I believe that when you set out to look for a home, you aren’t just looking for a house, but you are also looking for a community. You are thinking about access to quality schools and safe streets for your children. You are thinking about transportation to work and school. It’s important for you to have access to good jobs, grocery stores and transportation. When you choose a home, you choose a community and all that is has to offer. As a father, I understand how important it is to spend less time commuting and more time with family.
Through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development department’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, we are working with the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency to create those sustainable communities. Guided by six “livability principles,” our Interagency Partnership is working to break down silos that traditionally exist in the federal government and help local communities across the country improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs, while protecting our environment. It will help communities build more livable, walkable, environmentally sustainable regions by connecting housing to jobs, fostering and encouraging local innovation, and by building a clean energy economy.