The NEVI Program: What Multifamily Properties Need to Know

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program is a $5 billion federal initiative created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed in November 2021. Congress designed NEVI to fill in the gaps along America's major highways, giving EV drivers confidence they won't run out of charge on long trips.

Under NEVI, the federal government allocates funds to each state based on a formula tied to highway mileage and EV adoption rates. States work with their departments of transportation to deploy fast chargers — specifically DC Fast Chargers capable of at least 150 kW — every 50 miles along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, which run along major interstates and U.S. routes. The goal is a national network of reliable charging hubs, each with a minimum of four chargers at a single location.

NEVI sets strict requirements that define where and how chargers must be built. Every station must be located within one mile of an interstate exit, maintain 97% uptime, support both the CCS and NACS connector standards, and remain operational for at least five years.

The honest answer is: not directly. NEVI was designed for highway corridor charging, not residential or multifamily properties. The program targets publicly accessible locations near interstate exits — think highway rest stops, gas stations, and travel centers — not apartment parking garages or HOA communities.

If you manage a multifamily building, you almost certainly won't qualify for NEVI funds directly. The program is administered through state Departments of Transportation, and grants flow primarily to site hosts willing to install high-power DC fast chargers at publicly accessible locations with strict uptime and reporting obligations. The costs and operational commitments involved are designed for commercial charging operators, not residential property managers.

There is, however, a separate program in the same legislation that directly targets properties like yours — and it's one that many HOA boards and property managers have never heard of.

Alongside NEVI, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, funded at $2.5 billion. Unlike NEVI, the CFI program includes a specific track — Community Charging and Fueling Grants — that funds EV chargers in exactly the kinds of places where people live and work, including multifamily housing communities, affordable housing sites, rural locations, and low-income neighborhoods.

CFI community grants cover up to 80% of eligible project costs, including equipment, installation, and electrical infrastructure upgrades in some cases. Unlike NEVI's rigid highway-location requirements, CFI gives state and local governments, nonprofits, and Tribes flexibility in where and how they deploy chargers. In practice, city or county governments apply for CFI funds and then partner with multifamily property owners as site hosts — which means your building can benefit even if you can't apply directly.

The practical path for most HOA boards and property managers is to watch for CFI grant announcements from your city, county, or state housing authority; register your property as an interested site host with your local utility or state energy office; and work with a qualified EV charging installer who tracks grant cycles in your region.

Even if your building isn't directly eligible for NEVI funds, the program matters to your residents. As NEVI stations come online along major corridors, EV ownership in your area will accelerate. Residents who previously hesitated to buy an EV because of range anxiety will become more confident — and they'll expect to be able to charge at home.

Studies consistently show that over 80% of EV charging happens at home, not at public fast chargers. Highway fast chargers are for road trips; home charging is for daily driving. As NEVI makes long-distance EV travel more reliable, demand for residential charging at your property will grow. Buildings that offer charging will have a meaningful competitive advantage in attracting and retaining residents.

In competitive rental and condo markets, the presence of EV charging has been shown to increase tenant satisfaction, reduce vacancy rates among EV-driving residents, justify a modest premium in monthly parking fees, and position the property as forward-thinking for future buyers or renters.

It's worth being transparent about where things stand today. The NEVI program faced a significant setback in early 2025, when the federal administration paused the release of NEVI funds to states, citing a policy review. Several states filed legal challenges, and funding status has varied since then. Some states that had already obligated their NEVI allocations continued construction; others saw their programs stall.

The CFI program experienced similar uncertainty. Property managers and HOA boards considering federal incentives should check with their state energy office for the current status of NEVI and CFI funds in their state before building any project budget around these grants.

More reliable near-term funding sources include state-level programs, utility rebate programs, and the federal 30C tax credit — a 30% credit on qualifying EV charger installation costs that was extended through 2032 under the Inflation Reduction Act. These options tend to move faster and with more predictability than federal discretionary grants.

For most HOA boards and property managers, the most productive steps don't require waiting on federal programs at all. Start with a site assessment to understand your building's electrical capacity and parking layout. This determines what's actually feasible before you pursue any funding source.

Next, contact your local utility. Many utilities — including Pacific Gas and Electric, ConEd, ComEd, and dozens of others nationwide — have their own make-ready programs that pay for the electrical infrastructure upgrades needed to support EV chargers. These programs are often faster and more predictable than federal grants, and many property managers are surprised to find that the utility covers most of the behind-the-meter wiring costs.

The NEVI program represents a major public investment in America's EV future, but it's one piece of a much larger incentive puzzle. The best path for your property is understanding all the options — federal, state, utility, and local — and matching the right funding source to your specific project. An experienced EV charging installer who works with multifamily buildings regularly can help you identify what's available in your area today.