National Housing Trust and Children's Law Center awarded $20M from EPA for community change

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the National Housing Trust (NHT) and Children's Law Center (CLC) a $20 million grant to put towards their affordable housing initiative. 

Through the initiative, the organizations will retrofit 785 homes within affordable multifamily buildings in Washington, D.C. to improve air quality, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce energy costs for residents. This project will also provide jobs among contractors in the area qualified to work on projects of this magnitude. 

“This grant supports NHT’s commitment to creating healthier, more affordable housing for under-resourced renters in our home city of Washington D.C.,” said NHT’s CEO, Priya Jayachandran.

The D.C. Healthy, Green, and Affordable Housing initiative focuses on multifamily buildings where children suffer from chronic asthma. According to officials, D.C. has some of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. 

“Our work will advance environmental justice in disinvested neighborhoods by ensuring that current and future residents can live in affordable housing that is resilient to climate impacts and free of harmful pollutants that lead to poor health outcomes,” said  Jayachandran.

By eliminating fossil fuel use in homes and removing other indoor air contaminants, the NHT and CLC hope it will reduce asthma triggers and other respiratory illnesses within the community.