After 50 years of development, HUD’s P3s constitute an essential part of its programs and policies, from community development to fair housing enforcement. P3s will likely continue to play a significant role in the new HUD initiatives, especially in an era of severe restrictions on new domestic spending. The ConnectHome broadband pilot program, for instance, commits no new federal funding from HUD and relies on extensive private investment (HUD, 2015b). The ongoing Rental Assistance Demonstration, if successful, could reduce the nation’s public housing maintenance backlog without substantial new federal investment. Choice Neighborhoods enable local public and private organizations to partner for systemic change, leveraging public dollars to greater effect. Public-private partnerships could also help administer HUD programs more efficiently.

In July 2015, HUD launched the ConnectHome initiative, which aims to provide free or highly subsidized broadband access to hundreds of thousands of HUD-assisted tenants (White House, 2015). ConnectHome is a partnership with Internet service providers, foundations, and local governments across the country.