Pathways to removing obstacles to housing (pro housing) is a competitive program that provides grant funding to communities that have been actively taking steps and demonstrating progress in…

The City of Austin Housing, a division of the City of Austin, was awarded a $6,728,249 Project Grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Community Development Block Grant - PRO (Pathways to Removing Obstacles) Housing Competition (CFDA 14.023) program. The grant funding will support the city's efforts to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing production and preservation in Austin, Texas. Key activities to be performed under this award include developing and advancing housing and community plans, creating transit-oriented development zones, incentivizing the conversion of vacant lots and commercial properties to affordable housing, and implementing other strategies to facilitate affordable housing development and preservation. The grant will enable the City of Austin Housing to work with local non-profit partners to provide a range of services, such as permanent housing placement, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and supportive services for low- and moderate-income populations, including those with HIV/AIDS and individuals experiencing homelessness. The award period runs from January 2025 through September 2030.

Activities

The pro housing program supports communities who are actively taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing. Activities include those that further develop, evaluate, and implement housing policy plans, improve housing strategies, and facilitate affordable housing production and preservation. Activities may include: • developing, updating, or advancing housing and community plans • creating transit-oriented development zones • incentivizing the development of vacant lots or the conversion of commercial properties to residential and mixed-use development • streamlining permitting processes and expanding by-right development • reducing barriers to development such as residential property height limitations, off-street parking requirements, density restrictions, and minimum lot sizes • allowing accessory dwelling units on lots with single family homes • adopting strategies to preserve and revitalize affordable housing • building capacity of local nonprofit organizations to increase housing supply • increasing community resilience and mitigating environmental/natural hazards awarded activities include updating state and local housing plans, revising land use policies, streamlining the permitting process, providing construction funds, and taking other actions to create more housing-forward communities. Additionally, grantees may use up to 10 percent of their pro housing grant award for program administration and/or general technical assistance activities.

Expected outcomes

Based on the priorities identified in the applications submitted to HUD, outcomes will be based on grantees' HUD-approved action plans that reflect pro housing grant award amounts. HUD will review and track expected and actual outcomes via the disaster recovery grant reporting (DRGR) system. Expected outcomes should align with the HUD-approved action plans. These grant awards aim to reduce barriers to affordable housing and strengthen the creation/retention of affordable housing units. Grantees are required to submit an action plan to include pro housing activities with related expected outcomes and annual or quarterly performance reports to provide actual performance outcomes. HUD will review summary reports of pro housing data, including grant activities, budgeted funds by activity type, obligations, disbursements, low-income benefit, and other performance outcomes.

Intended beneficiaries

Eligible applicants are state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOS), and multijurisdictional entities. HUD will not award grants to individuals or any entity that does not meet the eligibility criteria. All pro housing activities, other than general administration and planning, must meet a cdbg national objective pursuant to section 101(C) of the HCD act, including principally benefiting persons of low and moderate income. The aggregate use of pro housing funds shall principally benefit persons of low and moderate income in a manner that ensures that at least 70 percent of the amount is expended for activities that benefit such persons.

Subrecipient activities

The subrecipient activities are unknown at the time of award.