e-Con Planning Suite: New Community Planning Technology

In the past, HUD has required more than 1,200 cities, counties and states to undergo “a paper-based, time-intensive and costly planning process, as a condition of receiving billions of dollars in federal funding.”  On May 7, HUD launched the new e-Con Planning Suite.  According to HUD, this new approach will save 65,000 staff hours each year, and support communities with decision-making that will engage informed public participation and improve community and economic development outcomes.

“The eCon Planning Suite is designed to make the Consolidated Plan useful as more than a compliance and budget exercise, by integrating expanded community need, market data, and mapping capability into a new electronic planning template.”  This will allow greater transparency. Several mayors and Development Councils have already responded to eCon, and their responses can be found with the release of this information.

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Watch the eCon Planning Suite video.