Actor Urges Federal Lawmakers to Make Affordable Housing Green 

Actor Edward Norton, grandson of Enterprise Community Partners co-founder James Rouse, addressed the U.S. House of Representatives recently on the importance of green housing initiatives. According to data from Enterprise, which oversees the Enterprise Green Communities initiative, eco-friendly communities generate significant cost savings by lowering water and energy usage--benefits that are achievable through slightly higher building costs. “Low-income people and communities suffer disproportionately from housing challenges, energy costs and the effects of climate change," said Norton at the hearing, titled "Building Green, Saving Green: Constructing Sustainable and Energy Efficient Buildings." "We can make progress on all these issues, create green jobs and lock-in long-term environmental benefits by making green affordable homes a national priority.” The Enterprise Green Communities program has $570 million invested so far in 250 green developments, with more than 11,000 units completed or underway for lower-income earners.