Urban Planning Faculty Working with HUD Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Program
AAMU Receives $300,000 Commitment to Support Disadvantaged Communities
Alabama A&M University has received a $300,000 commitment to support disadvantaged communities through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) program, through a partnership led by Abt Associates, a global consulting and government services firm, along with National Housing Trust, Equitable Cities LLC, and EPR P.C.
“HUD is proud to have Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) involved in the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance program,” said Solomon J. Greene, HUD’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. “Since they were founded, HBCUs have been known for being economic anchors in their communities. It’s important to partner with them to develop and revitalize neighborhoods and expand opportunities for underserved communities.”
The TCTA program is an important element of the federal government’s efforts to promote the development of affordable housing, planning for equitable transportation, and critical infrastructure improvements in disadvantaged communities through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, American Rescue Plan, and annual appropriations to various cabinet agencies.
Dr. Jordan Yin and Dr. Florina Dutt, Assistant Professors at Alabama A&M University’s Department of Regional and Community Planning, and alumna Patrice Ruffin-Dowdell, will lead AAMU’s involvement to provide technical assistance to two of the first four communities selected by HUD for assistance, Rockford, Illinois and Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Ruffin-Dowdell, an external consultant, earned her Master of Urban Regional Planning at AAMU in 2004 and is a certified planner, municipal administrator, and attorney.
Yin and Dutt were recently invited to the Thriving Communities Network Convening at HUD headquarters in Washington, D.C. that brought together more than 120 representatives from federal agencies, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, and universities that provide technical assistance to communities across the U.S.
“This event was an important opportunity to meet with colleagues throughout the U.S. working to make the most of federal programs and policies intended to uplift disadvantaged communities,” said Yin.
“We learned so much about the many kinds of support that are needed by different communities across the U.S. and being actively engaged in this way is an invaluable opportunity to channel our knowledge and expertise to communities in need,” added Dutt.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with AAMU on this project,” said Jeffrey Lubell, Principal Associate for Housing and Asset Building at Abt Associates. “Drs. Yin and Dutt offer a tremendous amount of planning experience and expertise, allowing us to provide more effective assistance to communities seeking to strengthen the alignment of their housing and transportation policies.”
Photo (Top Row from Left) Charles T. Brown, Equitable Cities LLC; Colleen Moore, Abt Assoc.; Todd Gordon, EPR, P.C.; Jeffrey Lubell, Abt Assoc.; Laura Abernathy, National Housing Trust; Jordan Yin, AAMU; Elizabeth Giardino, Abt Assoc.; Jessica Lurz, Abt Assoc.; Florina Dutt, AAMU; Vesna Petrin, Abt Assoc.