GREEN Act Reintroduced to House, Praised by Many
By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorWashington, D.C.–The GREEN Act, which could potentially raise the bar for environmental performance in affordable housing, is getting a nod of approval from those involved in the multi-housing industry. Bill H.R. 2336 or the Green Resources for Energy Efficient Neighborhoods Act of 2009 (GREEN Act), which was recently reintroduced in…
By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorWashington, D.C.–The GREEN Act, which could potentially raise the bar for environmental performance in affordable housing, is getting a nod of approval from those involved in the multi-housing industry. Bill H.R. 2336 or the Green Resources for Energy Efficient Neighborhoods Act of 2009 (GREEN Act), which was recently reintroduced in the House by Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), authorizes new federal resources for green affordable development while providing incentives to the private sector to invest in green affordable homes for low-income people. Doris W. Koo, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, testified before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity. The GREEN Act would require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to go green and adopt minimum building efficiency standards with rewards for higher performance. To jumpstart these efforts, HUD recently issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to public housing authorities (PHA) applying for the Capital Fund Recovery Competition Grants under the stimulus.The NOFA requires that if a PHA wants to compete for $300 million to be used for new construction or substantial rehab, they must use select elements of Enterprise Green Communities Criteria. This will green thousands of units of public housing and is a great step in the right direction. “With Congress’s support, more individuals will realize that green building is both environmentally friendly and economically friendly,” Koo said at the hearing.The principles and practices of green development offer proven, cost-effective ways to address current and longstanding housing challenges, rising energy and transportation costs and the effects of global warming, while creating jobs, she said. She went on to say, “The greening of affordable housing—making it more energy efficient, healthier and more environmentally responsible—also is a tangible way to ensure that the enormous promise of the emerging green economy includes opportunities for everyone in our society. And, green development provides a powerful framework for rethinking how we create and sustain communities that are better places for today and for future generations.”“The GREEN Act strikes the right balance in showing that it is easy being green by making energy efficient practices affordable, accessible and achievable for consumers, businesses and government entities,” said Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.).The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) also testified, praising the GREEN Act of 2009. But NAHB President Jerry Howard also left members with a warning: H.R. 2454, the other major piece of climate change legislation now before Congress, includes requirements that conflict with H.R. 2336—making the GREEN Act obsolete before it’s even signed.“I am hopeful that this Subcommittee will be able to restore the balance necessary to truly incentivize green building and preserve affordability as the debate over climate change continues,” Howard said. “It would be terribly disappointing to see the good faith effort and collaborative work on the GREEN Act displaced with unworkable federal mandates as envisioned in H.R. 2454.” Howard asked Congress to rework some sections of GREEN Act’s text: It is unclear in the current draft whether new efficiency requirements apply to Federal Housing Authority-financed home purchases as well as to direct subsidy programs or competitive grants.