The Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced the third round of funding awards under its Climate Ready Housing program to support deep energy retrofits and cost savings for 1,000 affordable housing units in the Bay State.
Affordable housing properties in eight Massachusetts communities will benefit from the funding, which will reduce energy use and lead to lower costs for residents. According to the governor’s office, the grant program will fund upgrades in the state’s housing stock, improving indoor air quality.
Gov. Maura Healey said this third round of funding goes even further toward lowering emissions from the state’s existing buildings, which “reduces costs for Massachusetts residents while being good for the environment and our health.”
“Massachusetts continues to lead on decarbonizing affordable housing properties as we make progress on our mission to tackle high housing and energy costs head-on,” Healey said.
“These green initiatives create a healthier standard of living for families in our housing developments while at the same time providing opportunities for local workers,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “We are paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future through these deep energy retrofits.”
The program, led by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, MassHousing and Local Initiatives Support Corporation Massachusetts, was created under the state’s 2021 Economic Development Bond Bill and seeded with $1.6 million annually.
Following the first two pilot rounds, the administration increased the annual funding tenfold with $16 million available in this round.
Eleven affordable housing properties were awarded funding in this round. They include:
- 154-156 Boylston St. and Sara Wallace House as part of the Brookline Community Development Corp. (BCDC), which will use the funding for deep energy retrofits at a six-unit triple decker property and a 16-unit historic building, both of which are located in Brookline.
- The Pine Street in at 258 Main St. will receive funding for a retrofit at a 14-unit property located in Charlestown.
- Visiting Nurse Communities & WinnCompanies at 259 Lowell St. will receive funding for 78 units in Somerville.
- The New Bedford Housing Authority’s Blue Meadows/Nashmont community will use the funds to upgrade 22 units across four buildings.
- Fenway Community Development Corp.’s Burbank Gardens will use the funds for its 52-unit property in Boston.
- The Planning office for Urban Affairs’ Constitution Inn will use the funding for a green retrofit project at its 100-unit property in Charlestown.
- Coalition for a Better Acre’s New North Canal Apartments will use the funds at a 267-unit campus property in Lowell.
- Madison Park Development Corp.’s Orchard Gardens will use the funding for 282 units at its Roxbury property.
- Quincy Geneva New Vision Community & WinnCompanies’ Phillips Brooks School will use it for 27 units of affordable housing in Dorchester.
- Cambridge Housing Authority’s Roosevelt Towers Mid-Rise will use it for a 77-unit mid-rise property in Cambridge.
- The Community Builders’ The Putnam will use the benefit for 38 units of historic, adaptive reuse housing in Greenfield.
- Worcester Common Ground will use the funds for WCG Homes’ 18-unit scattered site property in Worcester.
“We at the Brookline Community Development Corporation (BCDC) are incredibly grateful for the two funding awards from the Climate Ready Housing Program,” BCDC Executive Director Giovanny Valencia said.
The next round of Climate Ready Housing funds will open in March 2025.