Sustainability planning grants and high speed rail subsidies will get no new federal funding in fiscal year 2012, which began this October. The compromise appropriations bill came to a vote as the Congressional “super committee” continued to work on its proposal to achieve a $1.5 trillion reduction in the federal deficit, so further cuts in programs are considered likely.

House and Senate members came together and passed a consensus $182 billion budget for five agencies, Agriculture, Justice, Science and Commerce, Transportation and HUD. The budget keeps to spending caps agreed to in August in the moments before the U.S. debt limit expired.

Despite attempts by supporters to maintain at least a small slice for high-speed rail, the compromise budget zeros at funding for high-speed rail. 

The budget also eliminits funding for Sustainable Communities Planning grants. The grants are administered by the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities, an interagency initiative between the DOT, EPA and HUD. “The Partnership for Sustainable Communities is one of the federal government’s most effective tools,” said Geoffrey Anderson of Smart Growth America in response to the cut. “If you think building homes that people can afford near jobs and schools is a sound strategy for rebuilding our economy, if you think local governments can partner to deliver service more efficiently, if you want to help communities copy other localities that have saved hundreds of millions in federal infrastructure funding, this was the program for you.”

Affordable housing programs also took a hit in the budget compromise, here is the breakdown:

  • $18.91 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, including $75 million for new HUD-VASH (HUD - VA Supportive Housing) vouchers;    
  • $2.95 billion for Community Development Block Grants (about $390 million less than in FY 2011);    
  • $1 billion for the HOME program (approximately $600 million less than in FY 2011)
  • $1.901 billion for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants (the same as in FY 2011), including $250 million for the Emergency Solutions Grant program;
  • $1.88 billion for the Public Housing Capital Fund (approximately $165 million less than in FY 2011); and
  • $3.96 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund (approximately $655 million less than in FY 2011).