The city of Prichard has been chosen to receive technical assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of a national program designed to help local governments pursue smarter, more sustainable growth.
City officials announced this week that Prichard was one of a small number of communities selected from a large pool of applicants nationwide to take part in the EPA’s Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The initiative connects municipal governments with EPA staff and outside experts who help identify practical strategies for economic development, land use planning and environmental resilience.
According to a city spokesperson, Prichard specifically requested assistance focused on equitable development, a category within the program aimed at ensuring that growth strategies benefit longtime residents and don’t leave existing neighborhoods behind as new investment arrives. As part of the award, the city will take part in one- or two-day workshops led by EPA staff and national planning experts, though a specific date for those sessions had not yet been finalized.
City leaders described the selection as a meaningful vote of confidence in Prichard’s ongoing efforts to stabilize its finances and attract new investment after a period of significant fiscal strain, including a municipal bankruptcy process in recent years. Local officials said the free technical assistance could help the city develop a more coherent growth strategy without having to pay for expensive outside consultants.
The Building Blocks program has operated since 2011 and has previously provided similar assistance to well over a hundred communities across dozens of states, ranging from small towns to larger metropolitan areas. Selected communities are not given direct funding through the program; instead, they receive expert guidance intended to help them make the most of whatever resources and grants they’re able to secure on their own.
Prichard officials said the workshops will likely bring together city staff, elected leaders and community stakeholders to map out priorities such as revitalizing vacant properties, improving walkability in commercial corridors and encouraging small business growth in areas that have struggled to attract investment.
City leaders framed the selection as part of a broader push to reposition Prichard as a city moving forward rather than one defined by its past financial troubles, noting that partnerships with federal agencies and other outside organizations will be key to that effort in the months ahead.