Sponsors (31)
The bill directs federal funds and technical support to reduce urban heat and improve health and equity in low-income, high-heat neighborhoods, but it requires multiyear federal spending and creates administrative, cost, and targeting trade-offs that could strain local actors and risk unintended displacement.
Low-income and high-heat urban residents (including seniors and children) will receive targeted grants and projects that reduce heat exposure and lower heat-related illness and mortality.
Black, brown, and low-income neighborhoods will get prioritized funding and interventions to reduce unequal heat exposure, advancing environmental justice in urban areas.
Local governments, nonprofits, and distressed applicants gain a predictable federal funding stream (including up to 100% waivers for economically distressed applicants and technical assistance), enabling planning, job creation, and sustained project implementation.
Taxpayers will fund an ongoing federal program (about $30 million per year FY2026–FY2033), which diverts federal dollars that could be used for other priorities.
Neighborhood greening can raise maintenance costs (water, upkeep) and contribute to rising property values that may displace low-income renters and homeowners.
Smaller nonprofits and local governments may face burdensome administrative and reporting requirements (applications, certifications, conflict-of-interest rules), straining limited staff and capacity.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a HUD grant program to fund urban heat mitigation projects—prioritizing high-poverty, high-heat census tracts—with $30M authorized annually for FY2026–FY2033.
Introduced June 4, 2025 by Yassamin Ansari · Last progress June 4, 2025
Creates a new HUD grant program to help cities and local groups reduce extreme urban heat, especially in low-income and high-heat neighborhoods. It funds planting and maintaining trees, cool pavements and roofs, shade structures, cooling centers, urban forestry planning, outreach, and related activities, with priority for census tracts with high poverty and limited tree cover and $30 million authorized per year for FY2026–FY2033. The program must be set up within one year and run in coordination with EPA, the U.S. Forest Service, and NOAA. At least 75% of annual grant dollars must go to high-poverty tracts; small shares can fund technical assistance and an oversight board. HUD can waive the usual 20% non-Federal match for applicants showing economic hardship, and must report yearly to Congress on recipients and distribution.