.
As a part of the Thriving Communities Network, an interagency project involving the Departments of Transportation, Energy, Commerce, and Agriculture as well as the General Services Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, HUD is providing this support. Each local government chosen for the TCTA program is connecting housing initiatives with transportation initiatives utilizing competitive federal USDOT funds. Community involvement, collaboration between organizations and financing sources, the maintenance of cheap housing and preventing displacement and the use of unoccupied or otherwise accessible land for affordable housing are all priorities in projects. Local governments should refer to the TCTA website for more information if they wish to find out more about the organization or submit a request for help. Requests are looked at in a rolling fashion, according to the release.
One of the cities the release announced projects for is Syracuse, NY. These projects include building trust via neighborhood development focusing on residents. To improve community participation as a base for neighborhood transformation, the City of Syracuse will receive TCTA. A USDOT Reconnecting Communities planning grant enabled the Interstate 81 viaduct removal project to start construction in 2023. More than 1,200 households and 400 businesses were uprooted when the first I-81 construction split the once-vibrant, mostly Black 15th Ward neighborhood. As part of the New 15th Ward project, the Syracuse Housing Authority will start building a new housing development next year that will also redevelop public housing. The TCTA will assist city employees in creating plans for harmonizing the schedules of the housing and transportation projects and will improve community involvement to help locals regain trust. Ensuring that residents' interests are at the forefront of choices about housing and transportation projects that will affect their neighborhood is one of the main objectives.
