Biden-Harris Administration And FTA Announce $17.6 Million To Help Communities Add Affordable Housing Near Transit

The Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have announced $17.6 million in grants going to 20 communities in 16 states to support equitable transit-oriented development.

With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, FTA’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning is helping communities develop local plans to encourage ridership by developing housing and businesses near transit corridors. For the first time since the awards started being announced, each of the selected projects has an affordable housing component and will require no local matching funds.

“This second round of TOD planning grants since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law started will help more transit agencies make lasting changes in their communities by setting the stage for future development and jobs creation,” according to a press release.

A full list of this year’s selected projects is available here. Some of the selected fiscal year 2023 projects include:

• The Regional Transportation District in Denver, CO, will receive $2 million to develop a TOD implementation plan for the proposed 20-mile, Federal Boulevard bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor. A special focus will be placed on affordable housing needs, providing equitable housing choices to historically disadvantaged populations, and avoiding the displacement of existing residents and small businesses. RTD will coordinate with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to identify improved first and last mile connections to better link surrounding neighborhoods to the proposed BRT stations.
• The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation & Public Works in Miami, FL, will receive $1.25 million to create a station area and mobility plan to encourage equitable transit-oriented growth around the Little Haiti Station. The plan will enhance multimodal transportation options, provide access to job centers, and encourage affordable higher-density housing developments.
• The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in Buffalo, NY, will receive $960,000 to plan for transit-oriented development along the proposed 7.5-mile Bailey Avenue bus rapid transit (BRT) line in Buffalo. The study will analyze the potential for TOD around the line, which will intersect with many transit routes from the center of the city through the east side, including the connection to Erie County’s inner suburbs.

Planning projects were selected for funding based on criteria described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, which also marked the second time that applicants were asked to prioritize TOD in areas with high incidence rates of homelessness.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a total of $68.9 million in funding for the TOD Planning Program through 2026, a 38 percent increase over the prior five years of funding. Since 2015, FTA has provided approximately $122 million in federal support to fund TOD planning activities.