Housing Affordability Planning Program

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and its members are committed to working to increase the amount, affordability, and accessibility of the region’s housing supply, particularly near transit. These housing targets, when taken with other shared goals on transportation, equity, and climate, are helping the region work toward creating more transit-oriented communities and address longstanding inequities. COG’s Housing Affordability Planning Program (HAPP), established in October 2021, advances this vision.

HAPP awards small, flexible grants of up to $75,000 to area local governments and non-profit developers (with support from a local jurisdiction) engaged in the planning, approval, or development of housing near transit stations. HAPP is designed and administered by COG and financed by the Amazon Housing Equity Fund. Grant application submissions are reviewed and scored by a panel of housing industry experts. 

Grant application submissions are reviewed and scored by a panel of housing industry experts. The first round of grants were approved by the COG Board of Directors in June 2022 and the second was approved October 2023. 

The HAPP application period has closed. The 2024 grantees were confirmed by the COG Board of Directors on October 9, 2024. 

Learn more about how to apply for the HAPP grants. 

CONTACT: Hilary Chapman, HAPP@mwcog.org