Biden, Trump Teams Battle Over Environmental Agenda For Housing

As the transition to the second presidency of Donald Trump continues, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) this week aimed to emphasize what it sees as the accomplishments of its environmental record before the agenda on climate issues is set to change dramatically in January.

One of the programs winding down within the Biden-Harris administration is HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), which had funding set aside from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. That law allocated $837.5 million in grant and loan subsidy funding, as well as $4 billion in loan commitment authority, specifically for the GRRP program.

On Tuesday, HUD announced the final round of GRRP grant funding, bringing the total delivered to recipients to $1.43 billion. GRRP funding is designed to be used for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, to address climate resilience, and to increase energy and water efficiency of HUD-assisted multifamily properties in low-income communities.

“Today’s final round of awards will deliver approximately $30 million in awards to 45 properties across 23 states under [GRRP] to support energy efficiency and protect residents and affordable housing from natural hazards in more than 4,700 homes,” HUD announced.

HUD acting secretary Adrianne Todman said the funds “are going to help preserve and modernize affordable homes for countless people over many years to come.”

John Podesta, senior international climate policy adviser to the president, added that GRRP “is boosting the quality of life for tens of thousands of low-income families, seniors, and Americans with disabilities by making their homes safer and more comfortable.”

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Julia Gordon added that the funds have made “a meaningful difference in the lives of more than 30,000 low-income individuals and families while supporting efforts to combat climate change.”

But allies of president-elect Trump have also recently taken the opportunity to clear the way for the incoming administration’s housing agenda. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the ranking member of the U.S. Senate’s Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to cease any rulemaking and nominations for personnel.

The letter was also sent to current cabinet secretaries and agency heads including Todman, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra.

“To ensure an orderly transition, federal financial and housing regulators should suspend any rulemaking and nomination-related activities,” Scott wrote in the letter, which he posted on X.

“As the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, I call on the agencies overseen by the committee to cease all rulemaking, including the finalization of any pending or proposed regulations or guidance, and to comply with federal record retention laws and preserve all agency documents, records and communication.”

Scott went on to “demand” that all pending nominations taking place at the agencies and overseen by the committee be withdrawn. He advised Biden that he “will not vote for, or advance, any nominees put forth in front of the committee by [the Biden] administration.”

Trump has yet to make selections for major roles, including HUD secretary, FHFA or CFPB director, or FHA commissioner. On Tuesday, it was reported that Trump selected longtime confidant Howard Lutnick for secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce.