A major update to national affordable housing standards is placing climate resilience at the forefront of design and construction, signaling a shift in how developers and municipalities approach sustainability. Enterprise Community Partners has released a revised version of its Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, expanding its focus beyond sustainability to include disaster preparedness, climate risk mitigation and energy resilience. Originally launched in 2005, the criteria were designed to demonstrate that housing could be both environmentally responsible and affordable. The latest update reflects growing concerns about extreme weather events and infrastructure vulnerabilities, particularly in underserved communities. The updated criteria introduce mandatory resilience assessments for affordable housing properties, requiring developers to evaluate risks related to extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, high winds and power outages. In addition, every property must now include an emergency manual for residents to use during disasters. “Cities can use the criteria ‘to ensure that they’re serving their affordable housing community well in meeting their housing and their climate goals at the same time,’” said Krista Egger, vice president of national initiatives at Enterprise Community Partners. The revisions also incorporate strategies to help communities respond to heat waves, hurricanes and other natural disasters, while advancing electrification and renewable energy adoption. Updates to building standards address noise, traffic and safety concerns, alongside new approaches to selecting green building materials through early screening and holistic evaluation. “We’re really leaning into the themes of energy, health and resilience because we’re feeling like those are the three areas in terms of impacts to families and individuals that are most important for us to cover,” Egger said. The Enterprise Green Communities Criteria are already widely used across the United States, with 29 states and several major cities either requiring or incentivizing compliance for publicly funded affordable housing developments. Cities such as Chicago, Cleveland and Portland