Garamendi, HUD Presents $15,920,000 Check to Improve Affordable Housing Resiliency to Climate Hazards

Congressman John Garamendi presenting the check with Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, Community Housing Development Corporation Executive Director Donald Gilmore, the longest-tenured Pullman Point resident Ms. Linda Daniels, and HUD's Honorable Adrianne Todman.

Richmond, CA-Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-08) presented $15,920,000 in federal funding for climate resilience and energy-efficient renovations of affordable multifamily housing units in Richmond, CA.

Specifically, Garamendi presented a $15,920,000 check alongside the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) and its 199-unit Pullman Point low-income housing development in Richmond under HUD's Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). The funding will increase energy and water efficiency, generate renewable energy, reduce housing operating costs, promote the use of green building materials, and improve the quality of life for residents by making these homes more resilient to climate hazards.

This funding is part of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, which established HUD's GRRP in 2022 to fund energy efficiency and climate resiliency improvements for multifamily properties participating in HUD's project-based rental assistance programs.

"I am thrilled to support the Community Housing Development Corporation's work to ensure our community's access to resilient and affordable housing in the face of the ongoing climate crisis. Today's funding was made possible thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration's Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate history," Garamendi said. "I am committed to supporting the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to uplift our disadvantaged communities that have been overlooked by federal investment and are now disproportionately facing the effects of climate change."

"HUD has awarded over $1.1 billion through the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program to modernize housing for families across the country as the climate crisis continues to affect our most vulnerable communities," said the Honorable Adrianne Todman, HUD's senior official. "These awards advance the Biden-Harris Administration's housing and clean energy goals to ensure families we serve live in resilient, energy efficient, and comfortable homes where they can thrive."

"The GRRP award partnership with HUD is an investment that will help us succeed in solidifying the goal at the core of our mission - to address the struggles to find safe, affordable housing options - while building resilience against climate impacts to the direct benefit of residents and the broader community," said Community Housing Development Corporation Executive Director Donald Gilmore. "Our goal at Pullman Point is to use this award to enhance the building's environmental resilience and reduce its carbon footprint. We want to implement energy and water efficiency upgrades, incorporate renewable energy systems, improve indoor air quality, integrate sustainable materials, and install zero-emission technologies. The Pullman Point GRRP award project represents our commitment and continued effort to improve the lives of individuals and families and create thriving and vibrant communities. We're proud of that."

As part of President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, this funding also advances the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are underinvested and overburdened by pollution. Over $1.12 billion from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has now been awarded to 225 properties and nearly 26,000 rental homes to make them greener, healthier, and safer for low-income households, seniors, and persons with disabilities.

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