The Office of Economic Development is pleased to share with you a new series of briefs that take you inside the innovation of our Renew300 renewable energy partners and HUD's Regional Planning and Community Challenge grantees.

These briefs introduce planners, policymakers, community leaders, and interested citizens to the ways in which HUD's partners are preparing for the challenges of the future. Our Renew300 brief details HUD's efforts to deploy clean energy technologies that will cut carbon emissions and reduce utility costs for low-income American families across the country.

The set of four themed briefs introduce you to the ways our groundbreaking Regional Planning and Community Challenge Planning grantees are taking hold of their own futures and tackling a range of challenges in health, mobility, affordable housing, infrastructure, and economic development. With an eye toward the future, the briefs focus on how communities can prepare for demographic shifts, changes in weather patterns, and new economic opportunities. Each brief spotlights tested strategies, case studies, and tools that can be used by communities around the country to advance local goals.

Click on the links below to download individual briefs by topic. For more information about the work of our grantees, please see the Sustainable Communities Resource Library and the Renew300 website.

Renewable energy generates a wide array of benefits, from the creation of clean jobs and green industries, to the energy savings for families, and improved health outcomes as a result of lower carbon emissions. The Renew300 brief examines the strategies and resources that HUD is deploying to meet ambitious federal renewable energy goals. These tools are useful for anyone interested in renewable energy financing, installation, and management.

Housing and transportation choices have a profound effect on the ability of Americans to access jobs and can shape the economic health of entire regions. The Access to Opportunity brief examines the ways in which rural and urban areas are putting infrastructure and compatible land development in place to accommodate demographic shifts, such as an aging population, and the varied needs of its residents.

America's accelerating economic recovery is inspiring communities to seek new ways to boost their competitiveness, and ensure their economies are more resilient to change. The Economic Resilience brief showcases grantees that are connecting workers to jobs, repurposing vacant land, capitalizing on local assets, and seizing business opportunities in new sectors, such as the regional food economy.

Communities across the country already are dealing with the effects of a changing climate. The Climate Resilience brief outlines how communities are increasing their resilience through vulnerability assessments, the integration of climate change into local comprehensive and economic development plans, and other actions to mitigate and adapt to new climate realities.

Equity and segregation are still very real challenges in communities across the country. The Equity and Inclusion brief provides examples of places that have taken a hard look at patterns of segregation and barriers to opportunity, and developed strategies for reducing disparities and building stronger, healthier communities.