Sen. Brown Announces $2.4M for Sustainable Community Planning in Cincinnati
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that $2,400,000 was awarded to the City of Cincinnati to help update the city’s Unified Development Code. The Community Challenge Planning Grant funds, awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will help to create sustainable communities in Cincinnati.
“We’re working to make Ohio’s cities more livable in order to attract new businesses and improve the quality of life for all residents,” Brown said. “This Community Challenge and Planning grant is just the latest example of Cincinnati’s continued growth.”
These funds will be used to provide resources to update the zoning code, building codes, and other City development regulations and policies to attract small businesses and help create livable neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati.
The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program supports regional planning efforts that integrate housing, land use, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments in the community. These planning efforts are tied to long-term goals for the region, including affordable housing, transportation and water infrastructure, economic development, land use planning, environmental conservation, and other priorities for the region.
Brown is the author of critical legislation that would improve the livability of Ohio communities and direct federal assistance to communities with a high concentration of vacant and abandoned homes due to major population and job loss. A version of Brown’s Community Regeneration, Sustainability, and Innovation Act, which he first introduced in 2009 with Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-17), was included as an amendment to the Livable Communities Act of 2010. This legislation would create a new, competitive grant program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) targeted toward cities and metropolitan areas experiencing large-scale property vacancy and abandonment due to long-term employment and population losses.
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