The Boston Housing Authority was one of 17 housing agencies nationwide to receive funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) intended to spur new housing and neighborhood transformation.

The city agency received $300,000 in Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants. The $4.95 million awarded provides communities the resources they need to craft comprehensive, community-driven plans to revitalize public or other HUD-assisted housing and transform distressed neighborhoods, according to information from the federal agency.

The HUD funds are meant to achieve three core goals, according to the agency. One is to transform distressed public and assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed-income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long-term.

The second goal is to support positive outcomes for families who live in the target developments and surrounding neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to residents’ health, safety, employment, mobility and education; and.

The third is to transform poverty-stricken neighborhoods into viable, mixed-income neighborhoods with access to well-functioning services, high quality public schools, public transportation and improved access to jobs. No specific project in Boston was cited.