The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $96m in grants to 15 public housing authorities to redevelop thousands of public housing units across the country. HUD provides the new grants as part of an additional $1bn in public housing funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for renovation or demolition. The grants will redevelop new public housing or a mixture of public and non-public units on the old sites, according to the announcement. Days after the Recovery Act was signed earlier in the year, HUD allocated $3bn to more than 3,100 public housing authorities. Federal formulas determined those disbursements in February 2009, but the new grants will be awarded competitively. From June 22 to August 18, 2009, HUD accepted applications from public housing authorities addressing the need for different funding categories. For public housing transformation, HUD made $100m available to renovate “obsolete” public housing projects. To allow authorities to rejuvenate financially stalled projects, HUD allocated $200m. The new grants address housing for the elderly or those with disabilities with $95m in available funding to improve and create community facilities for the delivery of medical services. To create more energy efficient public housing units, $600m became available for accepted public housing authorities. “The funding HUD is awarding to public housing authorities today will inject necessary capital funding into our economy, creating much-needed, quality jobs at a time when they are needed more than ever,” said HUD secretary Shaun Donovan. The 15 public housing authorities represent developments in California, Washington, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Maryland, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Funding ranged from $2.4m to $10m each. Write to Jon Prior.