Almost half of that funding, about $524 billion, will go toward new transportation, utilities and pollution control projects. The city of Houston is in position to bring in grants from a number of programs, said Susan Lent, an advisor to the city with the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.
“This is an opportunity for the city of Houston to begin planning now to identify the opportunities that it wants to pursue so that it can communicate its priorities to federal department agencies and members of Congress,” Lent told members of the city’s Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure committee at a Dec. 2 meeting.
When it comes to transportation in particular, many of the new programs give cities the chance to apply directly for funds, Lent said.
“Before this law …. probably 85%-90% of transportation dollars went out by formula to states,” she said. “This law creates a large number of new federal grant programs where cities can apply directly.”