1350 Eye Street NW Suite 425
Washington, DC 20005
smartgrowthamerica.org
254 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington D.C. 20510
Dear Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Members,
As the committee advances the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill, we respectfully request incorporating the Build Housing, Unlock Benefits and Services (Build HUBS) Act into the legislation. The Build HUBS Act presents an important opportunity to drive economic growth, strengthen public-private partnerships, and better connect communities through aligned transportation and economic development investments. The bill could also contribute to delivering much-needed attainable housing near transportation – a vital goal as our country faces the greatest housing shortage in generations.
Building near public transit and transportation infrastructure enhances the myriad of benefits for transit systems because it increases land use efficiency, boosts transit ridership, lowers public infrastructure costs, saves taxpayers money, and ensures people are well connected to housing, services, and better paying jobs. This development pattern, known as transit-oriented development (TOD), increases economic growth, enhances local tax-bases and fiscal health, and creates desirable, connected communities. Transit-oriented development can also produce much-needed housing, which is crucial as the nation seeks to address a national housing shortage.
For over a decade, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) and the Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act (TIFIA) programs’ transit-oriented development provisions have been burdened by red tape and inefficient administrative practices. These obstacles have been so costly and onerous that only one transit-oriented development project has been completed with the program’s support in the past ten years. The upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill offers the opportunity to reform these programs to unleash their economic potential for communities nationwide.
The Build HUBS Act is fundamental to unlocking the benefits of these programs, supporting public-private partnerships, and enabling developers to invest more effectively in communities. The bill introduces reforms to remove burdensome administration, shorten underwriting timelines, and expand credit validation options. The bill will also extend TOD eligibility for projects through 2031 and provide relief under NEPA by codifying categorical exclusions for infill
developments and office-to-residential conversion. Housing developed through the attainable housing designation will also receive enhanced Treasury-based financing.
This is a responsible way to promote more development around transit, leverage private capital, and create long-term economic value not just in big cities, but also in small towns and rural communities. Transit-oriented development plays a key role in promoting economic growth, housing access, and connectivity. We support this legislation and are eager to see it enacted in the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. Thank you for your consideration and your attention to this important request.
Signed,
National Organizations
ACEEE
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
America Walks
American Planning Association
American Society of Landscape Architects
CivicWell
Congress for the New Urbanism
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Economic Innovation Group
Enterprise Community Partners
GreenLatinos
Inclusive Abundance Action
Just Strategy: National Campaign for Transit Justice
League of American Bicyclists
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers & Investors
Mortgage Bankers Association
National Apartment Association
National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders
National Association of Development Organizations
National Association of Home Builders
National Association of Realtors
National Association of Regional Councils
National Leased Housing Association
National Multifamily Housing Council
Neighbors for More Neighbors
Parking Reform Network
Putting Assets to Work
Sierra Club
Smart Growth America
The Niskanen Center
U.S. Green Building Council
Up for Growth Action
YIMBY Action
State, Regional and Local Organizations
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania
1000 Friends of Oregon
1000 Friends of Wisconsin
Abundant Housing MA
Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST)
CITYBUILDER
Clean+Healthy
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Denver Streets Partnership
East Metro Strong
Elevated Chicago
Farm&City
ForeverGreen Trails
Greater Denver Transit
Greater Ohio Policy Center
Grow Smart Rhode Island
GrowSmart Maine
Hawaii Department of Transportation
Let’s Build Homes
Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative
Madison Area Bus Advocates
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Metropolitan Planning Council
Move California
Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island
New Jersey Future
Oregon Metro
People Friendly Stamford
Pro-Homes Connecticut
Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce
Snohomish County Transportation Coalition
Somerville YIMBY
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
Stations Unidos
Texans For Housing
The Wisconsin Bike Fed
Together For Homes
TrainRiders Northeast
Transform
Transportation Choices Coalition
Urban Land Institute NW District Council
Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities
Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance
Private Sector
Ascension OZ Advisors, LLC
Avesta
Brookwood Group
Concentric Community Advisors, LLC
Continuum Partners
DPZ CoDesign
Ederer and Associates
Galvin Architects
Gilbane Development Company
HarveyReed
Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc.
McCormack Baron Salazar
Peter J. Park, LLC
re:MAIN
stok Investment Group
T.H. McClory, LLC (d/b/a THM Advisors)