Following the Rebuild by Design competition, which awarded $920 million in June, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced another $1 billion competition for innovative resilience projects in communities recently struck by disasters.
Will Doig reports on the new competition: "Called the National Disaster Resilience Competition, the initiative puts $1 billion up for grabs to the 67 communities that suffered a Presidentially Declared Major Disaster from 2011 to 2013. The money will fund “the implementation of innovative resilience projects to better prepare communities for future storms and other extreme events.”
"All entrants must tie their project proposals directly back to the catastrophe from which they’re recovering — for instance, an applicant from Joplin, Missouri would have to submit an idea linked to the tornados that devastated that city in 2011. Approximately $180 million of the $1 billion is reserved for places affected by Hurricane Sandy specifically. It’s unclear how the remaining $820 million will be divvied up."
FULL STORY: HUD Announces $1 Billion Competition for New Disaster Recovery Ideas

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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