HUD Releases Renewable Energy Toolkit

HUD recently released their Renewable Energy Toolkit to help recipients of HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) grants to integrate renewable energies into their affordable housing programs. These include groups receiving HOME, CDBG, HOPWA, or ESG dollars. The toolkit walks users through 4 phases of incorporating renewable energy in their affordable housing developments: feasibility analyses, prioritizing and soliciting renewable energy projects, project evaluation and selection, and implementation. HUD hopes to encourage grantees to integrate renewable energy into more affordable housing developments as it helps to maintain affordability through reduced energy costs, which can facilitate improved operations and maintenance.