Green Affordable Housing Coalition

Members of the Green Affordable Housing Coalition commissioned and released a report on Jan. 18 which recommends specific actions that federal departments and agencies can take to promote green building and sustainability in various building sectors. Using existing legal authorities, all recommendations could be implemented without the need for new legislation. The report is an update to a 2010 report on the same subject, and recommends federal action to make affordable housing more energy-efficient and sustainable, including (but not limited to): reforming utility allowance calculations, eliminating funding barriers in Housing Assistance Payments and HUD budget-based subsidy programs, encouraging energy efficiency in Federal Housing Administration (FHA) programs and improving data collection in HUD programs.
 
For more information, read the report “Better Buildings Through Executive Action” or the USGBC press release.