Project Connect receives $900K grant for anti-displacement efforts
AUSTIN, Texas - Capital Metro says that it has been awarded a $900K grant from the Federal Transit Administration to support transit-oriented development and anti-displacement efforts for Project Connect.
The transit agency says the initial program of projects for Project Connect will cost $7.1 billion, including $300 million for anti-displacement efforts. This new grant will expand those anti-displacement and equity efforts. It is expected that nearly half of the costs will be supported by federal grants and commitments.
The grant comes only one month after Austinites voted to fund Project Connect, and it is the first example of federal funding CapMetro says it expects to secure to support the program.
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As a partner in implementing Project Connect, the City of Austin will lead the anti-displacement efforts and CapMetro says that this grant award demonstrates how a successful partnership with the city allows the community to leverage federal funds to increase what has already been dedicated locally to study and implement anti-displacement strategies.
The grant funds will be used to study the North Lamar/Guadalupe/Riverside Fixed Guideway Corridor, according to CapMetro. The corridor is a 12-mile light rail segment core that includes both the Orange and Blue light rail lines from North Lamar and US183 to US 183 and East Riverside Drive. This area includes many development hubs and placemaking opportunities.
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CapMetro says the outcome of the study will be recommendations to assist in the development of context-sensitive anti-displacement strategies and affordable housing projects along the corridor.
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CapMetro says it will likely take the proposed Orange and Blue Lines into the Preliminary Engineering/ National Environmental Policy Act phase in early 2021, which is the federally required review that evaluates the environmental and related social and economic effects of projects. The grant will provide additional planning, financial analysis, and regulatory tools related to NEPA and to additional local land-use policies.
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CapMetro will manage the study, with technical and community engagement support from the City of Austin. As the local financial sponsor of the corridor study, CapMetro says it will provide a match of $250,000 committed funding.