Boston, MA – The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved $1 million in funds to support the City’s effort to provide renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in existing affordable multi-family rental properties. Together with $1 million in recovery act funds that the City received, the $2 million will leverage millions more in new funding recently allocated from Massachusetts utility companies.
While some of Boston’s affordable housing stock is new and built to current, more stringent energy efficiency standards, much of Boston’s affordable housing stock is old and inefficient, resulting in higher energy costs for building owners and low income tenants. In addition to providing immediate and positive economic impacts for the owners and tenants of the affordable properties, the initiative will spur green-collar job creation.
Beginning this spring, utility companies in Massachusetts will offer a new multi-million dollar energy efficiency retrofit grant program for existing low-income multi-family properties owned by public housing authorities and non-profits. This program will provide owners direct services that will benchmark a development’s energy use and in most cases complete a comprehensive energy audit. The City, through its Renew Boston initiative, will use the $2 million to either double the number of units that benefit from this program or provide resources for proven energy efficiency strategies not funded by utility companies.
The BRA will reserve up to $500,000 of its funding allocation for solar thermal systems.
