The mission of the Center for Housing and Urban Development at Texas A&M University (CHUD) is to provide leadership as a center of inquiry for the creation of sustainable housing and communities. Sustainable communities, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, are those that feature vibrant economies, offer a choice of housing and transportation modes, are closer to jobs, schools, shopping, and recreation, are less energy dependent, and help protect clean water and air.
CHUD supports this mission through research and engagement in the following focal areas: Sustainable landscape and urban planning, design, and development practices; and Innovative green building techniques and technologies. For example, CHUD has a long history of serving border residents in Texas. In early 2012, the Colonias Program became its own unit, permitting CHUD to reinvent itself as a research center for faculty and students conducting research related to housing, sustainable development, and urban issues. CHUD’s community of scholars– both faculty and doctoral fellows, work toward achieving this mission.
