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A billion dollar investment bring climate-friendly housing upgrades to low-income renters

Renters in aging affordable housing units are finally seeing a clean energy future as HUD wraps up its $1 billion program to modernize buildings and cut carbon emissions.

Jennifer McDermott reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

HUD’s $1 billion Green and Resilient Retrofit Program has funded upgrades like solar panels, energy-efficient windows and floodproofing for affordable housing across 42 states.
The improvements aim to cut energy costs, reduce carbon emissions and make buildings safer during extreme weather events, benefiting over 30,000 rental homes.
Residents, such as seniors in New Orleans and Pittsburgh, highlight how these updates address long-standing maintenance issues and bring a sense of security during natural disasters.

Key quote:

“This program brings HUD’s subsidized units into the 21st century. It helps to make sure that people, because they’re low-income, are not being left behind with the energy improvements that need to happen and are happening across the country.”

— Adrianne Todman, deputy secretary of HUD.

Why this matters:

Affordable housing is essential, but many units are outdated and vulnerable to climate impacts. By lowering utility bills and increasing energy efficiency, these upgrades not only fight climate change but also improve the health and safety of vulnerable residents nationwide.

apnews.com

Smoke billows from an industrial chimney at sunset near several homes.

Credit: Tanner Messenger/Unsplash

Judge rules EPA overstepped in cutting pollution grants

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from canceling $600 million in environmental justice grants aimed at helping underserved communities reduce pollution.

Rachel Frazin reports forThe Hill.

In short:

The grants stem from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside $3 billion for environmental justice programs.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Biden had planned to distribute the $600 million through regional groups, which would fund local efforts, before the Trump EPA terminated the grants earlier this year.
Judge Adam Abelson ruled the EPA's cancellation exceeded its authority “precisely because they are ‘environmental justice’ programs."

Key quote:
The move included a “lack of any reasoned decision-making, or reasoned explanation.”

— Judge Adam Abelson, U.S. District Court

Why this matters:
Underserved communities often face the greatest environmental health risks and climate impacts. These grants were designed to help local groups respond to long-standing environmental harms and health risks, and canceling them would have cut off vital support just as cleanup efforts were beginning to gain traction. The Trump administration has also attempted to cancel a similar $20 billion program that would fund climate-friendly projects.

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