The US Dept. of Transportation recently opened up $13.4 million to help counties plan transit-oriented development (TOD).
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the availability of approximately $13.4 million in competitive grant funds through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning. The funding will support local planning and investment near transit hubs to promote sustainable, livable, and equitable communities.
TOD links public transportation, land use, and housing to create communities that are connected to transit and walkable. TOD planning can reduce transportation costs for American families and reduce their carbon footprint by improving transit access to jobs and services.
The Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning will help fund comprehensive or site-specific planning efforts that advance the federal government’s goals to lower tranits costs, combat climate change, and promote equitable delivery of benefits to underserved communities. Special consideration will be given to applications that improve air quality, advance environmental justice, support unhoused populations, and promote housing affordability. This year, applications for areas with a lower population density or lower average income compared to surrounding areas will receive a higher federal funding share. Additionally, applications with a substantial focus on affordable housing may receive up to 100% federal cost-share support.
To apply for funding, an applicant must be an existing FTA grant recipient – either a project sponsor of an eligible transit project or an entity with land use planning authority in the project corridor. To ensure that work meets the needs of the local community, transit project sponsors and land use planning authorities must partner to conduct the planning work. Please visit USDOT’s TOD webpage for additional information. The application period will close on October 10, 2023.
