HUD's Best Practices Program Terminated

The Best Practices program in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which for the past five years has highlighted and honored hundreds of varied and effective approaches to community development, has been discontinued. The program publications, website and annual conference provided state and local economic development efforts easy access to information and contacts for successful practices worthy of emulation.



HUD Secretary Martinez has determined that funds required to continue Best Practices would be used more effectively to increase training for HUD staff. The agency website reports HUD will look for “other means to achieve the original objectives of the Best Practices program at a sustainable cost.”



The scheduled August symposium in Washington, D.C. will not be held, and there is no longer a deadline or need to submit nominations for Best Practice awards. For the time being, many of the past examples of successful community development programs can still be found at: http://www.hud.gov/whatworks/