About the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) is the recognized leader for green, healthy, safe and energy efficient housing in low-income neighborhoods, having designed the work now supported by multiple federal agencies, philanthropy and private sector nonprofit partners in 26 sites across the country. GHHI works in collaboration … Continued
Children go to school to learn – not to face brain-harming levels of lead exposure.State lawmakers are working this year to expand upon legislation passed two years ago that shined a light on elevated lead levels in the drinking water at thousands of Maryland schools.
Description The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), commonly known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac respectively, are government-sponsored entities (GSEs) that play an integral role in providing affordable mortgages for millions of low- and middle-income Americans. These institutions: 1) purchase mortgages that meet certain requirements from banks … Continued
Description The Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that will receive about $3.69 billion from Congress in FY 2019. Administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, the primary goal of LIHEAP is to provide grants between $200 and $1000 to subsidize the energy and utility costs for … Continued
Description The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is administered by the Department of Energy (DOE) and seeks to reduce energy costs for income-eligible households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes. The DOE WAP program will receive $257 million dollars for FY 2018 to be funneled through all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Native … Continued
Description Opportunity zones were created in 2017 through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. They are designated economically distressed zones where investment and economic revitalization is encouraged with federal tax incentives for investors. While the IRS and Treasury Department are still working to determine all of the exact details and guidelines for these tax cuts, … Continued
Description General obligation bonds are government-issued bonds that require repayment from the state or local general funds. In recent years, cities are using these bonds as a flexible funding opportunity for affordable housing development and rehabilitation efforts. The flexibility of the funding allows it to be used as gap financing for housing developments and it does not … Continued
Description Housing trust funds are flexible funding opportunities to assist local jurisdictions with affordable housing construction and rehabilitation. These funds are typically funded by local general funds or local dedicated resources. In partnership with local developers and partners, these funds are used for acquisition, rehabilitation, and construction of affordable housing efforts. Because these funds are separate from federal … Continued
Description The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is a mechanism to encourage financial institutions to assist with the credit needs of low to moderate-income communities. Depository and financial institutions are evaluated periodically to ensure financial investments and loans are provided in low- and moderate-income census tracts. While many institutions provide additional loans in these communities, many also seek … Continued
Description Strategic philanthropic investments can be leveraged with other lead hazard remediation funds, to provide support that covers ‘gaps’ in federal and state funding, and allows for new partnerships, interventions and strategies to be piloted in your community. Philanthropic investment in lead poisoning prevention can advance best practices in housing and health policy, directly fund critical program staff, and … Continued