Yesterday at the National Press Club, administration officials highlighted recent grants released by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities to support more livable and sustainable communities across the country. The Partnership, which consists of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), builds economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, transportation, and more. Last week, agencies began releasing local grants to support sustainable living nationwide. The combined sum of the agencies’ grants is $409.5 million.

“We’re working to change the way government works, and that means investing tax dollars wisely and well,” President Obama said in a statement. “We want to make sure that when we’re building infrastructure, we’re considering how housing, transportation, and the environment all impact each other. These grants are designed to get the biggest bang for our tax dollar buck.”

Over the past year, EPA, HUD, and DOT have worked together to promote better outcomes for communities and more effective federal investments through better targeted federal resources, removal of existing federal regulatory and policy barriers to smart and sustainable development, as well as aligned agency priorities that will ensure lasting collaboration.

“These grants will help boost economic development with the goal that all Americans can afford to live in communities with access to employment, schools and transportation options,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Communities across the country offered bold, unique proposals to plan and build sustainably based on their own local resources, landscape, culture and ingenuity. With this partnership we can lay the foundation for sustainable economic prosperity for generations to come by helping communities that share problems start sharing solutions.”

Coordinating federal investments in infrastructure, facilities, and services meets multiple economic, environmental, and community objectives with each dollar spent. The Partnership is helping communities across the country to create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses.

“These investments represent an unprecedented new way of working together. And they set a powerful example for how we can reward true excellence, effective partnerships, and the good stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Americans can rebuild their communities - not just in spite of enormous economic challenges, but as the means for overcoming them.”

At a time when every dollar the federal government invests in jumpstarting the economy is critical, the President’s plan ensures that all these agencies are coordinating efforts and targeting resources with precision. This collaboration gets better results for communities and uses taxpayer money more efficiently. Reflecting this new collaboration, these grants were judged by a multidisciplinary review team, drawn from eight federal agencies and from partners in philanthropy.

"President Obama has made clear that sustainable communities with affordable housing and access to a broad range of transportation options are vital to rebuilding the foundation for prosperity in this country,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said. “This Partnership is bringing our efforts together, allowing our resources to have more impact, and ensuring that we are collaborating on the housing, transportation and environmental needs that are essential to the success of every community. Our work has already helped to create healthier communities and open up better opportunities to attract new jobs and investments.”