Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities

Five communities are receiving a combined $160 million in grants through the federal Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. The grant program is designed to "redevelop severely distressed housing and spur comprehensive revitalization," according to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development press release announcing the winners of the most recent round of funding.

HUD named Camden, New Jersey; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Fort Myers, Florida; and Lewiston, Maine as this year’s grant winners. That means all five of the finalists announced in April received funding.

"The five awardees will create nearly 2,700 new mixed-income housing units as part of their efforts to revitalize their neighborhoods. Based on information provided in each community’s application, for every $1 in Choice Neighborhoods funding, the awardees will leverage an additional $10.60 in public and private resources for their project proposals," according to the press release.

A more detailed report provides more on the projects pursued by each of the grant winners. The city of Detroit's project, which won $30 million for the Greater Corktown neighborhood, attracted local media attention with a paywalled article published by Crain's Detroit Business. Here's how HUD's report describes that project:

With the award of the Choice Neighborhoods grant, the City of Detroit and its partners will replace the distressed 87-unit HUD-assisted Clement Kern Gardens Apartments with over 800 units of mixed-income housing. They will also enhance public spaces, integrate green infrastructure, and create a Community Empowerment Center. These physical investments will be paired with tailored health, employment, and education supports for the families living at Clement Kern Gardens Apartments.