Feature image: The LEED Gold Osborn Commons in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Image credit: Water Hill Creative.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has opened $837.5 million in funding and up to $4 billion in loan authority through the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). Created under the Inflation Reduction Act, GRRP is a grant and loan program for HUD-assisted multifamily properties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy and water efficiency, and strengthen climate resilience.

With the understanding that low-income households face a disproportionately high energy burden and are most vulnerable to climate change impacts, GRRP is designed to make HUD-assisted affordable housing properties more sustainable and resilient, helping residents save money on utility bills and enjoy healthier spaces with better air quality.

Properties already receiving HUD multifamily assistance under Section 8 project-based rental assistance, Section 202, Section 811 or specified other small programs are eligible for GRRP funding through one of three cohorts, with options for grants or low-cost loans:

Elements: Up to $750,000 per property or $40,000 per unit for specific resilience or efficiency strategies, such as installing heat pumps, with $140 million in total cohort funding.
Leading Edge: Up to $10 million per property or $60,000 per unit for completing a multifaceted renovation that earns an ambitious green building certification such as LEED Zero, with $400 million in total cohort funding.
Comprehensive: Up to $20 million per property or $80,000 per unit for deep utility retrofits and climate resilience upgrades, with $1.47 billion in total cohort funding.

LEED has long been used as a tool to achieve green affordable housing (such as through Qualified Allocation Plans), and USGBC is pleased to see the rating system as an eligible certification under the Leading E dge cohort.

To qualify for Leading Edge funding, projects can pursue certification under LEED v4 for the Gold level or higher (with LEED Zero Carbon or LEED Zero Energy), or LEED v4.1 for Multifamily or Multifamily Core and Shell at the Silver level or higher (with LEED Zero Energy or LEED Zero Carbon). LEED Zero verifies that a project has achieved net zero goals over a period of 12 months and is complementary to LEED certification.

Each cohort accepts applications quarterly over the course of a year, beginning with Elements in June and continuing with Leading Edge in July and Comprehensive in August, ultimately closing applications in May 2024. In addition to performance criteria, these grants and loans have other requirements, including commitments to maintaining affordability for a period of years and, in some cases, wage and labor provisions.

USGBC encourages any HUD-assisted multifamily property owners to apply for GRRP funding and help make affordable housing across the nation more sustainable, healthy and resilient.

Learn more about the GRRP and check out HUD webinars.

Learn more about the GRRP

Federal funding available for affordable housing projects pursuing LEED